I. Review Objectives

The objective of the “Guidelines for the Technical Review of Greenhouse Gas Inventories from Parties included in Annex I to the Convention” is to promote consistency in the review of annual greenhouse gas (GHG) inventories of Parties included in Annex I to the Convention (Annex I Parties) and to establish a process for a thorough and comprehensive technical assessment of national inventories.

In more specific terms, the purpose of the technical review of Annex I Parties’ GHG inventories is:

1. To ensure that the Conference of the Parties (COP) has adequate and reliable information on annual inventories and emission trends of anthropogenic emissions by sources and removals by sinks of GHGs not controlled by the Montreal Protocol;

2. To provide the COP with an objective, consistent, transparent, thorough, and comprehensive technical assessment of the annual quantitative and qualitative inventory information submitted by Annex I Parties, and a technical assessment of the implementation of Annex I Parties’ commitments under Article 4, paragraph 1 (a) and Article 12, paragraph 1 (a), of the Convention;

3. To examine, in a facilitative and open manner, the reported inventory information for consistency with the guidelines for the preparation of national communications by Parties included in Annex I to the Convention, Part I: UNFCCC reporting guidelines on annual inventories and the Revised 1996 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories as elaborated by the IPCC report entitled IPCC Good Practice Guidance and Uncertainty Management in National Greenhouse Gas Inventories and the IPCC Good Practice Guidance for LULUCF;

4. To assist Annex I Parties in improving the quality of their GHG inventories.

Click here to open the UNFCCC Review Guidelines.

As you familiarize yourself with the Review Guidelines, you should take note of which items are mandatory for Annex I Parties (i.e., indicated by "shall"), which items are recommended ("should"), and which are discretionary ("may" and "are encouraged").