GBEP approves public release of Version One of the GHG methodological framework


Three years of work by GBEP to harmonise the various methodologies for calculating greenhouse gas emissions from bioenergy will come to a head in the New Year with publication of “Version One” of its methodological framework.

The “GBEP Common Methodological Framework for GHG Lifecycle Analysis of Bioenergy - Version One” will be released via the GBEP website as of January 2011, making it available for public consultation and online testing. The framework is divided into 10 checkboxes covering the full chain of bioenergy production and use. Produced by the GBEP Task Force on GHG Methodologies under the joint leadership of the United States and the UN Foundation and with the input of more than a dozen countries and international organisations, “Version One” was officially approved by the GBEP Steering Committee last month in Rome. It reflects refinements made to an initial version following testing by GBEP Partners.

The framework will be integrated into a clearing house tool, which will be up and running on the GBEP website starting from January 2011. It has been created with the technical support of the Italian Institute of Agricultural Economics (INEA) in order to allow users to test the framework, compare submissions, exchange documents and studies as well as to learn from other users’ experience.

GBEP will thus provide a platform for more effective communication among experts and for comparisons of results on GHG studies, as well as to inform users of different methodological approaches and scientific developments. Beside the GBEP methodological framework users will get access to relevant documents and studies as well as links to institutes and research centres related to the life cycle analysis (LCA) of bioenergy.

GBEP Partners and Observers are contributing in-kind to its translation from English. The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) will ensure translation into French, Spanish and Portuguese.

Acknowledging the importance that capacity building and awareness-raising activities played in development of the methodological framework, GBEP invited its experts to elaborate proposals for the scope and programme of work of a new task force on capacity building and technology co-operation, which will be discussed at the next GBEP Technical Working Group in March 2011.

 

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