A retrospective of projecting the future – an ex-post assessment of emission projections used for...

A retrospective of projecting the future – an ex-post assessment of emission projections used for

EU air pollution and greenhouse gas policy

Melanie Sporer, Martin Adams, EEA

Joint TFEIP/EIONET Meeting

Istanbul, 22-23 May 2013

Projections according to IPCC

‘A projection is a potential future evolution of a quantity or set

of quantities, often computed with the aid of a model.

Projections are distinguished from “predictions” in order to

emphasize that projections involve assumptions concerning,

for example, future socio-economic and technological

developments that may or may not be realized, and are

Therefore subject to substantial uncertainty.’

3Joint TFEIP/EIONET Meeting


WOM, WEM, WAM emissions projections and PAMS

2000 2005 2013 2015 2020 2025 2030



While subject to substantial uncertainty, emissions projections are useful for policy makers

• Knowledge building and exchange• Discovering and understanding potential future

states• Better understanding impacts of policies and

measures in the future – policy effectiveness• Informing policy options and target decisions • Assessing and identifying additional actions needed

for meeting targets + initiate actions• Political and power purposes



Objectives

‘To perform an ex-post assessment of past greenhouse gas and air pollution emission projections based on a comparison with emission inventory data.’

‘To obtain a better understanding of ‘accuracy’ and consistency of past emission projections reported by countries under the NECD and the MMD.’



3 key questions

• How do emission projections reported from 200x until 2011 compare with observed emission trends from 1990 to 2012?

• What can policy-makers learn for the policy cycle from differences between projections and ‘realisations’?

• What can emission projection compilers learn for the emission projections’ quality assessment and quality control (QA/QC) system?



Assessment in short

1. Look at MS national emission projections, see how they have changed over time and compare past national emission projections with current national emission inventory data

2. Look at MS national emission inventories and identify the recalculation range over time

3. Choose case studies and dig into the underlying reasons why changes occurred

4. Make conclusions and give recommendations addressing the 3 key questions



An illustration: Past successive reporting of WM projections for 2010 - NOx

Note – the right hand bar for each MS shows the latest inventory emissions for 2010



Key objective: use case studies to explore reasons for convergences and divergences (1)

• Instances where projections converge to the actual emission data with time. What were the reasons that informed this convergence?

• Year 2012 = final emissions data for 2010 that were reported in 2012• 2010 = emission projections for 2010 made in 2010• 2009 = emission projections for 2010 made in 2009• etc.



Key objective: use case studies to explore reasons for convergences and divergences (2)

• Instances where projections diverged or were inconsistent over time with the 2010 emission data. What were the reasons for this?



Is it possible to identify common factors explaining divergences? What recommendations for projection compilers and policy makers result?

NECD ceiling

• Year 2012 = final emissions data for 2010 that were reported in 2012

• 2010 = emission projections for 2010 made in 2010

• 2009 = emission projections for 2010 made in 2009

Explanatory factors?• economic recession;• policy failures;• incorrect socio-

economic parameters?• incorrect assumptions

on energy use, fule proces, traffic demand etc?

• poor reflection of policy implementation?

• etc.



Thank you!



Several projection scenarios to distinguish the effects of PAMs: WEM…• A ‘with measures’ projection shall encompass currently

implemented and adopted policies and measures (Para 29, FCCC/CP/1999/7)

• Implemented policies and measures (Para 14, FCCC/CP/1999/7)

a)national legislation is in force;

b)OR one or more voluntary agreements have been established;

c) OR financial resources have been allocated;

d)OR human resources have been mobilized. • Adopted policies and measures :

an official government decision has been made and there is a clear commitment to proceed with implementation (Para 14, FCCC/CP/1999/7)



…WAM, WOM

• Scenario ‘with additional measures’ (WAM): also encompasses planned policies and measures (Para 29, FCCC/CP/1999/7)

• Planned policies and measures : options under discussion and having a realistic chance of being adopted and implemented in future (Para 14, FCCC/CP/1999/7)

• Scenario ‘without measures’ (WOM): excludes all policies and measures implemented, adopted or planned after the year chosen as the starting point for this projection (Para 29, FCCC/CP/1999/7)

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