Key terms used in greenhouse gas reporting and accounting for the land use, land use change and forestry sector

Dec 2005

IEA Bioenergy is a collaborative network under the auspices of the International Energy Agency (IEA) to improve international co-operation and information exchange between national bioenergy RD&D programmes. IEA Bioenergy Task 38 integrates and analyses information on GreenHouse Gases (GHG), bioenergy, and land use; thereby covering all components that constitute a biomass or bioenergy system.
This paper has been prepared by IEA Bioenergy Task 38 with the aim of providing an overview of interpretations of key terms related to land use, land-use change and forest, and harvested wood products. It represents a consensus achieved by experts participating in the Task, but does not necessarily represent the views of the countries that participate in the Task.
In addition to the main text, the paper provides an alternative interpretation of key definitions in Box 1, which represents the views of the author listed there.
As with every specialty area, specific terminology has been developed and utilised in communications relating to greenhouse gas reporting and accounting. Some terms have been adopted from common usage but defined differently from their common meanings outside of this context. In some cases, though the same definitions of key term are used, interpretations differ. We have perceived that some discussions, such as deliberations over reporting of harvested wood products in national GHG inventories, have been complicated by different understandings of terminology. This paper collates definitions of key terms commonly used in relation to greenhouse gas reporting and accounting for the land use, land-use change and forestry (LULUCF) sector2, and highlights areas of ambiguity and divergent interpretations. Misunderstanding and differences over interpretations of key terminology can be a major barrier to effective communication; our intention is to facilitate clear communication between the many players participating in the various processes dealing with estimation and reporting of greenhouse gas emissions and removals.
The Paper is scoped to collate existing and accepted definitions that apply to the LULUCF sector, constrained to those used under the UNFCCC and related documents, and discussion of key concepts over which there is currently divergence of interpretation. All definitions are written in bold italics; other text is discussion and interpretation.

 
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