Learning from Research

A searchable GHG emissions data repository

This searchable data repository of GHG emissions stores data from bottom-up (e.g. ecosystem and statistical models) and top-down (e.g. concentration estimations from satellites) observation-based approaches.

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Output Description

VERIFY creates a searchable data repository of GHG emissions. This repository lists every data source available through the VERIFY project as a country total. The data are grouped by gas (CO2, CH4, N2O) and identified by key fields, which include the institute and author responsible for producing the data, the simulation used to derive the data and an indication of the variables included in the dataset (e.g., flux from land, crop, grass, tree, river, lake). The data are downloadable in NetCDF file format, a standard for exchanging scientific data in binary format.  

The data are estimations derived from various methods, including bottom-up (e.g., ecosystem and statistical models, forest inventories, statistical models, emission factors) and top-down approaches (e.g. concentration estimations from Copernicus data and ground-based networks). Bottom-up methods rely on databases such as Eurostat or FAOSTAT for inventories and activity data. Top-down approaches rely more on Copernicus and other satellite system data and the ICOS (Integrated Carbon Observation System) data collection network. Examples of collections of datasets that can be very interesting to evaluators include:  

This database is the TNO (Nederlandse Organisatie voor toegepast-natuurwetenschappelijk Onderzoek or Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research) greenhouse gas and co-emitted species (GHGco) gridded inventory at a resolution of approximately 6x6 km for Central Europe at a consistent 11-year time series (2005-2015). It includes anthropogenic emissions of CO2 (fossil fuel and biofuel separately) and the co-emitted species CO (fossil fuel and biofuel separately) NOx, CH4 and NMVOC. Agricultural activity is modelled as livestock and non-livestock (all other).

The datasets under this collection update the TNO high-resolution inventory for the most recent years, for which country reports are not yet available. The methodology uses activity data or proxies to estimate the year-to-year variability in emissions per source sector. Emissions for 2016 and 2017 are also calculated using the same methods and are compared to reported emissions.

The datasets simulate and provide estimates of terrestrial carbon dioxide
fluxes from natural and human-influenced ecosystems, including croplands, grasslands and forests, using harmonised input data. The carbon dioxide emissions across Europe are simulated using BLUE, CBM-CFS3, DAYCENT, ECOSSE, EFISCEN Space, EPIC-IIASA, G4M+FLAM, ORCHIDEE, the Statistical upscaling of eddy covariance fluxes (Fluxcom) and CCDAS-SDBM3.

This dataset includes simulations from anthropogenic emissions of the non-CO2 GHGs using statistical (CAPRI and EDGAR) and process-based (ECOSSE) models. For agriculture, CAPRI estimates emissions and uses regional agricultural data, which is further disaggregated to high spatial resolution using auxiliary data. ECOSSE estimates soil emissions of N2O and uses some statistical information, such as N-input data and climate data. Emissions of N2O are parameterised based on mechanisms of N2O production via nitrification and denitrification.

This dataset addresses the data demand for forcing, calibrating and evaluating the various models. It includes, among other relevant agricultural data, a collection of state-of-the-art climate data, high-resolution land cover data, biomass data, soil property and soil erosion datasets based on LUCAS topsoil data, fertiliser application data for the CAPRI model, the timing of management techniques such as sowing, harvest, tillage, fertiliser and manure application, grassland management data, forest management data and nitrogen deposition data. Some of these data sets are password-protected, and others are free to registered users.

Some of the data series can be used for graphs through an online user-friendly data visualisation tool.  

VERIFY offers a user-friendly online tool that allows specific data from the repository to connect with a web tool for instantaneous plotting. The tool can plot multiple variables and countries/regions on the same graph, apply a rolling mean to smooth curves and zoom in and out for more detailed explorations. Supporting scripts and notebooks can be found at the project’s repository on Github.  

Relevance for monitoring and evaluation of the CAP

Offering data at a good resolution: The GHG emissions data repository offers the evaluator access to a wealth of estimated GHG emissions data from various models and data used in these models. The data from specific estimations are in the form of gridded spatial data and others in time series. However, gridded spatial data are not always of a high enough resolution to facilitate their use in spatial statistics and counterfactual modelling. Nevertheless, specific data offers a very good resolution of less than 10x10 km.  

Time series data for climate-related indicators: The repository provides time series data for the three gases (CO2, CH4 and N2O) and various fluxes, including different land uses at the national level. Time series data is essential for evaluators who examine changes in climate indicators throughout the implementation period of a programme and need to assess the programme or other events with these indicators. Time series data is also very useful for ex post evaluations, which analyse effects sometime after the programme has ended. 

For example, Interrupted Time Series Analysis can provide a quantitative estimate of the effects of a policy on GHG emissions and isolate it from the concurrent action of other events, such as a production slowdown due to COVID-19. Notably, time-series data can be used for tracking progress towards mitigation targets or nationally determined contributions towards the Paris Agreement.  

Provision of harmonised data: The database provides harmonised data used as inputs in different models, independently supporting the evaluation of other indicators and impacts. For example, the database includes climate data, land use and soil data, fertiliser management data. The database can be accessed for free after registration, and data are downloaded in NetCDF format, including metadata. 

Relevance of the output per CAP Objectives

  • Specific Objective 4 – Climate change action

Additional output information

Data collection systems used:

  • Copernicus
  • Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory
  • Eurostat
  • National land use surveys
  • Ad-hoc data collection

Type of output:

  • New / improved data for M&E
  • Database/ data registry
  • Visualisation tools

Associated evaluation approaches:

  • Scenario analysis
  • Data analysis
  • Impact evaluation ex ante
  • Impact evaluation ex post
  • Impact evaluation ongoing

Spatial scale:

  • Regional
  • National
  • EU level

Project information

Verify Logo

Observation-based system for monitoring and verification of greenhouse gases 

  • Integrate the efforts between the research community, national inventory compilers, operational centres in Europe and international organisations towards the definition of future international standards to verify GHG emissions and sinks based on independent observations. 
  • Enhance the current observations and modelling ability to accurately and transparently quantify the sinks and sources of GHGs in the land-use sector to track land-based mitigation activities. 
  • Develop new research approaches to monitor anthropogenic GHG emissions in support of the EU commitment to reduce its GHG emissions by 40% by 2030 compared to 1990. 
  • Produce periodic scientific syntheses of observation-based GHG balance of EU countries and practical policy-oriented assessments of GHG emission trends and apply these methodologies to other countries. 

Project’s timeframe: 2018 – 2022

Contacts of project holder: Philippe Peylin, Laboratory of Climate and Environmental Sciences (LSCE), CEA – French Alternative Energy and Atomic Energy Commission  peylin@lsce.ipsl.fr 

Website: VERIFY: https://verify.lsce.ipsl.fr/  

Territorial coverage: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, The Netherlands

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