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| For any question on data and metadata, please contact: Eurostat user support |
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| 1.1. Contact organisation | Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO) |
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| 1.2. Contact organisation unit | Section Environment, Sustainable Development and Territory |
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| 1.5. Contact mail address | Federal Statistical Office Espace de l'Europe 10 CH-2010 Neuchâtel |
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| 2.1. Metadata last certified | 15/11/2019 | ||
| 2.2. Metadata last posted | 05/10/2022 | ||
| 2.3. Metadata last update | 05/10/2023 | ||
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| 3.1. Data description | |||
Air emissions accounts (AEA) record flows of gaseous and particulate materials emitted into the atmosphere as a result of economic activity. AEA are a subset of environmental-economic accounts. They offer a detailed breakdown for 64 emitting economic activities (NACE), plus households, as defined in the national accounts of EU countries. They are aligned with economic statistics and GDP. These features make them suitable for integrated environmental-economic analyses and modelling – for example of 'carbon footprints' and climate-change modelling scenarios. National Statistical Institutes (NSI) submit AEA to Eurostat through a mandatory annual data collection. The data collection includes an electronic questionnaire and this quality report.
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| 3.2. Classification system | |||
The AEA dataset has the following dimensions: 1) Air pollutant: Emissions to air of the following gaseous and particulate substances are collected (greenhouse gases, air pollutants): Carbon dioxide without emissions from biomass (CO2), Carbon dioxide from biomass (Biomass CO2)*, Nitrous oxide (N2O), Methane (CH4), Perfluorocarbons (PFCs), Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), Sulphur hexafluoride (SF6) including nitrogen trifluoride (NF3), Nitrogen oxides (NOx), Non-methane volatile organic compounds, (NMVOC), Carbon monoxide (CO), Particulate matter < 10μm (PM10), Particulate matter < 2,5μm (PM2,5), Sulphur dioxide (SO2), Ammonia (NH3) 2) Geopolitical entity: EU Member States, EFTA Countries, Candidate Countries etc. 3) Economic activities: include 64 production activities (classified by NACE rev.2 A*64), and households’ consumption (3 sub-classes). 4) Time: reference year for which air emissions are reported 5) Unit: tonnes and thousand tonnes |
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| 3.3. Coverage - sector | |||
The data refer to national economies as defined in the system of national accounts. Greenhouse gases and air pollutants emitted by resident units representing the national economy are covered. |
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| 3.4. Statistical concepts and definitions | |||
Conceptually AEA belong to the international system of environmental economic accounting (SEEA-Central Framework). Furthermore, AEA is one of several physical modules of Eurostat's programme on European environmental economic accounts. It is covered by Regulation (EU) No.691/2011 on European environmental economic accounts. AEA are closely related to concepts and definitions of national accounts. Most notably, they follow the residence principle, i.e. they record emissions related to resident unit's activities, regardless where those occur geographically. Further methodological guidelines are provided in various publications by Eurostat (see Eurostat website > Environment > Methodology, heading: 'Air emissions accounts'). |
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| 3.5. Statistical unit | |||
Data refer to emissions by resident economic units in the sense of SEEA CF 2012 and National Accounts (ESA), including households. |
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| 3.6. Statistical population | |||
The national economy is as defined in SEEA CF 2012 and National Accounts (ESA), i.e. all economic activities undertaken by resident units. |
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| 3.7. Reference area | |||
The reference area is the economic territory as defined in SEEA CF 2012 and National Accounts (ESA). A unit is said to be a resident unit of a country when it has a centre of economic interest in the economic territory of that country, that is, when it engages for an extended period (1 year or more) in economic activities in that territory. By following this residence principle, the Air Emission Accounts record emissions from resident units' activities, regardless where they occur. This is the main conceptual difference to emission inventories for greenhouse gases (UNFCCC) and air pollutants (CLRTAP). |
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| 3.8. Coverage - Time | |||
The period covered is 1995 to 2021 for all gases. Detailed data by economic activity (NACE Rev.2) are available for the years 2008-2021, while more aggregated data exist since 1995. In addition, aggregated data for the years 1990-1994 are available and published at the national level. |
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| 3.9. Base period | |||
Not applicable because AEA are not reported as indices. |
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The unit of measure is tonnes or thousand tonnes. F-gases (HFC, PFC, SF6 and NF3) are reported in tonnes of CO2 equivalents. SOX are reported in tonnes of SO2 equivalents, and NOX are reported in tonnes of NO2 equivalents. |
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The data refer to calendar years. |
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| 6.1. Institutional Mandate - legal acts and other agreements | |||
Air emissions accounts (AEA) are legally covered by Regulation (EU) 691/2011on European Environmental Economic Accounts. |
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| 6.2. Institutional Mandate - data sharing | |||
Not applicable at national level. |
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| 7.1. Confidentiality - policy | |||
The statistical production is mainly framed by the Federal Statistics Act (FStatA) of 9 October 1992 (Status as of 1 January 2016) and the Federal Act on Data Protection (FADP) of 19 June 1992 (Status as of 1 March 2019) in Switzerland. The latter aims to ensure data protection within federal statistical bodies and that published data are aggregated in a way that the persons or enterprises concerned are not recognisable. |
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| 7.2. Confidentiality - data treatment | |||
Confidential data is marked confidential. An additional non-confidential NACE-division of the same sector is also marked confidential, so the confidential NACE cannot be deduced by the total and sub-totals. |
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| 8.1. Release calendar | |||
At national level, the complete data set is published by end of September. |
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| 8.2. Release calendar access | |||
A national dissemination calendar is available in the section “agenda” of the website of the Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO). The date of dissemination is generally communicated four weeks before publication. |
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| 8.3. Release policy - user access | |||
The data are publicly disseminated on the webpage "Air emissions" of the Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO) in an objective, professional and transparent manner in which all users are treated equitably. |
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Data are disseminated annually. |
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| 10.1. Dissemination format - News release | |||
There is usually no specific press release for the annual dissemination of the AEA update. |
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| 10.2. Dissemination format - Publications | |||
Data are published in French, German, English and Italian on our website in form of indicators, Excel tables and Interactive databases (including the complete data set at the finest level of details): |
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| 10.3. Dissemination format - online database | |||
The AEA data are disseminated in the following online data base: |
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| 10.3.1. Data tables - consultations | |||
Will be calculated and provided by EUROSTAT. |
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| 10.4. Dissemination format - microdata access | |||
Not relevant for AEA. |
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| 10.5. Dissemination format - other | |||
Index decomposition analysis is performed for economy and household emissions seperately for explanatory factors: For the economy: https://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/en/home/statistics/territory-environment/environmental-accounting/air-emissions.assetdetail.14447883.html For private household heating emissions: https://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/en/home/statistics/territory-environment/environmental-accounting/air-emissions.assetdetail.14447897.html For private household transport emissions: https://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/en/home/statistics/territory-environment/environmental-accounting/air-emissions.assetdetail.14447885.html |
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| 10.5.1. Metadata - consultations | |||
Will be calculated and provided by EUROSTAT. |
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| 10.6. Documentation on methodology | |||
The statistical methodology used was developed by Eurostat in the framework of environmental accounting and is in line with the international reference in this field, namely the System of Environmental Economic Accounting SEEA 2012. |
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| 10.6.1. Metadata completeness - rate | |||
Will be calculated and provided by EUROSTAT. |
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| 10.7. Quality management - documentation | |||
To be developed soon. |
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| 11.1. Quality assurance | |||
Automatic quality checks and controls are implemented as much as possible in the production process, in order to detect potential problems as early as possible. The preliminary outputs of the AEA data compilation process are systematically compared with the results of the last data transmission. If relatively important changes are observed from one year to the next, an explanation has to be found in order to validate the result. It implies to analyse in detail the variations in the data sources and to check the entire production process if necessary. |
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| 11.2. Quality management - assessment | |||
There are no general deficiencies. |
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| 12.1. Relevance - User Needs | |||
Not applicable. |
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| 12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction | |||
Not applicable. |
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| 12.3. Completeness | |||
Switzerland provided all the mandatory data to Eurostat up to reference year 2021. To date it is unclear if a transmission of T-1y is possible in the future. |
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| 12.3.1. Data completeness - rate | |||
Not applicable; To ensure comparability, this will be calculated and provided by EUROSTAT in the European quality report using a standardised method. |
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| 13.1. Accuracy - overall | |||
See Annex 1. Annexes: Annex 1 Annex 1 |
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| 13.2. Sampling error | |||
Not applicable because data are not based on a sample survey. |
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| 13.2.1. Sampling error - indicators | |||
Not applicable because data are not based on a sample survey. |
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| 13.3. Non-sampling error | |||
Not applicable. |
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| 13.3.1. Coverage error | |||
Not applicable. |
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| 13.3.1.1. Over-coverage - rate | |||
Not applicable. |
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| 13.3.1.2. Common units - proportion | |||
Not applicable. |
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| 13.3.2. Measurement error | |||
Not applicable. |
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| 13.3.3. Non response error | |||
Not applicable. |
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| 13.3.3.1. Unit non-response - rate | |||
Not applicable. |
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| 13.3.3.2. Item non-response - rate | |||
Not applicable. |
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| 13.3.4. Processing error | |||
Not applicable. |
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| 13.3.5. Model assumption error | |||
Not applicable. |
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The Air Emission Accounts are published nationally with a delay of 21 months. The average production time is three months. |
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| 14.1. Timeliness | |||
The Air Emission Accounts are published nationally with a delay of 21 months. The average production time is three months. |
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| 14.1.1. Time lag - first result | |||
Not applicable. |
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| 14.1.2. Time lag - final result | |||
Not applicable. |
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| 14.2. Punctuality | |||
The Air Emission Accounts are published nationally with a delay of 21 months. The average production time is three months. |
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| 14.2.1. Punctuality - delivery and publication | |||
The Air Emission Accounts are published nationally with a delay of 21 months. The average production time is three months. |
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| 15.1. Comparability - geographical | |||
AEA are compiled according to harmonised guidelines provided by Eurostat and hence comparable across European countries reporting AEA to Eurostat. |
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| 15.1.1. Asymmetry for mirror flow statistics - coefficient | |||
Not applicable. |
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| 15.2. Comparability - over time | |||
See Annex 2. Annexes: Annex 2 Annex 2 |
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| 15.2.1. Length of comparable time series | |||
Not applicable; To ensure comparability, this will be calculated and provided by EUROSTAT in the European quality report using a standardised method. |
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| 15.3. Coherence - cross domain | |||
Input data sources such as the emission inventory of the Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) are plausibilised by comparison with the submission of the precedent year and totals and trends of the Material Flow Accounts (MFA). |
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| 15.3.1. Coherence - sub annual and annual statistics | |||
Not applicable, because AEA data are annual. |
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| 15.3.2. Coherence - National Accounts | |||
The Swiss AEA is fully coherent with the Swiss National Accounts and thus follows the residence principle. |
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| 15.4. Coherence - internal | |||
The data reported are internally coherent. |
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About 0.25 full-time equivalents of work are available to compile the AEA data in Switzerland, to publish the results at the national level (in the form of indicators, summary tables and interactive tables) on the website of the Federal Statistical Office (FSO) and to transmit the data and the quality report to Eurostat. |
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| 17.1. Data revision - policy | |||
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| 17.2. Data revision - practice | |||
The allocation method of diesel and gasoline fuel tourism has been revised this year. The level of detail of published data has been improved for the years from 2008 onwards, in order to be coherent with the National Accounts (NA). |
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| 17.2.1. Data revision - average size | |||
Not applicable; To ensure comparability, this will be calculated and provided by EUROSTAT in the European quality report using a standardised method. |
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| 18.1. Source data | |||
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Most of the emissions presented in the AEA are produced using the GHG/UNFCCC/IPCC and CLRTAP/EMEP/EEA inventories that are established under the responsibility of the FOEN. We are using a database established at the FOEN containing high detailed data used to produce both inventories. Data on the production and consumption of energy are compiled by the SFOE. To fill the AEA questionnaire two main energy statistics were used: the overall energy statistics (GEST), which accounts for all energy carriers and for all activities, and a sector-specific sample survey focussing on the consumption of electricity, extra-light oil and natural gas by industry. Emissions from agriculture were derived using the system of economic and satellite accounts for the primary sector, which are established by the FSO. Statistics issued by the Federal Office of Civil Aviation (FOCA) were used to estimate emissions from Swiss airline companies. The survey on household's expenditure on fuel as well as transport statistics produced at the FSO were used to estimate some emissions related to the transport sections. In addition, several minor sources, mainly related to national-level industry associations, have been used for specific needs (e.g. data provided by the Swiss association of water and gas industry have been used to estimate the emissions linked to the distribution and production of drinking water, annual reports of the Swiss airports have been used to retrieve the emissions for the air transport ground sector, ...) |
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| 18.2. Frequency of data collection | |||
The source data are collected annually. |
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| 18.3. Data collection | |||
The Swiss AEA is compiled from pre-existing data sources, no additional data was gathered. |
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| 18.4. Data validation | |||
The GHG/UNFCCC/IPCC and CLRTAP/EMEP/EEA inventories published by the FOEN include each a detailed report describing method revisions, recalculations and adjustments. Totals of the individual gases over all activity sectors are compared to the submission of the previous year. |
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| 18.5. Data compilation | |||
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| 18.5.1. Imputation - rate | |||
Not applicable. |
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| 18.5.2. Method used to allocate emissions to economic activities | |||
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Multiple techniques were used to allocate source data to the NACE divisions. The main approaches are summarized below. The transfer of emissions from the GHG or CLRTAP inventories to the AEA was straightforward for some positions. Thus, no specific allocation key was needed. The fact that we are using detailed raw data from the database used by the FOEN to establish the GHG and CLRTAP inventories, which includes more detail about the processes and the fuels linked to the emissions, helps us to distribute the emissions among the NACE division, especially in the industry sector (NACE 5-43). The allocation from road transport is explained below (see point 18.5.3). Emissions from railways, navigation and aviation were mainly distributed to the households and the groups of the “H” NACE A*21 categories using detailed data from the off-road emissions model. The number of full-time equivalents in NACE A*64 sectors is the main socioeconomic parameter used to allocate emissions to industries when no better source was available (in fact this variable is generally used only to split small sub-groups of NACE divisions and not the complete NACE). Since 2011, Structural Business Statistics are based on register data and therefore the former Business Census is replaced. This change has an impact on the definition of the “employed persons” and “enterprise” (more micro-enterprises and small part-time jobs are taken into account now) and induces a break in the employment series. To avoid this break we recalculated employment figures to have times series as coherent as possible and compatible with the new definition. This induce changes in years before 2011. The allocation of emissions from stationary sources (i.e. issued by the use of energy carriers) into NACE divisions was determined using a yearly based sample survey on energy consumption by industry commissioned by the FSOE. In some cases, the sampling size of the NACE divisions was not large enough to provide reliable results. The statistical extrapolation was then performed on lumped groups (often following the NACE A*38 or NACE A*21 classification), and then reallocated among the more detailed category using weighting factors linked to the employment and the energy intensity per employee peculiar to each economic activity. Furthermore, changes in the Structural Business Statistics have also an indirect impact on this survey, as employment figures are used as weights to extrapolate the results of the survey. The change in the definition of employment (see above) has therefore also an impact on enterprises survey results. For the sampling year 2013, results were calculated twice: once with the former definition and one with the new one, permitting to see the effect of this change on each NACE. To produce a coherent times series we recalculate the figures before 2013 based on the two figures of 2013 and the original variations. Moreover, in 2016 we completely reviewed the F-Gas allocation. This work was possible because we had access to the detailed calculations made for the GHG inventory permitting to better attribute the emissions to the NACEs. Furthermore, we rediscussed our key with the inventory specialists and furthermore benefit from the technical paper on this subject by Statistics Sweden. The allocation methodology described above allows producing a first version of the AEA in homogeneous branches (or at least as close as possible to this concept). However, our National accounts are produced by enterprises (institutional units). Therefore to produce a dataset compatible with the National Accounts, we calculated a second version of the AEA by using the Supply table (CPA by NACE) of the Swiss IOT established for the year 2014 (only year available by NACE rev. 2 classification). This second version of the AEA, which is compatible to economic data transmitted to Eurostat (e.g. gross value added), was used to fill the questionnaire. |
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| 18.5.3. Method used to determine and distribute road transport emissions | |||
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The emissions accounting for the road transport in the GHG inventory are given according to the type of emitting vehicle (passenger cars, light duty vehicles, heavy duty vehicles, coaches, urban buses and motorbikes, ...) and the type of fuel (gasoline, diesel, natural gas and biofuels) using the data issued from a model developed by INFRAS (consulting group, Zurich and Bern). The model uses emissions factors from the Handbook Emission Factors for Road Transport (HBEFA) to estimate the on-road fuel consumption on the territory. After the adjustment of the emissions to the residence principle (see below), the emissions for each vehicle type are allocated as follows: For passenger cars and motorcycles, the estimation method has been revised for the 2020 submission. Formerly, a mixed-approach model has been used, based on household’s monthly expenditures for transportation fuel and on statistics from kilometres travelled by households, which allowed separating the part of emission produced by the households to the part issued by industries. The combination of these two data sources has shown instabilities in recent years, leading to implausible estimations of the proportion of household and economy passenger car transport. By further analysis, the data from the survey of household travel in kilometers has shown to be inappropriate for this estimation. By consulting the experts of the household's expenditure survey, we could integrate their estimate of total national fuel consumption by households in physical units. For data before 1998, physical quantities had to be estimated using monetary data and price statistics. The emissions from taxicabs have been estimated separately and subtracted from the industry part. The remaining emissions were attributed to all divisions following an employment-based weighting. Emission from coaches and urban buses were directly allocated to the corresponding NACE divisions. Since 2015, we adopted a new method to distribute the emissions from light duty vehicles (LDV) and heavy duty vehicles (HDV) by NACE. Thanks to a link established between the Swiss enterprises register and the lorry tax register (performance-related Heavy Vehicle Fee) we were able to identify the number of kilometres and tons-kilometres travelled by all the vehicles (LDV and HDV) registered to a given NACE division (2 digits). The data are used to distribute emissions linked to transports of goods from the HBEFA model throughout the NACE divisions. This link is only available from 2013. Data of previous years were estimated as follows: Distribution of LDV emissions prior to 2013 was based on employment changes of the NACE divisions. Distribution of HDV emission prior to 2013 were linked to the results of the method used to compile previous versions of the AEA: using the statistics on transports of goods, the emissions of companies specialized on transport are identified and attributed to the relative NACE divisions (49, 52, 53), according to the number of employees of the corresponding economic areas. The rest of the emissions (transport for own account) were attributed to all divisions according to the weights-kilometres of the goods transported yearly and related to each economic activity. The procedure for the allocation of road transport emissions is described in detail in our self-assessment report for the Eurostat TF on the distribution on road transport emissions (report transmitted to Eurostat by the end of July 2018). |
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| 18.5.4. Adjustments for residence principle | |||
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Road transport The Swiss overall energy statistics provides the amount of gasoline and diesel oil sold in the country. From these quantities, the off-road consumption and the fugitive emissions are subtracted, leading to the fuel sales on the territory for road transport. The off-road consumption is estimated by a traffic model developed by INFRAS (consulting group, Zurich and Bern) under the mandate of the FOEN. A second traffic model, also developed by INFRAS, uses emissions factors from the Handbook Emission Factors for Road Transport (HBEFA) to estimate the on-road fuel consumption on the territory. The output of this model includes data on fuel consumption and emissions for six vehicle types (passenger cars, light duty vehicles (LDV), heavy goods vehicles (HDV), coaches, urban buses and motorcycles) and six types of fuel (gasoline, diesel, compressed natural gas [CNG] and biodiesel). The model also provides information about the “tank tourism”, which is the difference between the fuel purchased abroad for journeys on the territory and the fuel purchased on the territory for journeys abroad. The adjustments related to the residents are calculated by combining the results of the on-road model described above and various national transport statistics. Calculations are done separately for the six types of vehicles. For each vehicle type, national transport statistics are used to define the proportion of non-residents emissions on the territory and the proportion of emissions of Swiss residents released abroad. Air transport The FOCA possess a movement database for the Swiss airports containing departure and/or destination airport of all flights from and to Switzerland by companies and by type of engine. Each year, the FOCA is calculating for the FSO the consumption and emissions of the Swiss airline companies with a bottom-up approach based on this detailed database (the same model is used in the framework of the UNFCCC inventory). The data are cross-checked with the companies reports. Sometimes (but rarely) discrepancies exist (companies figures being slightly higher): we consider that this difference can be explained by abroad-abroad flights which are not listed in the database. To produce the bridging items using the trade statistics, we consider that half of the kerosene used by the Swiss companies is bought on the Swiss territory, the other half being bought and emitted abroad. Moreover, it is considered that the amount of fuel represented by the difference between the kerosene bought in Switzerland by Swiss companies and the total kerosene bought in Switzerland by international bunkers is consumed by non-resident companies, and the related emissions are subtracted from the Swiss consumption. Water transport International water transport is marginal in Switzerland, and it is mainly limited to the Basel-Rotterdam river route. The fuel consumption by Swiss vessels on the Rhine River has been estimated combining the tonnage transported over the year, the average distance of each travel and the average emissions per ton-kilometre. The amount of fuel bought by non-residents on the Swiss territory is estimated using the quantity of fuel bought by “Marine” bunkers (source: UNFCCC inventory) and the share of national vs. foreigner vessels in the tonnage transported. The remaining fuel is considered to be bought and emitted by residents. Moreover, it can be noted that some Swiss companies are operating vessels in international sea water (e.g. container ships, oil tankers, …). Although the emissions from these vessels may be significant, currently available data are too limited to produce reliable estimates. We are following the work of the Task Force on transport related issues in Environmental Accounts and we hope we can fill this gap in the future. |
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| 18.6. Adjustment | |||
No adjustments were performed. |
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| 18.6.1. Seasonal adjustment | |||
Not applicable. |
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