The Third Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (FCCC), held in Kyoto, Japan, is over, but discussion surrounding the proposed emission targets and the impacts felt here are far from over.
The eleven-day Kyoto conference concluded with the adoption of the "Kyoto Protocol." The Protocol calls for emissions reductions relative to emissions in 1990, for the greenhouse gases carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs), and sulfur hexafluoride (SF6).
Before Kyoto. The demand for CDIAC and World Data Center-A for Atmospheric Trace Gases data products has risen steadily since we were established in 1982, but the level of demand was unprecedented preceding the conference in Kyoto (see figure). Demand was particularly intense for current records of national fossil-fuel CO2 emission estimates, atmospheric levels of greenhouse gases, and emissions from land-use changes. Some requests were from delegates preparing for the Kyoto conference, many requests were from journalists gathering information for articles that ran before the December meeting, and scores of requests came from scientists evaluating the scientific merit of the anticipated targets. Frankly, I loved the attention and action. I found the flurry of activity to be invigorating and fun and the response to our products gratifying. The wave of attention caused by the approaching Kyoto meeting also served as a poignant reminder of the great contributions made by individual scientists willing to share their data with a larger audience for the good of mankind and the responsibility bestowed on data centers to provide credible, properly attributed, well-documented data. Disseminating data via the Web is only a final, simple step of a long arduous process to produce quality scientific databases necessary to adequately support the processes leading to the Kyoto Protocol.
After Kyoto. As shown in the figure, requests for data and information have slowed since Kyoto, but the number of requests are still well above previous monthly values. Demand is still great for the baseline databases mentioned, but now requesters are focusing on Kyoto Protocol emission targets, attainment scenarios, and potential verification efforts. For us, the Kyoto Protocol reinforces the importance of several core activities, namely, our annual effort to compile time series of CO2 emissions from fossil-fuel consumption and our efforts to maintain current atmospheric trace gas records. The Protocol also supports our continuing involvement in projects such as the Global Emission Inventory Activity (GEIA) and AmeriFlux. I have always felt that the present and historic measurements of atmospheric carbon dioxide, oxygen, and carbon isotopes, along with terrestrial carbon flux and oceanic carbon measurements, were critical to carbon cycle research, and we now believe these records will be even more critical for verification efforts, should the Kyoto Protocol be ratified.
In light of the Kyoto outcome, I will now need to consider adding additional HFC, PFC, and sulfur hexafluoride measurements to the WDC-A for Atmospheric Trace Gases data collection. Regardless, the future promises to be fun and challenging, and I encourage readers to look to the WDC-A for Atmospheric Trace Gases for key global-change data sets, particularly those germane to Kyoto Protocol analyses and assessments.
Tom Boden, Director, World Data Center-A for Atmospheric Trace Gases
