The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is mandated to produce annual national greenhouse gas inventories and projections to meet reporting obligations to the European Commission and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). This evidence informs climate policy development by tracking progress against targets, highlighting national sectoral trends, and the main sources of emissions. Ireland’s legal reporting obligations require that the EPA submit final data to the EU and UNFCC by prescribed dates during the 13 -16 month period after the year end (data for the period 1990-2021 will be submitted in January, March and April 2023). However, to assist national users, the EPA publishes a provisional inventory within a shorter timeframe. These figures are based on the SEAI’s final energy balances released in September 2021 and are estimated using methodologies employed in the inventory in accordance with UNFCCC reporting guidelines, and the latest available input data. The report can be found online at the following link: www.epa.ie/publications/monitoring--assessment/climate-change/air-emissions/irelands-provisional-greenhouse-gas-emissions-1990-2020.php
National emissions inventory data is not compiled in real-time due to the complexities of availability, gathering and validating the information. National emission inventories must take account of national statistical information such as GDP growth and livestock numbers. Therefore, there is no time delay in the preparation of detailed annual inventories by the EPA and they are produced in line with the agreed EU and UN timelines. All reporting deadlines are met annually. Greenhouse gas inventories are reviewed annually by the UNFCCC and by the European Commission under the European Effort Sharing Regulation.To respond and support significant policy, climate governance and legislative advancements in 2021, grounded in the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021, publication of EPA greenhouse gas inventory and projections reports will be adjusted to meet new national climate governance timeframes. This will see publication of EPA greenhouse gas reports published several months earlier than has been the case in the past. The earlier publication will facilitate the monitoring and reporting processes associated with carbon budgets, annual review of the Climate Action Plan, a greater level of sectoral reporting, and more in-depth assessment and reporting of policies and measures.Eurostat’s Estimates of Quarterly Greenhouse Gas Emissions Accounts are not an inventory compiled in the same way as annual national greenhouse gas inventories. They are estimates produced using available (monthly or quarterly) indicator data. Some of the indicators that are used include sectoral gross value added data, fuel sales data and temperature data. The methodology used by Eurostat is described in the following document: ec.europa.eu/eurostat/documents/1798247/6191529/Methodological-note-on-quarterly-GHG-estimates.pdf/6bd54bde-4dd7-ebac-6326-f08c73eb9187?t=1644394935594
