Recent trends in global greenhouse gas emissions:regional trends 1970–2000 and spatial distributionof key sources in 2000

Abstract In 2004, the Joint Research Centre (JRC) of the European Commission, the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency (MNP) and the Max Plank Institute for Chemistry (MPIC) started a project to create fast (bi-)annual updates of the EDGAR global emission inventory system, based on the more detailed previous version 3.2. Here, the key features of the Emission Database for Global Atmospheric Research, EDGAR 3 are first summarized, and then the compilation of recent global trends having a major influence on variables and the new ‘Fast Track’ approach to estimate recent emissions of greenhouse gases and air pollutants in 2000 at a country-specific level are described. Also provided is an overview of the approaches and data sources used for this EDGAR 3.2 Fast Track 2000 dataset, the different source sectors and the accuracies achieved, with a focus on anthropogenic sources of methane and nitrous oxide. Results of global emission trends for four air pollutants are also briefly addressed. Results for various sources and greenhouse gases at regional and national scales and on 1×1 degree grid have been made available on the EDGAR website.