A fundamental tool for understanding and managing air quality is the emissions inventory, which serves as a collection of information and data from various sources aimed at identifying the quantities and types of pollutants emitted by activities in the area under examination.
The presence of a certain pollutant in the atmosphere results from the interactions between natural and anthropogenic activities in the area and the transport, diffusion, and chemical transformation processes it undergoes once in the atmosphere. Therefore, knowledge of emissions (and their sources) is crucial for monitoring air quality and identifying the most appropriate air quality improvement policies.
An emissions inventory is essentially a registry of the quantities of pollutants released into the environment. It may cover an entire country or just a small area, and it can include a wide range of pollutants or just a few. The data in an emissions inventory allow policymakers to prioritize options for reducing emissions and monitor progress toward reduction goals.
With an emissions inventory on a larger spatial scale than the study area, a top-down approach can be used to detail the initial data to a finer territorial level using auxiliary indicators, commonly referred to as surrogate or proxy variables. Conversely, when detailed information on individual activities and/or sources is available, a bottom-up approach is used, which takes into account processes, activity indicators, adopted technologies, and the most recent emission factors.
ARIANET will support the data search, consistency checks, inventory compilation, and related documentation. Assistance will be provided at every stage of constructing the emissions registry, including training personnel to effectively use these tools, with particular attention to planning and managing revisions.
