Checks and Verification at National and International Levels

National inventories submitted under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change are updated annually, i.e. the inventory for a new year is compiled and added and the emissions of the other inventory years are being revised when considered appropriate. Since this process requires the handling of much data and often many persons are involved, both in selecting representative emission factors as well data processing, errors and inconsistencies may easily slip in. This paper reviews the needs and possibilities for validation (checking) and verifying procedures, i.e., checking the internal consistency of the inventory and activities using external data to verify the emission estimates, respectively. Concrete options are reviewed that could typically be done at national level, by national teams, and options at the international level that comprise for example inter-country comparisons and comparisons with independently compiled datasets (global emission inventories and international statistics). The latter could most efficiently be done at international level by international bodies or by international co-operation of national experts. In this paper we will primarily focus on what individual countries can do. In addition, procedures, priority setting and reporting requirements of checks and verification activities at national level are discussed, as well as possible institutional arrangements for activities at international level.