IG3IS Urban Greenhouse Gas Emission Observation and Monitoring Best Research Practices

Published

August 1, 2022

Author(s)

Jocelyn Turnbull, Philip DeCola, Kimberly Mueller, Felix Vogel, Anna Karion, Israel Lopez Coto, James Whetstone

Abstract

The Integrated Global Greenhouse Gas Information System (IG3IS) aims to coordinate an integrated global greenhouse gas information system, linking inventory and process model-based information with atmospheric observations and atmospheric modelling, to provide the best possible estimates of greenhouse gas emissions at the national and urban scales. Linkages to stakeholders and policy outcomes are a critical goal of IG3IS. The IG3IS Implementation Plan outlines the IG3IS ambition at a broad scale (DeCola et al., 2018). These Best Practice Guidelines are intended to provide technical guidance on current state of the art technologies in urban greenhouse gas information systems. It lays out the available methodologies and how they can best be implemented, as well as guidance on the end user outputs that might be obtained from each methodology. There are many unresolved challenges in this evolving field of research, and we include discussion of ongoing research and considerations. A note on the relationship between these Best Practice guidelines and "Standards". The metrology community is working in parallel to develop standards for urban greenhouse gas measurements. These Best Practice guidelines are aimed at the research community developing emerging methods. Documentary standards will be the logical follow-on as best practices coalesce into widely accepted methodologies that can be implemented in operational situations. IG3IS, the International Bureau of Weights and Measures (BIPM), US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and other metrology organisations will work together to ensure alignment between best practices and standards. The process of creating these Best Practice guidelines began with the IG3IS Steering Committee identifying experts for each sub-topic. At a workshop convened in June 2020, each section was written by the identified lead author and others from the research community, reviewing the state of the art for each topic. Following the workshop, the authors consulted with other experts to provide a draft document. The draft was available for public comment from November 2021 to January 2022, following which those comments were incorporated into the final document. Additional expert contributors were identified during this review process. This is an evolving field of research, and we anticipate that the Best Practices will require regular updating as knowledge develops. We recommend updates to this document every two years, through the bi-annual IG3IS Science meetings as well as dedicated workshops. Researchers, experts and stakeholders are invited to participate in these future revisions.

Citation

World Meteorological Organization Integrated Greenhouse Gas Information System

Pub Weblink

https://ig3is.wmo.int/

Pub Type

Websites

Keywords

Greenhouse Gases, carbon dioxide, monitoring, urban

Citation

Turnbull, J. , DeCola, P. , Mueller, K. , Vogel, F. , Karion, A. , Lopez Coto, I. and Whetstone, J. (2022), IG3IS Urban Greenhouse Gas Emission Observation and Monitoring Best Research Practices, World Meteorological Organization Integrated Greenhouse Gas Information System, [online], https://ig3is.wmo.int/ (Accessed April 26, 2024)