Greenhouse Gas Emission Measurements

Challenge

Policy makers throughout the U.S. acknowledge climate change as a serious problem and that greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are a major driver. Any effective GHG mitigation strategy will depend upon rigorous measurements as well as methods and procedures for measuring, reporting, and verifying GHG emissions. These measurements and tools provide the basis for improving the reliability and credibility of metrics useful to environmental regulators (including state governments and the Environmental Protection Agency), industrial stakeholders, and other nations involved in international efforts to mitigate global warming.

Proposed NIST Program

In support of this effort, NIST will:

• Provide the measurement science basis for accurate and comparable quantitative measurements of GHG emissions;

• Ensure measurement capabilities for accurate and reliable assessment of current GHG baselines, verification of GHG emissions, and quantification of GHG sinks that absorb GHGs through quantitative measurements; and

• Enable development of international measurement standards to ensure the accuracy of global assessments of GHG emissions.

Expected Impacts

The outputs of this work will:

• Provide rapid and unbiased scientific assessment of the quality of current GHG measurements and data;

• Support verification of data and models to determine the baselines of GHG emissions and the effect of GHG emissions on health and welfare; and

• Provide the measurement science, artifact and chemical standards, documentary standards, and laboratory accreditation programs to support the development of new technologies for monitoring GHG emissions.