Using Geospatial Data and Atmospheric Observations to Evaluate National Inventories of Methane Emissions from Oil, Gas, and Coal

Abstract:

National commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions are key to achieving the climate goals of the Paris Agreement. Methane emissions from the oil, gas, and coal industries have been targeted for mitigation as part of these national commitments to reduce emissions, but the national inventories used to set emission reduction goals have a high degree of uncertainty. We can use atmospheric observations as a constraint on national inventories, and thereby, more accurately track progress towards emissions reductions. We have created a global gridded inventory of anthropogenic methane emissions that spatially allocates the most up to date national emissions as reported to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to source locations on a 0.1° x 0.1° grid. We use the observed differences in the spatial pattern of emissions when compared to observations through inverse modeling to investigate potential over- or under-estimates of emissions reported to the UNFCCC. We use the detailed source specific information and facility reported emissions available in national gridded inventories to investigate discrepancies further, including a new Canada methane emission inventory created in collaboration with Environment and Climate Change Canada.