Global Database of National GHG Inventory Capacity in Developing Countries

We are publicly releasing a groundbreaking database of indices to measure countries’ capacity for preparing GHG emission inventories (GHGI). These two indices assess the relative capacity of developing countries to prepare national GHGIs under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and lend insight into other climate measurement, reporting, and verification (MRV) areas.

To develop these indices, researchers from the Greenhouse Gas Management Institute, the Institute of Global Environmental Strategies, and the United Nations Development Program have evaluated national communications and biennial update reports submitted by 133 developing countries across a 20-year time-period.

Countries and capacity-building implementers, donors, and policy-makers are invited to use this open-access resource within their monitoring and evaluation (M&E), internal assessment, and indicator reporting. This database and research traces the evolution of GHGI capacity worldwide in an explicit and quantifiable manner. The assessment results can inform where and in which aspects of GHGI capacity additional improvements may be needed in a country to realize the UNFCCC reporting requirements, including under the Paris Agreement’s Enhanced Transparency Framework (ETF).

Download the Database and an Initial Assessment

GHGI Capacity index represents the inherent capacity of countries, and was measured by scoring nine (9) indicators that represent country context, institutional structure, and technical skills and knowledge of individuals.

GHGI Applied index represents the country’s capacity that was actually performed through submitted GHGIs, and was measured by scoring seven (7) indicators that represent the quality of submitted GHGIs: promptness, transparency, accuracy, completeness, time-series, recalculation and key category assessment, and uncertainty analysis.