Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union

Unit E.2: Environmental statistics and accounts; sustainable development

5 r. Alphonse Weicker - bâtim. Joseph Bech, 2721 Kirchberg Luxembourg 

This metadata file refers to seven datasets on greenhouse gas emission footprints.:

1. Greenhouse gas emission footprints (in CO2 equivalent, FIGARO application) (env_ac_ghgfp)
2. Carbon dioxide emission footprints (FIGARO application) (env_ac_co2fp)
3. Methane emission footprints (CH4 in CO2 equivalent, FIGARO application) (env_ac_ch4fp)
4. Nitrous oxide emission footprints (N2O in CO2 equivalent, FIGARO application) (env_ac_n2ofp)
5. Hydrofluorocarbon emission footprints (HFC in CO2 equivalent, FIGARO application) (env_ac_hfcfp)
6. Perfluorocarbon emission footprints (PFC in CO2 equivalent, FIGARO application) (env_ac_pfcfp)
7. Nitrogen trifluoride and sulphur hexafluoride emission footprints (NF3-SF6 in CO2 equivalent, FIGARO application) (env_ac_nf3sf6fp)

The seven datasets have the same data structure and only differ in the gas concerned.

The datasets presents modelling estimates of air emissions ‘embodied’ in products (goods and services) for final demand – also referred to as ‘footprints’. The estimates are the result of environmental input-output modelling and cover the entire world economy.

The greenhouse gas emission footprint is a measure of emissions along the full production chain of a product that ends up in the EU as final consumption or investment. These emissions are sometimes referred to as emissions ‘embodied’ in EU consumption, although they are not literally included in the final products, and these products are not only consumed, but may also be investment goods.

Air emission footprints offer a complementary perspective to greenhouse gas inventories and air emissions accounts. The latter two record emissions on the production side, at the origin of the emissions. In contrast, carbon footprints are estimated from the perspective of the final product and where it is consumed, and are therefore also referred to as consumption-based accounts. The distinction between the three perspectives is further described in Eurostat’s page on emissions of greenhouse gases and air pollutants.

The model estimations are based on two main source datasets (see 18.1 for more detail):

• FIGARO inter-country input-output tables (ICIOT's)
  
• Air emissions accounts (for European countries) and Eurostat estimates of air emissions (for non-European countries)

Each dataset reports air emissions re-attributed to the final demand of products for:

• 46 geographical entities of origin
• 46 geographical entities of destination
• 5 categories of final consumption
• 2010 to two years before the current year (t – 2)
• using the NACE rev. 2 classification

within the ESA 2010 framework.

Each data set has seven dimensions:

1) Country of origin [C_ORIG]: place of origin, where the emissions take place. This geographical dimension includes 46 entities: 45 countries (including EU Member States) and one aggregate for the rest of the world (WRL_REST), i.e. all the countries beyond those 45. Three additional aggregates are available: ‘European Union – 27 countries (from 2020)’ (EU27_2020); ‘Extra-EU27 (from 2020)’ (EXT_EU27_2020), i.e. all the countries in the world which are not part of the EU; and ‘All countries of the world’ (WORLD).

2) Economic activities in the country of origin [NACE_R2]: economic activity which actually emits. Data are broken down by NACE classification of economic activities, with an aggregation level of A*64 (i.e. 64 branches). Direct emissions by households are also included. The following aggregates are available: ‘Total – all NACE activities’ (TOTAL); ‘All NACE activities plus households’ (TOTAL_HH).

3) Country of destination [C_DEST]: the geographical entity where the final demand (or consumption) takes place. This geographical dimension includes 46 entities: 45 countries (including EU Member States) and one aggregate for the rest of the world (WLR_REST), i.e. all the countries beyond those 45. Three additional aggregates are available: ‘European Union – 27 countries (from 2020)’ (EU27_2020); ‘Extra-EU27 (from 2020)’ (EXT_EU27_2020), i.e. all the countries in the world which are not part of the EU; and ‘All countries of the world’ (WORLD).

4) National accounts indicator (ESA 2010) [NA_ITEM]: this dimension denotes the type of final demand in the country of destination causing the carbon footprint. This dimension distinguishes 5 categories of final demand: final consumption expenditure of general government, final consumption expenditure of households, final consumption expenditure of NPISH, gross fixed capital formation, changes in inventories and acquisitions less disposals of valuables. For private households (i.e. [NACE_R2] = HH), this category is not applicable (NAP), since the model produces estimates with A*64 NACE breakdown (as in FIGARO ICIOT's) and direct emissions by households are simply added to these results. The following aggregate is available: ‘Total’ (TOTAL), which equals the sum of the 5 categories of final demand and ‘Not applicable’ (NAP).

5) Time [TIME]: reference years covered by the dataset, starting from 2010.

6) Time frequency [FREQ]: data are annual.

7) Unit [UNIT]: thousand tonnes of air emissions. For other pollutants than CO₂, the unit is thousand tonnes of CO₂-equivalent. The Global Warming Potentials (GWP) applied for the conversion are available in section 3.2 of the metadata of air emissions accounts.

Taking CO₂ footprints as an example, the dataset can provide the following detail of information:

In 2010 [TIME], final consumption expenditure of households [NA_ITEM] in Portugal [C_DEST] induced n thousand tonnes [UNIT] of CO2 emissions emitted by the fishing and aquaculture industry [NACE_R2] in Greece [C_ORIG].

Air emissions in the country and economic activity of origin due to final demand for products in the country of destination.

The model estimations are based on two datasets:

1) Air emissions accounts: A specific physical accounting framework which presents air emissions by emitting industries (NACE classified) and private households, following the concepts and definitions of national accounts. See also the System of Environmental-Economic Accounting (SEEA). Air emissions comprise greenhouse gases and other air pollutants. See also the air emissions accounts metadata. For compiling the air emission footprints, Eurostat has estimated air emissions for non-European countries, i.e. those not available from Eurostat air emissions accounts (see methodology here).

The air emissions used as input to the model are actually implicit in the carbon footprint dataset, since the emission totals remain the same and these are simply attributed to different categories of final demand. To obtain the annual air emissions used as input to the model, broken down by country and economic activity where emissions take place, one just needs to filter the year [TIME], country of origin [C_ORIG] and economic activity [NACE_R2] and select the total for each of the remaining dimensions.

2) FIGARO inter-country input-output tables: the methodology underlying the FIGARO tables corresponds to the ‘European Systems of Accounts 2010’ (ESA 2010). This specific accounting framework in national accounts portrays the production and consumption activities of a given economy in a comprehensive way (e.g. which products are produced by which industry, and who uses it?). See also the metadata of the supply, use and input-output tables ESA 2010.

These two data sets are integrated using so-called Leontief or input-output modelling techniques. Conceptually, the air emissions 'embodied' in products for final demand include emissions along the entire production chain of the respective product. The production chains (better production 'networks') are increasingly globalised for most of the products for final demand in the EU. Hence, the 'embodied' emissions may result from production activities within the EU economy, as well as from production activities in the rest of the world economy.

Data refer to emissions directly and indirectly caused by final demand for products by national residents in the sense of SEEA CF 2012 and national accounts (ESA).

Not applicable, because the data are modelling estimates.

This dataset presents data for the world economy.

The dataset covers the period from 2010 to two years before the current year (t-2).

Not applicable.

The air emissions are presented is thousand tonnes. For other pollutants than CO₂, the unit is thousand tonnes of CO₂-equivalent. The Global Warming Potentials (GWP) applied for the conversion are available in section 3.2 of the metadata of air emissions accounts.

The data refer to the calendar year.

Not applicable with respect to the modelling results.

Not applicable.

Regulation (EC) No. 223/2009 on European statistics (recital 24 and Article 20(4)) of 11 March 2009 (OJ L 87, p. 164), 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.

No confidentiality.

Data are not bound by an advance release calendar.

Not applicable.

In line with the Community legal framework and the European Statistics Code of Practice Eurostat disseminates European statistics on Eurostat's website (see item 10 - 'Accessibility and clarity') respecting professional independence and in an objective, professional and transparent manner in which all users are treated equitably. The detailed arrangements are governed by the Eurostat protocol on impartial access to Eurostat data for users.

Data are disseminated simultaneously to all interested parties through a database update and on Eurostat's website.

For non-European countries⁽¹⁾, the air emission footprints are based on data from EDGAR which in turn use data from IEA Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Energy, www.iea.org/data-and-statistics, as modified by the Joint Research Centre, licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. Users of the Eurostat footprint data for those countries should contact the IEA at compliance@iea.org if they wish to use them outside the terms of the CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 licence, in particular if they wish to use them for commercial purposes.

⁽¹⁾          Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Indonesia, India, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, United States and Rest of the World

Data are disseminated annually.

There are no online news releases.

No publications.

Please consult the free datasets online:

• Greenhouse gas emission footprints (in CO2 equivalent, FIGARO application) (env_ac_ghgfp)
• Carbon footprints (FIGARO application) (env_ac_co2fp)
• Methane emission footprints (CH4 in CO2 equivalent, FIGARO application) (env_ac_ch4fp)
• Nitrous oxide emission footprints (N2O in CO2 equivalent, FIGARO application) (env_ac_n2ofp)
• Hydrofluorocarbon emission footprints (HFC in CO2 equivalent, FIGARO application) (env_ac_hfcfp)
• Perfluorocarbon emission footprints (PFC in CO2 equivalent, FIGARO application) (env_ac_pfcfp)
• Nitrogen trifluoride and sulphur hexafluoride emission footprints (NF3-SF6 in CO2 equivalent, FIGARO application) (env_ac_nf3sf6fp)

The modelling results are also disseminated in FIGARO’s website in the form of flat files (.csv).

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

The methodology applied in the model is documented in this report.

The air emissions used as input to the model are described in this methodological note.

The methodology applied to produce the FIGARO inter-country tables (input to the model) is available in the methodology page of ESA supply, use and input-output tables.

All methodological documents related to environmental input-output modelling can be found in the methodology website of Eurostat's environmental accounts.

There is no quality documentation on the modelling results.

For quality reports on the input data, see the air emissions accounts metadata.

The model applies standard Leontief modelling widely used in the domain of environmentally-extended input-output modelling.

For quality assurance of the input data see the air emissions accounts metadata.

The Environmental Accounts Working Group, encompassing representatives of all Member States, Eurostat and other stakeholders, discusses quality improvements.

Air emissions caused by final demand of products provide information on the indirect effect that final demand has on air emissions, by linking air emissions to final demand of products.

The users include policy makers in environmental ministries, environmental organisations, researchers, journalists, students, and interested citizens.

There are no systematic studies of user satisfaction. Eurostat has regular hearings with European policymakers and contacts with the research community and other stakeholders to monitor the relevance of the statistics produced and identify new priorities.

Data are complete, meaning they encompass the world economy. There are no gaps in the dataset.

The data is modelled and the underlying assumptions and modelling techniques are transparent (see above item 10.6). However, the various modelling assumptions do result in higher margins of error compared to air emission inventories and air emissions accounts.

Concerning the input data to the model, accuracy varies depending on the country. The air emissions by non-European countries are estimated by Eurostat since air emissions accounts are only available for EU Member States and few other European countries. These estimates have a lower accuracy than the emissions obtained from air emissions accounts, which are reported to Eurostat by national statistical offices.

The other input to the model are FIGARO inter-country input-output tables. These are benchmarked to the latest macroeconomic main aggregates. However, to fit national input-output tables into inter-country input-tables covering the entire world economy, some modelling assumptions are necessary, namely to balance trade asymmetries.
Overall, the results should be interpreted cautiously, particularly at the most detailed level.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

Eurostat intends to disseminate the results about two years after the latest reference year ended.

Not applicable, because there is no release calendar.

Geographical coverage includes 46 geographical entities. The model applies the same method to all countries. On the other hand, the air emissions by non-European countries (input to the model) are estimated by Eurostat since air emissions accounts are only available for EU Member States and few other European countries. This should result in a lower accuracy of emissions emitted by non-European countries (i.e. country of origin is outside Europe) compared to emissions emitted in countries submitting air emissions accounts to Eurostat (i.e. country of origin is in Europe).

The comparability over time is good because the same method and data sources are applied to all reference years and the figures are re-estimated for the complete time-series each year.

The data are coherent with principles, definitions and concepts in National Accounts (ESA - European System of Accounts) and Environmental Accounting (SEEA - System of Environmental-Economic Accounting).

There is cross-domain consistency with air emission accounts, since these are used as input to the model. The same applies to FIGARO inter-country input-output tables.

The air emissions used as input to the model are actually implicit in each footprint dataset, since the emission totals remain the same and these are simply attributed to different categories of final demand (see item 3.4 for more information).

Internal coherence is given within the model architecture.

The modelling is done by Eurostat using IT tools and the costs are low.

To further specify the general Eurostat revision policy, the established revision policy is to synchronise with revisions of the input data, namely:

• Air emissions accounts;
• FIGARO inter-country input-output tables

Revisions are synchronised with revisions of the input data, namely air emissions accounts, which is usually disseminated in December. A revision is therefore expected in the beginning of the year.

Every year Eurostat publishes the complete time series, which normally leads to revisions of data previously published.

Errors are assessed for seriousness to determine whether they should trigger a correction of already disseminated data. 

The input data for the modelling are:

1) Air emissions accounts produced and disseminated by Eurostat.

• env_ac_ainah_r2

    For the geographical entities not covered in air emissions accounts (namely non-European countries), Eurostat produces own estimates (methodological note).

2) FIGARO inter-country input-output tables

Not applicable since data are estimated.

Not applicable since data are estimated.

Data are validated for coherence with air emissions accounts. A comparison with emission totals by other international datasets is performed.

For information on the input data validation see the air emissions accounts metadata.

The results are obtained with environmentally-extended input–output modelling, see '10.6'.

For information on the input data compilation see the air emissions accounts metadata and the methodology page of ESA supply, use and input-output tables.

Not applicable.

None.