International greenhouse gas verification - elements and institutions

Abstract

Subproject 9 of IKARUS investigates techniques and processes for verifying compliance by states party to the framework convention on climate change and its (future) protocols. They are obliged to limit their GHG emissions and take other climate protection measures and must make (regular) reports on the fulfilment of their obligations. In TP 9 verification is understood to be the independent monitoring of the completeness and correctness of these national reports (declarations) by a specially established organization, although only initial considerations are currently available concerning its form. With the inclusion of the international level, the consideration of all relevant anthropogenic emission sectors and the anticipation of future protocols (e. g. forest protection, agriculture), TP 9 goes beyond the national working field of IKARUS relative to GHG emissions from the energy sector, although it remains closely linked to the overall project since the greatest attention is paid in TP 9 to verifying the declarations via the energy-related GHG emissions. A verification of reports is also required within the framework of efforts by theIPCC and OECD to achieve a standardization of methods for the system of reporting on national GHG emissions (inventories) to be established worldwide. At least as yet the verification concepts of TP 9 and IPCC/DECD differ since they (implicitly) assume different state behaviour: IPCC/DECD concentrate on treaty violations by false or incomplete national declarations which express the states' capacity shortage. It is assumed that in spite of the states' willingness such deficiencies will hamper or delay proper balancing of their emissions. In this sense, verification intends to reveal weaknesses and assist willing but incompetent states to overcome these difficulties with help and advice. This approach is implementation-oriented and corrective. - Over and above this, TP 9 does not exclude the possibility that states or actors in the states deliberately (intentionally) falsify their ...