Strong Growth in the 2000 Reporting Cycle

In all, 222 organizations, including 51 new reporters, submitted reports in time to be included in this year's database. This represents an 11 percent increase over last year. The number of reported projects grew by 8.4 percent over last year to 1,882. (See the pie graph below for a breakdown of projects by type).

A preliminary look at 2000 emission reductions data will be available in the next edition of The Greenhouse Gas Volunteer. Finalized information will be published in our annual report, Voluntary Reporting of Greenhouse Gases 2000.

For information on how to obtain a hard copy of the report or to download an electronic version, visit our "What's New" web page at http://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/1605/new.html or call our Communications Center at 1-800-803-5182. We can also be reached via e-mail at infoghg@eia.doe.gov.

IPCC Releases Third Assessment Report Findings

"There is new and stronger evidence that
most of the warming observed over the past
50 years is attributable to human activities."

At the end of September, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) approved and adopted the findings of the 2001 Third Assessment Report.* These findings are summarized below:

PAST

• The global average surface temperature has increased over the 20th century by about 0.6 ^oC (1.1 ^oF).
• Snow cover has decreased by about 10 percent since the late 1960s and the annual duration of mid- and high-latitude lake and river ice cover in the Northern Hemisphere was reduced by about 2 weeks over the 20th century.
• Global average sea level has risen by 0.1 to 0.2 meters during the 20^th century and ocean heat content has increased since the late 1950s.

PRESENT

• Concentrations of atmospheric greenhouse gases and their radiative forcing have continued to increase as a result of human activities. For example, the atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide (CO₂) has increased by 31 percent since 1750. The present CO₂ concentration has not been exceeded during the past 420,000 years and probably not during the past 20 million years. The current rate of increase is unprecedented during at least the past 20,000 years.

FUTURE

• All IPCC emissions scenarios predict human influences will continue to change atmospheric composition throughout the 21st century.
• Global average surface temperature is projected to increase by 1.4 to 5.8^oC (2.5 to 10.4^oF) over the period from 1990 to 2100.
• Global mean sea level is projected to rise by 0.09 to 0.88 meters (4 to 35 inches) between 1990 and 2100.

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*Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Climate Change 2001: The Scientific Basis. Summary for Policymakers(Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 2001).

165 Nations Agree on Kyoto Protocol Rules

At the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Seventh Session of the Conference of the Parties (COP-7) held recently in Marrakech, Morocco, 165 nations reached agreement on a number of implementation rules for the Kyoto Protocol. The agreement reached on November 9, 2001, referred to as the "Marrakech Accords," covered a number of issues, including: (1) rules for international emissions trading; (2) a compliance regime to enforce emissions targets with the issue of legally-binding targets deferred to a future Conference; (3) fungible accounting rules that allow emissions trading among Annex I nations,^¶ Clean Development Mechanism and Joint Implementation emission reductions; and (4) a new emission unit for carbon sinks that cannot be banked for future commitment periods.^† COP-8, scheduled for Fall 2002, will, among other things, review the adequacy of commitments under the Kyoto Protocol, including those of developing countries, with the intent to frame the issue for discussion at COP-9.

Despite its own withdrawal, the United States has indicated that it has no objection to the participation of other countries in the Kyoto Protocol. However, the United States has indicated that it intends to develop alternatives to the Kyoto Protocol, including the National Climate Change Technology Initiative.^‡ The Kyoto Protocol can enter into force with ratification by enough Annex I nations to account for 55 percent of total Annex I carbon dioxide emissions in 1990. The withdrawal of the United States, which accounts for about 35 percent of 1990 Annex I carbon dioxide emissions in 1990. The withdrawal of the United States, which accounts for about 35 percent of 1990 Annex I carbon dioxide emissions, will not necessarily prevent the Protocol from entering into force.

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^¶ The Annex I nations include Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, European Union, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russian Federation, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States of America.
^† Pew Center on Global Climate Change, Climate Talks in Marrakech - COP 7: Update, November 9, 2001 - Final Analysis, see http://www.pewclimate.org/cop7/update_110901.cfm.
^‡ Remarks by President Bush on Global Climate Change, Office of the Press Secretary, The White House (June 11, 2001).