National Statistics Institute of Spain

SG for Economic Sectors

Instituto Nacional de Estadística

Av. de Manoteras, 50-52, 28071 -Madrid - España

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.

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) includes "Unspecified mix of HFCs and PFCs",

Sulphur hexafluoride (SF6) and 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 oxides (SOx),

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

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.

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').

Data refer to emissions by resident economic units in the sense of SEEA CF 2012 and National Accounts (ESA), including households.

The national economy is as defined in SEEA CF 2012 and National Accounts (ESA), i.e. all economic activities undertaken by resident units.

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).

There is information for the 2008-2021 period, with the results of the year 2022 as early estimates.

Not applicable because AEA are not reported as indices.

The unit of measure is tonnes or thousand tonnes.

F-gases (HFC, PFC, SF₆ and NF₃) are reported in tonnes of CO₂ equivalents.

SO_X are reported in tonnes of SO₂ equivalents, and NO_X are reported in tonnes of NO₂ equivalents.

The data refer to calendar years.

Air emissions accounts (AEA) are legally covered by Regulation (EU) 691/2011on European Environmental Economic Accounts.

Not applicable at national level.

The Statistical Law No. 12/1989 specifies that the INE cannot publish, or make otherwise available, individual data or statistics that would enable the identification of data for any individual person or entity. Regulation (EC) No 223/2009 on European statistics stipulates the need to establish common principles and guidelines ensuring the confidentiality of data used for the production of European statistics and the access to those confidential data with due account for technical developments and the requirements of users in a democratic society

INE provides information on the protection of confidentiality at all stages of the statistical process: INE questionnaires for the operations in the national statistical plan include a legal clause protecting data under statistical confidentiality. Notices prior to data collection announcing a statistical operation notify respondents that data are subject to statistical confidentiality at all stages. For data processing, INE employees have available the INE data protection handbook, which specifies the steps that should be taken at each stage of processing to ensure reporting units' individual data are protected. The microdata files provided to users are anonymised.

Environmental Accounts is a statistical operation included in the National Statistics Plan, therefore subject to the Law on the Public Statistical Function of 9 May 1989, hence its data is protected by Statistical Secrecy in all stages of its compilation

https://www.ine.es/dyngs/IOE/en/operacion.htm?id=1259942700133

The advance release calendar that shows the precise release dates for the coming year is disseminated in the last quarter of each year.

The advance release calendar that shows the precise release dates for the coming year is disseminated in the last quarter of each year.

The calendar is disseminated on the INEs Internet website

The data are released simultaneously according to the advance release calendar to all interested parties by issuing the press release. At the same time, the data are posted on the INE's Internet website (www.ine.es/en) almost immediately after the press release is issued. Also some predefined tailor-made requests are sent to registered users. Some users could receive partial information under embargo as it is publicly described in the European Statistics Code of Practice

Data are disseminated annually.

The results of the statistical operations are normally disseminated by using press releases that can be accessed via both the corresponding menu and the Press Releases Section in the web

Will be calculated and provided by EUROSTAT.

A lot of statistical operations disseminate public domain anonymized files, available free of charge for downloading in the INE website Microdata Section

Due to the nature of Environmental Accounts, there is no microdata available

The policy of the customised request service is to analyse if the statistical secrecy and significance conditions are met. After this analysis, a viability report is compiled and sent to the petitioner.

The requests will be carried out via the User information area:

https://www.ine.es/prodyser/informacion

Will be calculated and provided by EUROSTAT.

Will be calculated and provided by EUROSTAT.

Fields 10.6 to 17 of this document are the quality report oriented to the user of this operation.

Quality assurance framework for the INE statistics is based on the ESSCoP, the European Statistics Code of Practice made by EUROSTAT. The ESSCoP is made up of 16 principles, gathered in three areas: Institutional Environment, Processes and Products. Each principle is associated with some indicators which make possible to measure it. In order to evaluate quality, EUROSTAT provides different tools: the indicators mentioned above, Self-assessment based on the DESAP model, peer review, user satisfaction surveys and other proceedings for evaluation.

The quality of synthesis statistics such as Environmental Accounts, is firstly derived from the multiple sources they use. In all of them it has been intended to obtain information that is as accurate as possible, minimising the different types of errors they may be affected by. Moreover, the decisions of the corresponding regulations are followed when compiling this data.

See 18.5.

The Commission (Eurostat) will assess the quality of the transmitted data and within a month after it is received may request additional information from the Member State regarding the data revised, as appropriate (Article 7.4 of European Regulation No. 691/2011) .

The INE has carried out general user satisfaction surveys in 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016 and 2019 and it plans to continue doing so every three years. The purpose of these surveys is to find out what users think about the quality of the information of the INE statistics and the extent to which their needs of information are covered. In addition, additional surveys are carried out in order to acknowledge better other fields such as dissemination of the information, quality of some publications...

On the INE website, in its section Methods and projects /Quality and Code of Practica / INE quality management / User surveys are available surveys conducted to date.(Click  next link)

In the User Satisfaction Surveys carried out to date, the Environment sector in which the statistical operation is encompassed is assessed, which can guide as to what the users' opinion is.

https://www.ine.es/ss/Satellite?c=Page&pagename=MetodologiaYEstandares%2FINELayout&cid=1259944133654&L=1

Not applicable; To ensure comparability, this will be calculated and provided by EUROSTAT in the European quality report using a standardised method.

Environmental Accounts are synthesis statistics, therefore they are affected by sampling errors coming from sources from which information is collected, which are analysed in order to see if they remain within reasonable limits. Non-sampling errors may come from the sources or from the information treatment of this operation (lack of coverage, measurement errors). In summary, direct measurement of accuracy in this case is not applicable.

Not applicable because data are not based on a sample survey.

Not applicable because data are not based on a sample survey.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

Air Emissions Accounts estimates are sent to EUROSTAT within 21 months after the reference year finishes, in compliance with the European Regulation 691/2011 regarding European Environmental Economic Accounts, in which data transmission periods are regulated.

The indicator of the time elapsed between the end of the reference period and dissemination in INEBase is TP1=11 months.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

The Environmental Accounts results are published following the INE Structural Statistics Availability Calendar.
https://www.ine.es/daco/daco41/calen.htm#temas

The AEA questionnaire is delivered before the date indicated in the Regulation (EU) 691/2011 and published on the date established in the INEBASE calendar

AEA are compiled according to harmonised guidelines provided by Eurostat and hence comparable across European countries reporting AEA to Eurostat.

Not applicable.

The basic methodology for the compilation of the estimates has not changed since the first estimates of Emissions Accounts as a pilot study, although the new accounting standard is compatible with the the 2019 Statistical Review (SEC 2010) of National Accounts, having reviewed all the available accounting series

Not applicable; To ensure comparability, this will be calculated and provided by EUROSTAT in the European quality report using a standardised method.

Environmental Accounts are coherent with Spanish National Accounts and Physical Energy Flow Accounts

Not applicable, because AEA data are annual.

The Environmental Accounts are coherent with the National Accounts.

The annual results of the Air Emissions Accounts are coherent among each other, and in relation with the the available annual series

In the 2023 annual Program, the estimate of the necessary budget appropriation to finance this Environmental Accounts operation is 18,51 thousand euros.

There is no burden on respondents, since the information provided by other statistics is used.

The Air Emissions Account (AEA) is a statistical operation in permanent methodological review with the aim of improving the estimates. The factors that determine revisions are basically the changes in the data of the Annual Spanish National Accounts or Physical Energy Flow Accounts, the Emissions Inventory updates and the changes made for the improvement of estimation procedures.

Not applicable; To ensure comparability, this will be calculated and provided by EUROSTAT in the European quality report using a standardised method.

The data is collected annually.

The base information coming from different statistics undergoes a set of treatments: Outlier identification, error filtering, adjustment to Environmental Accounts stipulations.

Not applicable.

Data is allocated in accordance with the Manual for Air Emission Accounts. The items that can be directly allocated from SNAP to NACE are done in that way, and those that require adjustments are allocated using statistical models based on Physical Energy Flow Accounts and other statistics and surveys. Detailed information from Informative Inventory Report (IIR) as well as National Inventory Report on GHG emissions is taken into account to allocate emissions to their corresponding NACE division.

The recommendations of the Eurostat Task Force on Transport have been taken into consideration to determine road transport emissions by NACE divisions. Since it is applied the inventory-first approach methodology, road transport emissions take into consideration vehicle technology, type of fuel and driving patterns. These emissions has been combined with the vehicle register to identify the main industries involved in road transport emissions. Finally, allocation by NACE is complemented with SUT tables for less significant activities.

Due to the lack of information for water transport, there has not been any adjustment to the residence principle. For fishing vessels operating abroad we have taken as a proxy variable the number of fishing vessels operating on international water weighed by engine power.

No seasonal adjustments are carried out.

Not applicable.