Greenhouse Gas Emissions Indicator (GHG)

Detailed information for 2005

The greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions indicator reports the trend in human made greenhouse gas emissions at a national, provincial/territorial, and sectoral level for six greenhouse gases in Canada: carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, sulphur hexafluoride, perfluorocarbons, and hydrofluorocarbons.

Data release - October 15, 2007 (All later indicator reports can be found on Environment Canada's site: www.ec.gc.ca/indicateurs-indicators/)

• Description
• Data sources and methodology
• Data accuracy

Description

The indicator is based on GHG emissions data taken directly from the 2005 National Inventory Report (NIR) prepared by Environment Canada titled Canada's Greenhouse Gas Inventory: 1990-2003. As an Annex I Party (Developed Countries) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Canada is required to prepare and submit a national inventory of anthropogenic sources and sinks of greenhouse gases on an annual basis.

Since direct measurement of emissions from all sources is not practical, the UNFCCC requires that all countries develop, update, publish, and maintain national inventories using comparable emissions estimation methods.

The indicator is based on the methodology required by the UNFCCC. Details of this methodology are included in the 2005 National Inventory Report, specifically Annexes 2 and 3. These annexes can be accessed at the following internet addresses:

http://www.ec.gc.ca/pdb/ghg/inventory_report/2003_report/ann2_e.cfm

http://www.ec.gc.ca/pdb/ghg/inventory_report/2003_report/ann3_e.cfm.

Statistical activity

The goal of the Canadian Environmental Sustainability Indicators (CESI) is to provide Canadians with more regular and reliable information on the state of their environment and how it is linked with human activities. Environment Canada, Statistics Canada and Health Canada are working together to develop and communicate these indicators. Reflecting the joint responsibility for environmental management in Canada, this effort has benefited from the co-operation and input of the provinces and territories.

A description of each indicator is available through the following link:

• Additional documentation

Subjects

• Air and climate
• Environment

Data sources and methodology

Target population

This indicator presents estimates of GHG emissions resulting from human activity. Full details of the emissions sources included can be found in the 2005 National Inventory Report prepared by Environment Canada, available at the following internet address: http://www.ec.gc.ca/pdb/ghg/inventory_report/2003_report/toc_e.cfm.

Instrument design

This methodology does not apply.

Sampling

Greenhouse gas emissions are not directly monitored, but rather are estimated using the methods outlined above under Description. The indicator represents a census estimate of all emissions resulting from human activity for the gases required by the UNFCCC.

Annex 5 of the report is an assessment of the completeness of the inventory estimates, and is available at the following internet address: http://www.ec.gc.ca/pdb/ghg/inventory_report/2003_report/ann5_e.cfm.

Data sources

Data are extracted from administrative files.

Several data sources are compiled into the indicator. These are fully detailed in the 2005 National Inventory Report, available at the following internet address: http://www.ec.gc.ca/pdb/ghg/inventory_report/2003_report/toc_e.cfm.

Error detection

Sources of uncertainty in the emissions estimates are outlined in Annex 7 of the 2005 National Inventory Report, available at the following internet address: http://www.ec.gc.ca/pdb/ghg/inventory_report/2003_report/ann7_e.cfm.

Imputation

Annex 3 of the 2005 National Inventory Report outlines methodologies used to estimate emissions that are not derived from fuel combustion data. Annex 3 can be accessed at the following internet address:
http://www.ec.gc.ca/pdb/ghg/inventory_report/2003_report/ann3_e.cfm

Quality evaluation

Information on quality assurance and quality control processes of the emissions estimates are outlined in Annex 6 of the 2005 National Inventory Report, available at the following internet address: http://www.ec.gc.ca/pdb/ghg/inventory_report/2003_report/ann6_e.cfm.

Disclosure control

Statistics Canada is prohibited by law from releasing any information it collects that could identify any person, business, or organization, unless consent has been given by the respondent or as permitted by the Statistics Act. Various confidentiality rules are applied to all data that are released or published to prevent the publication or disclosure of any information deemed confidential. If necessary, data are suppressed to prevent direct or residual disclosure of identifiable data.

In order to prevent any data disclosure, confidentiality analysis is done using the Statistics Canada Generalized Disclosure Control System (G-Confid). G-Confid is used for primary suppression (direct disclosure) as well as for secondary suppression (residual disclosure). Direct disclosure occurs when the value in a tabulation cell is composed of or dominated by few enterprises while residual disclosure occurs when confidential information can be derived indirectly by piecing together information from different sources or data series.

Revisions and seasonal adjustment

There is no seasonal adjustment to this annual indicator. Revisions are based on changes to underlying source data or on changes to methodology. These revisions are detailed in the "recalculations" section of each sector detailed in the 2005 National Inventory Report, available at the following internet address: http://www.ec.gc.ca/pdb/ghg/inventory_report/2003_report/toc_e.cfm.

Data accuracy

Data accuracy details can be found in Annexes 4, 6, and 7 of the 2005 National Inventory Report, available at the following internet addresses:

http://www.ec.gc.ca/pdb/ghg/inventory_report/2003_report/ann4_e.cfm

http://www.ec.gc.ca/pdb/ghg/inventory_report/2003_report/ann6_e.cfm

http://www.ec.gc.ca/pdb/ghg/inventory_report/2003_report/ann7_e.cfm

The rounding protocol used in the emissions estimates is detailed in Annex 14, available at the following internet address:http://www.ec.gc.ca/pdb/ghg/inventory_report/2003_report/ann14_e.cfm.