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Compilation & Review

Aether provides highly experienced experts for emissions inventory review panels

Successful national and international action requires transparent and trusted evidence. Such evidence builds confidence, informs negotiations and accelerates efficient and effective action. This evidence can be enhanced using independent review, analysis or assessment activities involving experienced experts. Aether has represented customers in the development and execution of a number of high profile review processes related to greenhouse gas and air pollutant estimation and reporting.

Aether has provided reviewers for:

  • annual greenhouse gas inventories under the UNFCCC and its Kyoto Protocol
  • the greenhouse gas inventories under the European Effort Sharing Decision
  • climate mitigation policies and measures and projections reported by EU Member States under the Monitoring Mechanism Regulation/Governance Regulation of the Energy Union
  • GHG emissions and policies and measures reported by Annex I Parties in their National Communications and Biennial Reports
  • GHG emissions and policies and measures reported by non-Annex I Parties in their Biennial Update Reports
  • air pollutants under the CLRTAP convention
  • air pollution mitigation policies and measures and projections reported by EU Member States in their National Air Pollution Control Programmes (NAPCPs)

Aether provides sector experts covering all sectors (Energy, Industrial Processes and Product Use, Agriculture, LULUCF and Waste) and lead reviewers for these panels. Aether is also able to support governments in responding to analysis, assessment and review panel questions. The sections below describe various examples of this review work.

UNFCCC and Kyoto Protocol annual inventory reviews

The review of GHG inventories comprises a thorough technical assessment of the inventory and its conformity with the IPCC compilation guidelines and UNFCCC reporting Guidelines. International teams of sectoral inventory experts examine the data, methodologies and procedures used in preparing and reporting the national inventory data. Aether has a team of qualified reviewers able to support and lead expert teams in the review of greenhouse gas inventories.

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NECD reviews

Aether has provided technical reviewers to assess the national air pollutant emissions inventories reported by EU Member States under the National Emissions Ceiling Directive (NECD) since its inception in 2017. Our team of sector experts regularly participate as reviewers to assess the quality of the methodologies and data used for the national inventories. The emissions estimates are used to demonstrate compliance with their emissions reductions commitments under the NECD, so need to be robust, as well as for providing the evidence base for mitigation policies. Aether also provides secretariat support for the NECD review through our work in the EEA European Topic Centres.

Review of inventories submitted under the National Emission Ceilings Directive

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Effort Sharing Decision Reviews

Aether has provided key development and technical expertise to the European Commission for the 2012, 2015 and 2016 Effort Sharing Decision reviews. The Effort Sharing Decision establishes binding annual greenhouse gas emission targets for Member States for the period 2013 – 2020 and covers emissions from sectors not included in the EU Emission Trading Scheme, such as transport, buildings, agriculture and waste. Aether staff have supported the European Environment Agency and the European Commission in the design of the ESD review processes and tools and for ensuring the active participation of a team of experienced experts.

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CLRTAP Reviews

Since 2009, Aether has provided lead and technical reviewers to assess the submissions of a number of air quality inventories submitted under the Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution (LRTAP) Convention. The technical review process for air quality inventories follows a similar procedure as for greenhouse gas inventories in that there are three progressively more detailed stages of review. The reviews check and assess Parties’ data submissions with a view to improving the quality of emissions data and associated information reported to the Convention.

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Bilateral reviews - knowledge sharing and capacity building

Aether provides core organisational and expert services to facilitate customer bilateral and multilateral reviews of enissions inventories. These reviews include data analysis and assessments, knowledge sharing and capacity building activities.

Aether has a broad range of experienced experts skilled in capacity building and knowledge sharing. These experts support the European Commission, UNDP and other organisations in delivering focussed and progressive programmes of capacity building including the development of organisational and institutional systems for sustainable data gathering, analysis and reporting of data on greenhouse gases and air pollutants. Much of this work is focussed on supporting countries in meeting the Paris Agreement commitments, particularly on transparency and in developing sustainable MRV systems for Nationally Determined Contributions.

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Case studies

LULUCF GHG Inventory Support for Romania

Aether is supporting the Romanian National Research and Development Institute for Cryogenic and Isotopic Technologies (ICSI) in the compilation of its national greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions inventory for non-forest land areas. We are helping to ensure that Romania’s land use, land use change and forestry (LULUCF) inventory is robust and of high quality.

Driving emission reductions through the public sector supply chain: Scope 3 emissions

Aether contributed to the analysis of procurement (Scope 3) emissions reporting in the Scottish public sector. The research aimed to demonstrate approaches and tools available to Scottish public bodies. The aim was to understand and report their supply chain emissions, providing options for action to improve supply chain reporting across the public sector.

Runnymede Borough Council Climate Change Study

Aether, in partnership with Land Use Consultants (LUC), delivered a package of works to support Runnymede Borough Council’s (RBC) review of the 2030 Local Plan with a view to introducing stronger policies to address the impacts of climate change.

GHG inventory support for Estonia

Aether is supporting the Estonian Environmental Research Centre (EKUK) and Estonian Environment Agency (EstEA) in the development of its national greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions inventory templates. We are helping to ensure that the compilation process is transparent and efficient.

Railfreight Energy and Emissions Calculator (REEC)

REEC is the first tool for the UK that can calculate, to a high level of granularity and accuracy, the energy usage and resulting emissions for a specified freight train configuration travelling on specified routes on the GB rail network.

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Testimonial

Don't just take our word for it...

“ Engaging Aether to support us to develop the first GHG Inventory System and first Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) for the United Republic of Tanzania has been a rewarding experience due to their high level of professionalism, creativity, timeliness and value for money. We will definitely consider Aether in our future initiatives. ”

Abbas Kitogo, Programme Specialist Energy and Climate Change, UNDP Tanzania

“ Aether delivered training workshops and generated learning materials for our SSN members, providing technical content in a manageable and comprehendible format. We particularly benefitted from their extensive knowledge and ability to interpret the needs of our members into the training materials. ”

Jennifer Anderson, Sustainable Scotland Network

“ Aether is a great partner for work in the area of European Air Emissions. The team was committed, reliable, well organised and had a deep technical understanding and motivated other partners with their good spirit. ”

Umweltbundesamt: Environment Agency Austria

“ The Aether team were a joy to work with and I would recommend the consultancy - the service provided throughout the process was exceptional. ”

Clare Bayley, Defra

“ It has been a pleasure to work with Chris Dore and Richard Claxton from Aether: they did their job in a very professional and timely manner. The workshop was organized and carried out in a cooperative spirit; the information provided to the workshop participants was complete and clear. ”

Alina Novikova, UN/ECE Secretariat

“ It is always an absolute pleasure working with Aether. I always know what is expected of me. Their work ethic is of a very high standard and projects are always handled in a very professional manner. I have learnt many skills in terms of project management, quality control and workshop training styles from Aether and I hope to carry these principles forward in my own work. I look forward to collaborating with Aether more in the future. ”

Luanne Stevens, Gondwana

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