Notes on Interpreting Data Entries in the Climate Change Database

Definition of terms:

  • Country/economy - Name of ADB developing member economy (DMC).
    (Note: US and Canada are included in the database being two of the world's top GHG emitters.)
  • Party to International Environmental Laws - A DMC that has signed and ratified international law concerning the protection of the global environment.
  • Status of Ratification - The stage at which an agreement has been signed, ratified, acceded to, or entered into force by a DMC, for example, under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
  • National Communication - Refers to the date of submission of Initial or First National Communication of economies to the UNFCCC and the dates of publication. It also includes succeeding National Communications and dates of submission, where relevant.
  • Responsible National Institution - Refers to the national institution that serves as designated focal point for climate change programs and policies. Institutions' work may be in the nature of administration or research. Multiple entries refer to multi-agency or multi-ministerial organizations as assigned by the national government.
  • Overall Strategy - The overarching strategies of nations in addressing climate change based on the most recent National Communications submitted.
  • Sectoral Strategies - Identifies mitigation and adaptation strategies on climate change as identified in the economy's national communication.

    • The Difference between Mitigation and Adaptation Climate Change Interventions

      Sectoral strategies contain both mitigation and adaptation measures. Mitigation measures are those that help reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Adaptation measures are adjustment strategies to ease actual or expected ecological, social, or economic impacts of climate change.
      • Examples of mitigation measures include those that promote renewable energy and energy efficient technologies. Environmental conservation and preservation are common examples of adaptation measures.
      • Sectors employing mitigation measures include (i) energy and transportation, (ii) industry, (iii) forest resources and (iv) agriculture. Sectors employing adaptation measures include (i) forest resources, (ii) agriculture, (iii) coastal and fisheries resources, (iv) water resources, (v) infrastructure/settlement, and (vi) health.
  • Greenhouse Gas Emission Inventory - Emission estimates based on Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Guidelines for National GHG Inventories. Source categories include Fuel combustion (Sectoral Approach), energy industries, transport, industrial processes, solvent and other product use, agriculture, land-use change and forestry (LUCF), land-use, land-use change and forestry (LULUCF), waste, international bunkers, aviation, marine, and others. Definition of each category can be found on UNFCCC's GHG Data Definition of Terms: (http://unfccc.int/ghg_data/items/3817.php)
      GHG emissions:
      • GHG emissions refer to total emissions including LUCF and LULUCF unless otherwise stated. Historical emission estimates and targeted emissions reductions are derived from a DMC's Initial National Communication, while estimates for current emissions derive from National Action Plans for Climate Change.
      • Equivalent CO2 (CO2e) provides a universal standard of measurement against which impacts of releasing (or avoiding the release of) different greenhouse gases can be evaluated. Each greenhouse gas has a specific Global Warming Potential (GWP), a measurement of the impact that a particular gas has on “radiative forcing” which is the additional heat/energy retained in the Earth's ecosystem through the addition of the gas to the atmosphere (Source: International Emissions and Trading Association).

      Reference Year of Emission Inventory: Refers to the base year of emission inventory or simply the year a particular DMC conducted its first emissions inventory. This serves as the reference year for measuring future emissions reductions.

      Historical Data: Initial inventory conducted by the economy based on IPCC's Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories as reported by the DMC via national communication. If the DMC is a net emitter, it is identified as such.

      Most Current Emission Reduction: Most current GHG emission data available other than the initial emissions inventory.

      Target Emission Reduction: The level of emissions that DMC governments target over a specified period of time. Reduction levels can be in exact units or percentages of emissions based on estimates from the reference year.
  • National Action Plan for Climate Change - The national report on a DMC's climate change program—either in general or specific on either adaptation or mitigation action plans (Note: This should not be interchanged with an economy's initial national climate change communication). Entry includes title and date of publication.
  • Sectoral Strategies - Identifies mitigation and adaptation strategies on climate change as identified and discussed in the National Climate Change Program and/or Action Plan. The main sectors included in the data base are energy, industry, forest, agriculture, coastal resources, and water utilities.
  • Overall Action Plan - The overarching strategies of DMCs in addressing climate change based on the National Action Plan.
  • Other National Institutions on Climate Change - Refers to national institutions (agencies, departments, or centers) that work on climate change and other related projects.
  • Selected Publications on Climate Change - Research studies and papers on climate change conducted in the DMC, but not necessarily by citizens or institutions from the economy. Publications include only the most recent, if possible only those from year 2000 onward. (Note: Smaller economies have fewer publications and from earlier periods).
      National Adaptation Program of Action (NAPAs) provide a process for least developed economies (LDCs) to identify priority activities that respond to their urgent and immediate needs with regard to adaptation to UNFCCC. Web links to copies of the Adaptation Actions, if available, are included in the Selected Publications on Climate Change.

      Note: Entries for “Responsible National Institution”, “Other National Institutions on Climate Change” and “Selected Publications on Climate Change” include web links to relevant websites.
  • Remarks - Entries may vary. They may contain additional information from the Initial National Communication and/or National Climate Change Program or information on the status of a DMC that may influence the effective implementation of its climate change policies—such as political instability, financial capacity, and environmental or cultural background.

Data are gathered from developing member economies' Initial National Communications and/or National Action Programs on Climate Change. The quantity and quality of information entered are based on these national reports. Thus, coverage is not necessarily consistent across economies.

Blank fields mean that data are not available.