CDP States and Regions 2019 Information Request

Guidance introduction

The aim of this online guidance is to assist all states and regions completing the CDP States and Regions 2019 Information Request. The online guidance provides a high-level overview of each questionnaire section as well as further information and guidance on each question. This online guidance also provides examples of good responses for selected questions.

Should you need any further support with answering the questions or using CDP’s platform, please contact CDP by e-mail on [email protected] or by phone on +44 (0) 203 818 3908. Office hours are 09:00 – 17:30 GMT/BST, Monday to Friday.

Our work with subnational governments

CDP believes that subnational governments play a vital role in driving climate action and delivering sustainable economies. To limit global warming to 2 degrees, it is imperative that states and regions set ambitious climate targets and drive global standards of climate leadership. CDP provides a global platform for subnational governments to measure, manage and disclose their environmental impacts. CDP's States and Regions program’s main aim is to use annual reporting to promote transparency and increase climate action, ambition and accountability of these governments. The program works with over 100 states and regions across the globe, representing 36 countries, over 630 million people and US$13 trillion in GDP.

The 2019 Information Request is composed of a series of sections. Each section asks questions about an aspect of your region including: greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, risks and opportunities from climate change, and strategies for mitigating emissions, and strategies for adapting to changes in the climate. The Information Request allows your region to report two separate but parallel greenhouse gas inventories: one for your entire region (jurisdiction), and government’s operations. The differentiation between region-wide (sometimes called “territorial”) and government operations emissions recognizes that while governments can influence emissions and develop resilience in their operations through demonstrated leadership, policies and regulations, as well as strategies and programs, sometimes they can only make changes to the facilities and operations under their direct control. As such, separate but parallel inventories are needed. As a responding region, you have the opportunity to report one, both or neither of these emissions inventories depending on the data you have available.

The information generated from this request will assist in improving the understanding of subnational level GHG emissions. It provides a framework for the development/enhancement of GHG inventories ensuring that emissions are reported in a meaningful way. It can highlight potential risks and opportunities arising from climate change, promote consideration of adaptation and resilience building activities and facilitate target setting. Overall, it will enhance the understanding of how subnational governments are dealing with the challenge of climate change.

CDP requests states and regions to disclose their environmental impacts and create a sustainable economy that avoids dangerous climate change. Encouraging states and regions to disclose their environmental information through CDP’s states and regions information request provides the foundation to achieve this mission.

Acknowledgements

CDP would like to thank its partners on the States and Regions program for their assistance in the development of this online guidance:

The Climate Group

For their support on providing definitions, additional information and best practices on the following topics:

• Region-wide emissions inventory
• Emissions reduction targets
• Energy efficiency targets
• Renewable energy/electricity targets
• Climate actions

NRG4SD

For reviewing the guidance information and providing feedback on the following topics:

• Climate change risks and adaptation actions
• Socio-economic risks
• Water supply risks

States and regions initiatives

The data collected from this information request is used for analysis and research by CDP and its partners, and supports the following initiatives:

Under2 Coalition

The Under2 Coalition is driven by a group of ambitious state and regional governments committed to keeping global temperature rises to under 2°C. The coalition brings together more than 220 governments who represent over 1.3 billion people and 43% of the global economy. The Climate Group is the Secretariat to the Under2 Coalition and works with governments to accelerate climate action. CDP works in partnership with The Climate Group to provide the world’s first global platform for states and regions to measure, manage and disclose their greenhouse gas emissions. We are united in our firm belief of the vital role that state and regional governments play in driving climate action and delivering sustainable economies that avoid dangerous climate change and leads to a net-zero emissions world. State and regional government climate action is fundamental to delivering the Paris Agreement and the disclosed data drives CDP’s analytical benchmarking, commitment tracking and data management; and The Climate Group’s governments networks, peer learning, policy work and promotion of climate leadership.

• States and regions that have joined the Under2 Coalition are required to answer the Introduction, Emissions – Region-wide and Strategy sections of the 2019 information request.

RegionsAdapt

The RegionsAdapt initiative aims to inspire and support state, provincial and regional governments to take action, cooperate and report efforts on climate change adaptation. The initiative requires governments to report on the progress of their adaptation actions and goals on an annual basis. NRG4SD is the network that supports this initiative as its Secretariat and by involving members from the five continents.

• States and regions that have joined the RegionsAdapt initiative are required to answer the Introduction, Governance, Risks and Adaptation as well as Water sections of the 2019 information request.

New York Declaration on Forests

1. Introduction

General information

1.1 Please provide the following details for your region.

Response Options

Please complete the following table:

Guidance

This is a table question, which asks for details for your region’s general profile. The table has the following fields:

• Government name: Please state the name of your region’s government.
• Country: Please state the country where the region is located.
• Currency: Appendix A provides a list of currencies. The currency selected for your region would be used for the annual operating budget (see question 1.2), GDP (see question 1.4) and for any projects that may require financing (see question 2.6).
• Leader title: Please state the official title of your region’s leader (e.g. Governor, Premier).
• Leader name: Please state the full name of your region’s leader.

1.2 Please provide the details of your region's annual operating budget in the currency reported in question 1.1.

Response Options

Please complete the following table:

Guidance

This is a table question, which asks for details of your region’s operating budget. The table has the following fields:

• Annual operating budget: Please state your region's annual operating budget figure as a number. The operating budget often includes annual expenditures for personnel costs, materials and supplies, purchased services, rent and financial expenses, debt charges, reserve transfers, subsidy revenue and program fees.
• Budget year: Please state the relevant year for your region's operating budget. If your annual operating budget year is calculated over two years (e.g. 1st April 2013 – 31st March 2014), please choose the starting year of your operating budget.

1.3 Please provide the details of your region’s current, historical and projected population.

Response Options

Please complete the following table:

Guidance

This is a table question, which asks about your region’s current population size, its historical population (in year 2010) and how it is forecast to change in the future (for years 2030 and 2050). Please ensure that the population figure is entered in a full format i.e. if your regions population is 1.87 million then you will enter 1870000. This question assists CDP in understanding the demographic changes that have occurred in a region in the past and what the projections are for the region towards 2050. Should you not have this information available, please provide a comment on this in the comments text field. The table has the following fields:

• Region’s current population: Please state your region’s population size as a number.
• Region’s current year: Please state the year for which the population figure was determined in numerical form.
• Region’s population in year 2010: Please state your region’s population size in 2010 as a number.
• Region’s population in year 2030: Please state your region’s population size in 2030 as a number.
• Region’s population in year 2050: Please state your region’s population size in 2050 as a number.
• Comments: Please provide any comments you have about your region’s population in this field. If you do not have a historical and projected population values for 2010, 2030, 2050, but it is available for other years then please report this information here.

1.4 Please provide the details of your region’s current, historical and projected GDP in the currency reported in question 1.1.

Response Options

Please complete the following table:

Guidance

This is a table question, which asks about your region’s current GDP, its historical GDP (in year 2010) and how it is forecast to change in the future (for years 2030 and 2050). This question assists CDP in understanding the economic changes that have occurred in a region in the past and what the projections are for the region towards 2050. Should you not have this information available, please provide a comment on this in the comments text field. The table has the following fields:

• Region’s current GDP: Provide the most current value available of your region’s gross domestic product in your native currency, or the currency used for calculation.
• Region’s current GDP year: Please state the year for which the GDP value you are reporting was calculated in numerical form.
• Region’s GDP in year 2010: Please state your region’s GDP in 2010 as a number.
• Region’s GDP in year 2030: Please state your region’s GDP in 2030 as a number.
• Region’s GDP in year 2050: Please state your region’s GDP in 2050 as a number.
• Comments: Please provide any comments you have about your region’s GDP in this field, this field can include information on what the primary sectors of your region's economy are. If you do not have historical and projected GDP values for 2010, 2030, 2050, but it is available for other years then please report this information here.

Explanation of Terms

Gross Domestic Product (GDP): Gross Domestic Product (GDP) at market prices is the expenditure on final goods and services minus imports: final consumption expenditures, gross capital formation, and exports less imports. "Gross" signifies that no deduction has been made for the depreciation of machinery, buildings, and other capital products used in production. "Domestic" means it is production by the resident institutional units of the country. The products refer to final goods and services, that is, those that are purchased, imputed, or otherwise, as: final consumption of households, non-profit institutions serving households and government; fixed assets; and exports (minus imports). For more information see the definitions developed by the OECD.

1.5 Please provide further details about the geography of your region.

Response Options

Please complete the following table:

Guidance

This question asks about your region’s geographical details. The table has the following fields:

• Average annual temperature (in Celsius): Please state the current average annual temperature in °C.
• Land area (in square km): Please state the land area within your region’s boundaries in km2. If you have information to report regarding your region’s emissions inventory, please provide the land area that is reflective of your emissions inventory boundary and the year of your reported emissions inventory.
• Average altitude (m): Please state the average altitude (elevation above mean average sea level) of your region’s area in meters.
• Latitude (e.g. 41.259): Please state your region’s latitude (of the region’s point of reference or most central point) in degrees 0 to 90 (for all regions north of the equator) or 0 to -90 (for all regions south of the equator).
• Longitude (e.g. -120.989): Please state your region’s longitude (of the region’s point of reference or most central point) in degrees 0 to 180 (for all regions east of the prime meridian) or 0 to -180 (for all regions west of the prime meridian).

2. Governance

Regional planning

2.1 Please describe the process by which your regional government reviews its progress and manages overall responsibility for climate change.

Response Options:

This is an open text question.

Please note that when copying from another document into the disclosure platform, formatting is not retained.

Guidance

This question aims to understand how climate change action steps and progress are measured, monitored and managed. If relevant, details offered could include the following: department, committee, or person responsible for climate change-related activities; information on frequency of actions or disclosing; next steps for governance and planned future changes; governance challenges encountered; and stakeholder engagement processes.

2.2 Does your region incorporate GHG emissions reductions actions, targets, and/or strategies into the master planning for the region?

Response Options

Select one of the following options:

• Yes
• No

Guidance

Please answer by selecting “Yes” or “No” from the drop-down menu provided. If you select “Yes” you will be directed to question 2.2a.

Explanation of term

A good definition of a master plan comes from the Scottish government:

“A master plan describes and maps an overall development concept, including present and future land use, urban design and landscaping, built form, infrastructure, circulation and service provision. It is based upon an understanding of place and it is intended to provide a structured approach to creating a clear and consistent framework for development.”

If “Yes” is selected in response to 2.2:

2.2a Please describe how the master plan is designed to promote achieving GHG reductions.

Response Options

Please complete the following table. You are able to add rows by using the “Add Row” button at the bottom of the table.

[Add Row]

Guidance

This is a table question. This question only applies if you have selected “Yes” in answer to question 2.2. The question aims to understand how the region uses a master plan to reduce GHG emissions. You can select how the master plan is designed in the first field and you will be able to provide a brief description as to how this is relevant for your region. You can use the description column to report existing capacities and resources, or lack of, at the subnational level to effictively plan, design and implement climate actions as outlines in the master planning document. If multiple options from the drop-down menu apply for your region, you can add a row to select additional options and to provide descriptions regarding your master plan. An option called “Other” is added to allow regions to describe additional ways their master plans are designed that cannot be categorized using the options provided in the drop-down menu.

2.3 Do you work with cities/local governments in developing and/or meeting each other’s climate targets? Please explain how.

Response Options

Please complete the following table. You are able to add rows by using the “Add Row” button at the bottom of the table.

[Add Row]

Guidance

This question aims to identify examples of multilevel governance when it comes to climate change mitigation and target setting. Multilevel governance also provides a flexible conceptual framework to understand the relationships between regional and city-level governments across mitigation and adaptation policy issues. It has become increasingly evident that regional and local decisions are essential in the design and implementation of mitigation and adaptation strategies to respond. This is because greenhouse gas emissions are the result of actions or processes that occur in a given place and, while national and international policy frameworks can mandate and coordinate action, a multitude of local level actions will ultimately be needed to alter future emission pathways over the long-term (Reference: OECD 2009).

This is a table question with the following fields:

• Working with local governments: If your region is jointly working with city-level governments on developing and/or meeting each other’s climate targets, please select “Yes”. If you are not working with city-level governments, please select “No”.
• Target type: Please select the relevant type of target. If you want to report a different target from the options provided, please select “Other” and specify the type of target.
• Explanation: Please briefly explain how your region is working with city-level governments on the relevant target selected. You can explain here how your region's climate-related targets, policies and legislation are integrated with local/city climate-related targets, policies, and legislation. You can also describe your region's approach to cooperation with cities/local governments, outlining key lessons learned and best practice.

This question allows you to report on multiple targets by adding an additional row.

2.4 Do you work with national governments in developing and/or meeting each other’s climate targets? Please explain how.

Response Options

Please complete the following table. You are able to add rows by using the “Add Row” button at the bottom of the table.

[Add Row]

Guidance

The aim of this question is to identify examples of multilevel governance of climate mitigation focusing on national and subnational government levels. National governments often depend on subnational governments to deliver climate mitigation action through directly implementing policies. Subnational governments can strengthen and reinforce national policies to help reach higher ambitions, for example, through addressing market failures not dealt with by national policy or increasing policy stringency in subnational delivery; subnational governments are often best placed to identify local needs and benefits and to exploit synergies across investment priorities through mobilizing local resources and coordinating between individuals, institutions and sectors that are crucial to mitigation action (Reference: Low Emissions Development Strategies (LEDS) Global Partnership Working Group on Sub-national Integration). The role of regional governments in meeting national climate targets is further emphasized by the Paris Agreement, which illustrated the importance of ‘non-Party stakeholders’ (which includes states and regions) in securing the Agreement’s objectives to keep the global temperature increase well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius (Reference: United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, Paris Agreement, December 2015).

This is a table question with the following fields:

• Working with national governments: If your region is jointly working with national-level governments on developing and/or meeting each other’s climate targets, please select “Yes”. If you are not working with national-level governments, please select “No”.
• Target type: Please select the relevant type of target. If you want to report a different target from the options provided, please select “Other” and specify the type of target.
• Explanation: Please briefly explain how your region is working with national-level governments on the relevant target selected. You can explain here how your region's climate-related targets, policies and legislation are integrated with national climate-related targets, policies and legislation. You can also describe your region's approach to cooperation with national governments, outlining key lessons learned and best practice.

This question allows you to report on multiple targets by adding an additional row.

Regional opportunities

2.5 Does addressing climate change provide any economic opportunities for your region?

Response Options

Select one of the following options:

• Yes
• No
• Do not know

Guidance

The aim of this question is to identify positive economic opportunities that may arise as a result of climate change and how states and regions are maximizing these opportunities. For some states and regions with a strong foundation in scientific and technology research and development, advanced / precision manufacturing, export facilities, or those well endowed with renewable energy resources (wind, solar, geothermal, marine, and biomass), financial opportunities to develop new goods and services may be realized.

Select your response from the following options:

• Yes or Do not know - will direct you to question 2.5a
• No - will direct you to question 2.5b

If “Yes” or "Do not know" is selected in response to 2.5:

2.5a Please indicate the opportunities and describe how the region is positioning itself to take advantage of them.

Response Options

Please complete the following table. You are able to add rows by using the “Add Row” button at the bottom of the table.

[Add Row]

Guidance

This is a table question, which invites you to detail the economic opportunities from mitigating and adapting to climate change, and asks you to describe how your state/region is seizing them. Please select as many options that apply to your region from the drop-down list. The table has the following fields:

• Economic opportunity: Please select the relevant economic opportunity for your region. If you want to add other types of opportunities that are not listed in the provided drop-down options, please select “Other” and specify the type of economic opportunity.
• Describe how the region is maximizing this opportunity: For each of the economic opportunities identified, please use this field to highlight what your region is doing to seize the relevant opportunity.

This question allows you to report on multiple economic opportunities by adding an additional row.

Example Response

If “No” is selected in response to 2.5:

2.5b Why do you not foresee any opportunities for your region?

Response Options

Please complete the following table:

Guidance

It is possible that your region does not see any potential economic opportunities from climate change. You might consider, for instance, that any potential opportunities are small and insignificant in comparison to the risks. Please complete the table presented in this question to explain the reasoning behind the lack of economic opportunities for your region.

• Reason: Please select the most appropriate reason for why you do not foresee any opportunities as a result of climate change in your region from the options provided in the drop-down list.
• Explanation: Please use this field to provide more information or context on the reason selected.

Example Response

3. Emissions - Region-wide

Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions data – Region-wide

3.1 Does your region have a region-wide emissions inventory to report?

By selecting “Yes” below, you are indicating that you have region-wide GHG emissions data from the entire region over which the regional government can exercise a degree of influence through the policies and regulations they implement to report at this time.

Response Options

Select one of the following options:

• Yes
• No

Guidance

This question asks states and regions whether they have a region-wide emissions inventory to report. This question allows states and regions to select “No” as a response to this question. This directs them to question 3.14, which invites them to explain the reasoning behind their response. States and regions that responded with “No” will only see this question, while those that have selected “Yes” will see additional questions designed to ask states and regions specific details regarding their region-wide emissions inventory.

Capturing region-wide emissions – often referred to as the “territorial” emissions inventory – creates a snapshot of all the region-wide activities and their contribution to global climate change. Collating region-wide emissions can provide a basis from which regions can develop policy and enact regulation with the aim of reducing these emissions. This distinction and imperative to capture data for both government operations emissions and the wider region represent the greatest difference between appropriate region-specific protocols and corporate emissions disclosing protocols.

If “Yes” is selected in response to 3.1:

3.2 Please provide the dates of the accounting year or 12-month period for your region’s latest region-wide GHG emissions inventory.

Response Options

Please complete the following table:

Guidance

The reporting platform provides a drop-down calendar for you to enter the dates requested. Entries must be for a 12-month period. Please provide the start and end dates of the period covered by your emissions inventory. Please ensure that this is the year covered by the emissions inventory and not the year of publication or the year when the assessment was made. If you do not have data for the entire 12-month period, please extrapolate to 12 months.

Best practice:

It is good practice to use a calendar year for reporting emissions and removals. The IPCC provides Approaches to Data Collection, on how to proceed when data for the calendar year reporting are not available or not considered suitable.

Example Response

If “Yes” is selected in response to 3.1:

3.3 Please select the category that best describes the boundary of your latest region-wide GHG emissions inventory.

Response Options

Select one of the following options:

• Geopolitical Boundary—physical areas over which your government has jurisdictional control
• Other: please specify

Guidance

In your answer, please choose from the list of options provided. Examples of approaches that might be used by your region other than its geopolitical boundary in the US for instance include county or regional GHG accounting. Circumstances where this might be undertaken include where your region’s geopolitical boundary is small relative to the total population, economic activity and land area that are symbiotic with a particular urban center of the region. If you select "Other", you will be given the opportunity to enter the relevant boundary in the text field. You can use the comment box to outline if the boundary of the emissions inventory does or does not match with the administrative boundary of the reporting entity. If it does not, then please specify the exclusions and/or additions to the administrative boundary.

If “Yes” is selected in response to 3.1

3.4 Please select the name of the primary protocol, standard, or methodology you have used to calculate GHG emissions and explain how it has been used as well as any additional protocols and processes for data collection.

Response Options

Please complete the following table:

Guidance

In CDP’s reporting platform, you will see a list of methodologies developed by third parties. Please select the primary methodology that you followed in measuring greenhouse gas emissions for your region. If you do not see your chosen methodology reflected in the list please select “Other” and describe your methodology. We recognize that many regions follow multiple protocols in creating their inventories; if this is the case for your region, please choose the protocol that is best described as your “primary” protocol. The explanation field is incorporated in this question to allow states and regions to briefly explain how the selected protocol is used and any additional protocols and processes use for the collection of data and development of region-wide inventories. If your response to this question is “Other”, please provide enough information to make clear issues such as boundaries, data capture and accounting/calculation techniques, and decision-making criteria for which emissions to include.

Region-wide GHG emissions inventory protocols and methodologies

The options to choose from include:

• 1996 IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories
• 2006 IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories
• International Emissions Analysis Protocol (ICLEI)
• The Climate Registry General Reporting Protocol
• US. EPA Greenhouse Gas Disclosing Program (includes US EPA SIT tool, FLIGHT tool, etc.)
• Regional specific methodology – For protocols, methodologies and/or standards that are used for a specific region
• Country specific methodology – For protocols, methodologies and/or standards that are used for a specific country
• Other – Please specify the protocol/methodology you used

These values are not meant to be exhaustive. If you have used a proprietary methodology or a third party methodology that you do not see listed here, please select “Other” and enter the name of the methodology in the text field provided.

Some of these measurement methodologies share general principles. Many of these principles are included in the WRI/WBCSD GHG Protocol (and other similar methods) and the following is quoted directly from the ICLEI International Emissions Analysis Protocol:

• Relevance: the greenhouse gas inventory shall appropriately reflect the greenhouse gas emissions of the government operations or the region and should be organized to reflect the areas over which regional governments exert control and hold responsibility in order to serve the decision-making needs of users.
• Completeness: all greenhouse gas emission sources and activities within the chosen inventory boundary shall be accounted for. Any specific exclusion should be disclosed.
• Consistency: consistent methodologies to allow for meaningful comparisons of emissions over time shall be used. Any changes to the data, inventory boundary, methods, or any relevant factors in the time series shall be disclosed.
• Transparency: all relevant issues shall be addressed in a factual and coherent manner to provide a clear audit trail, should auditing be required. Any relevant assumptions shall be disclosed and include appropriate references to the accounting calculation methodologies and data sources used, which may include this protocol and any relevant supplements.
• Accuracy: the quantification of greenhouse gas emissions should not be systematically over or under the actual emissions. Accuracy should be sufficient to enable users to make decisions with reasonable assurance as to the integrity of the reported information.

Many methodologies also suggest similar best practices in measuring greenhouse gas emissions. Some of these suggestions are detailed here:

• Definition of boundaries (operational and organizational) to restrict emissions to only those that are relevant (or material) to the organization. In general, this relates to those emissions under the direct control or influence of the organization (and excludes regional emissions) this is dealt with in a later section of the questionnaire.
• Attention to the integrity of the data sources and calculation rules to produce consistent results.
• Disaggregating total emissions for sector- or activity-based disclosing.
• Many methodologies (though not all) also encourage the use of “Scopes” to differentiate the level of control over the source of the emissions.
• Use of emissions factors to normalize emissions data (carbon intensity or carbon equivalents) across gases, activities or geographies.
• Disclosing against, as a minimum, the six main greenhouse gases defined by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC): carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), perfluorocarbons (PFCs), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) and sulphur hexafluoride (SF6).

Inventory quality control measures

• Please use this column to explain any quality control and/or improvement processes your region has in place for your region-wide inventory. Volume 1 Chapter 6 of the 2006 IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories describes methods to drive inventory improvement.
• Quality Control (QC) is defined in the 2006 IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse gas Inventories as a system of routine technical activities to assess and maintain the quality of the inventory as it is being compiled. It is performed by personnel compiling the inventory. The QC system is designed to:

- Provide routine and consistent checks to ensure data integrity, correctness, and completeness;
- Identify and address errors and omissions;
- Document and archive inventory material and record all QC activities.

If “Yes” is selected in response to 3.1:

3.5 Please select which gases are included in your latest region-wide GHG emissions inventory.

Response Options

Select all that apply:

• CO2
• CH4
• N2O
• HFCs
• PFCs
• SF6
• NF3

Guidance

The list consists of the main greenhouse gases defined by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC): carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs), sulphur hexafluoride (SF6), as well as nitrogen trifluoride (NF3).

If any gas is selected in 3.5:

3.5a Can you report a region-wide breakdown of emissions by GHG type?

Response Options

• Yes
• No
• Don't know

Guidance

This is a new question, which asks states and regions if they can break down their emissions by greenhouse gas type, as greenhouse gases other than carbon dioxide are significant and relevant. This question allows states and regions to select "No" as a response to this question. Those that have selected "Yes" will see an additional question where states and regions will break down their emissions in CO2-equivalents (CO2e) by greenhouse gas type.

If "Yes" is selected in 3.5a:

3.5b Break down your total gross emissions by greenhouse gas type and provide the source of each used global warming potential (GWP).

Response Options

[Add row]

Guidance

Because greenhouse gases are often only reported in CO2-equivalents, their contribution to overall emissions are sometimes masked. UNFCCC Global Warming Potentials (GWPs) are used to estimate, compare, and aggregate the relative climate effects of various greenhouse gases (GHGs). They are a measure of the relative radiative effect of a given substance compared to another, integrated over a chosen time horizon.

• Greenhouse gas: Please report your regions emissions of the Kyoto greenhouse gases, which are:

- Carbon dioxide (CO2)
- Methane (CH4)
- Nitrous oxide (N2O)
- Hydrofluorocarbon family of gases (HFCs)
- Perfluorocarbon family of gases (PFCs)
- Sulfur hexafluoride (SF6)
- Nitrogen trifluoride (NF3) has been included in the basket of mandated GHGs as it is considered a potent contributor to climate change and is therefore mandated to be included in national inventories under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
- While only the above-named seven gases are requested, you may enter others if you wish by selecting the "Other, please specify" option from the drop-down menu in column 1 and entering the name of the gas.

• Total gross emissions (metrics tons of CO2e): Report your emissions of the greenhouse gas selected in column 1, in CO2-equivalents (CO2e).
• Global Warming Potential reference (select relevant IPCC Assessment Report): Select the relevant IPCC Assessment Report from which you have sourced the GWP's used to standardized your emissions to a carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e). If you have used a calculation tool and do not know which GWPs have been applied to your data, you may wish to consult the tool documentation or reference sources.

Explanation of Terms

Global Warming Potential (GWP): The intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)'s Fifth Assessment Report (AR5) defines the Global Warming Potential (GWP) as “an index, based on radiative properties of greenhouse gases, measuring the radiative forcing following a pulse emission of a unit mass of a given greenhouse gas in the present-day atmosphere integrated over a chosen time horizon, relative to that of carbon dioxide. The GWP represents the combined effect of the differing times these gases remain in the atmosphere and their relative effectiveness in causing radiative forcing. The Kyoto Protocol is based on GWPs from pulse emissions over a 100-year time frame.” By using GWPs, GHG emissions from multiple gases can be standardized to a carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e).

If “Yes” is selected in response to 3.1:

3.6 Please provide the details of your latest inventory’s total region-wide GHG emissions for the accounting year or 12-month period as reported in 3.2.

Response Options

Please complete the following table:

Guidance

This question allows you to enter the total gross and net region-wide GHG emissions for the reported year. If your region does not calculate one of these types of total, please leave that row blank. The table has the following fields:

• Emission types: There are two types of emissions this question ask for information on:

Total gross emissions (excludes sinks): Gross emissions are your total GHG emissions from before accounting for any emission reductions from sinks – forest carbon removals, vegetation, and soils. Gross emissions include emissions from the five main IPCC sectors – Energy, Industrial Processes and Product Use (IPPU), Agriculture, Forestry and Other Land Use (AFOLU), Waste and Other.
Total net emissions (includes sinks) – Net emissions include both emissions and removals from land-use change and forestry (LUCF) is the difference between the amount of carbon sequestered in sinks and the amount emitted by sources. The value for total net emissions should be lower than total gross emissions.

• Emissions of latest inventory (metric tonnes CO2e): This question is your opportunity to enter the total figure for your region’s GHG emissions in the selected year. Your answers will be numeric entries (metric tonnes of CO2e).

• Level of confidence: Please select the level of confidence associated with your total emissions figure:

High – Select high if your reported emissions have a high level of accuracy.
Medium – Select medium if your reported emissions have a medium level of accuracy.
Low – Select low if your reported emissions have a low level of accuracy.

• Comments: This field is to provide you an opportunity to state additional information regarding your total emissions and/or level of confidence.

Example Response

If “Yes” is selected in response to 3.1:

3.7 Do you track the changes in your region-wide emissions inventory against your base year emissions?

Response Options

Select one of the following options:

• Yes
• No

Guidance

The rationale for this question is to get insights on whether states and regions are tracking changes over time from their base year region-wide emissions. Base year emissions, under the Kyoto Protocol, are defined as the aggregate anthropogenic carbon dioxide equivalent emissions of the GHGs sources in a historical base year (Reference: UNFCCC). It is essential that governments seek to continuously track progress against their targets and adjust their climate policies, incentives and actions accordingly. In order to maintain the momentum that was catalysed by the adoption and ratification of the Paris Agreement, governments must show that their targets are more than just aspirational by reducing their emissions to levels that are lower than their base year (historic reference). If you selected “Yes” as a response to this question, you will be directed to completing the table for question 3.7a.

Best practice:

Part of a robust accounting framework is to track emissions over time comprehensively, and consistently from a given base year. Guidelines for defining and adjusting a base year can be found here (US Environment Protection Agency – Climate Leaders GHG Inventory Protocol).

If “Yes” is selected in response to 3.7:

3.7a Please complete the table below.

Response Options

Please complete the following table:

Guidance

This is a supplementary question to 3.7 in which states and regions are asked to provide the details of their base year emissions inventory. The table has the following fields:

• Base year: Please provide the reference year from which your greenhouse gas reductions are measured.
• Total emissions of base year emissions inventory (metric tonnes CO2e): Please enter the numerical value of your base year emissions.
• Does your base year emissions inventory account for sinks: This question is designed to help us differentiate between the types of total emissions reported in your base year inventory (i.e. gross or net emissions). If you select “Yes” for this question, then the accounting of sinks then refers to net emissions.
• Percentage change in the emissions reported in latest inventory from base year: Please provide the percentage change in your region's total emissions amount reported in question 3.6 from the base year emissions reported in this table. Please note that when specifying the change please refer the relevant type of total emissions (i.e. gross or net) depending on whether your base year emissions inventory account for sinks or not.

If the percentage is a negative value (i.e. reduction), then please add a minus sign (-) before the numerical value without the percentage symbol (%).

Example Response

If “Yes” is selected in response to 3.1:

3.8 Please indicate if your region-wide emissions have increased, decreased, or stayed the same since your last emissions inventory, and please describe why.

Response Options

Please complete the following table:

Reason for change drop-down options:

If “Increased” is selected:

• Increased energy/electricity consumption
• Population increase
• Policy/legislative change
• Financial conditions
• Emissions reduction actions not implemented
• Change in weather conditions
• Change in activity data
• Change in emission factors
• Change in available data
• Change in data collection methods
• Improved data accuracy
• Change in accounting methodology
• Change in calculation following verification
• Other: please specify

If “Decreased” is selected:

• Reduced energy/electricity consumption
• Behavioural change
• Technological change
• Policy/legislative change
• Financial conditions
• Emissions reduction actions implemented
• Change in weather conditions
• Change in activity data
• Change in emission factors
• Change in available data
• Change in data collection methods
• Improved data accuracy
• Change in accounting methodology
• Change in calculation following verification
• Other: please specify

If “This is our first year of calculation” is selected:

• Previous data was not reliable
• Lack of resource / funding overcome
• Lack of knowledge overcome
• Other: please specify

If “Stayed the same” is selected:

• No new inventory to report
• Emissions have not changed
• Other: please specify

If “Do not know” is selected:

• Change in staff
• Lack of documentation
• Change in accounting methodology
• Other: please specify

Guidance

This question has been modified to provide specific drop-down options depending on the changes in reported emissions. This is a table question with the following fields:

• Change in emissions: Please select how your emissions have changed compared to the emissions you reported last time from the options provided in the drop-down list.
• Reason for change: Please select from the drop-down menu (depending on the response to the Change in emissions field) to indicate some of the reasons you have identified that led to this change. For example, if you previously reported emissions from 2012 and you are now reporting emissions from 2014 please explain any material difference in the figures. For instance, you may have experienced population increase, change in reporting methodology, financial conditions, which may have affected the figures.
• Explanation: This field is added for you to explain the changes in your emissions. If this figure is available, then please report the change in emissions from the latest emissions inventory as a percentage or absolute value.

Example Response

If “Yes” is selected in response to 3.1:

3.9 Do you measure your region-wide GHG emissions by scope?

Response Options

Select one of the following options:

• Yes
• No

Guidance

Please provide a “Yes” or “No” answer using the drop-down menu provided. If you answered “Yes” you will be directed to question 3.9a.

If “Yes” is selected in response to 3.9:

3.9a Please provide the breakdown of your GHG emissions by scope.

Response Options

Please complete the following table:

Guidance

If you categorize your emissions by scope, please enter the appropriate figures for your Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions. Where values are not available, please use the comment field to indicate the reason why. This table question breaks down emissions into scope 1, 2 and scope 3. Scope 1 emissions are further split into emissions excluding grid-supplied energy generation and emissions exclusively from grid-supplied energy generation within your regional boundaries. The table has the following fields:

• Metric tonnes CO2e: Please provide your response as a numeric entry. If you do not break down your scope 1 emissions in this way, then please still fill in your total scope 1 emissions in the third row.

• Level of confidence: Please select the level of confidence associated with your total emissions figure.

High – Select high if your scope breakdown has a high level of accuracy.
Medium – Select medium if your scope breakdown has a medium level of accuracy.
Low – Select low if your scope breakdown has a low level of accuracy.

• Comments: If you do not have the full breakdown of your region’s emissions by scope, please use the comments field to indicate this, and any reasoning you may have.

Explanation of terms

• Scope 1: Total amount of fuel that has been consumed within your region-disclosing boundary. Your number will depend on which fuel sources you measure and what you include within your boundary. For instance, you might include the fuel consumed by residential, commercial, and industrial buildings, road transportation, and energy production. Alternatively, you might also include the fuels used by water travel (e.g. water taxis) and planes that take off and land at your regional airports.
• Scope 2: Detail the amount of electricity, heat, steam, or cooling, referring to indirect emissions that has been supplied to all of the entities within your region-wide boundary during the disclosing year. Your number will depend on which energy users you include in your total. For instance, you might include residential, commercial, and industrial buildings and industrial processes.
• Scope 3: All other indirect emissions not covered in Scope 2, such as emissions resulting from the extraction and production of purchased materials and fuels, transport-related activities in vehicles not owned or controlled by the disclosing entity (e.g. employee commuting and business travel), outsourced activities, waste disposal, etc.

If “Yes” is selected in response to 3.1:

3.10 Please attach your latest region-wide inventory in the table below.

Response Options

Please complete the following table:

Guidance

This question allows states and regions to directly upload their emissions inventory. If you have an inventory you wish to upload, please complete the table used for this question.

• Document title: Provide the title of your emissions inventory.

• Attach your inventory: Use this field to attach your region’s inventory. You can do this by clicking the attachment icon and uploading inventory file. Please note that if you use a mixture of methodologies you can attach multiple documents to this question.

• Level of confidence: Please select the level of confidence associated with your total emissions figure.

High – Select high if your inventory has a high level of accuracy.
Medium – Select medium if your inventory has a medium level of accuracy.
Low – Select low if your inventory has a low level of accuracy.

• Comment on level of confidence: Use this text field to comment on your selection in the level of confidence drop-down.

If 1996 IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories is selected in 3.4:

3.11a Where it will facilitate a greater understanding of your region-wide emissions, please provide a breakdown of these emissions by the 1996 IPCC sector in the table below.

Response Options

Please complete the following table.You are able to add rows by using the “Add Row” button at the bottom of the table.

Guidance

The purpose of this question is to understand the breakdown of your state/region’s emissions by sector, as defined by the 1996 IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories. You are provided with a table in the reporting platform to structure your response. Using the “Add row” function in this table allows you to report your state/region’s emissions breakdown using multiple sectors and scopes.

• 1996 IPCC sector: Please select the relevant sector as defined by the 1996 IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories: Energy, Industrial Processes, Solvents, Land use, land use change and forestry, Agriculture and Waste.
• Scope: Please indicate the scope considered for each sector.
• Emissions (metric tonnes CO2e): Emissions associated with that sector in numerical value.

Example Response

If 2006 IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories is selected in 3.4:

3.11b Where it will facilitate a greater understanding of your region-wide emissions, please provide a breakdown of these emissions by the 2006 IPCC sector in the table below.

Response Options

Please complete the following table.You are able to add rows by using the “Add Row” button at the bottom of the table.

Guidance

The purpose of this question is to understand the breakdown of your state/region’s emissions by sector, as defined by the 2006 IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories. You are provided with a table in the reporting platform to structure your response. Using the “Add row” function in this table allows you to report your state/region’s emissions breakdown using multiple sectors and scopes.

• 2006 IPCC sector: Please select the relevant sector as defined by the 2006 IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories: Energy, Industrial Processes and Product Use, Agriculture, Forestry and Other Land Use, Waste and Other.
• Scope: Please indicate the scope considered for each sector.
• Emissions (metric tonnes CO2e): Emissions associated with that sector in numerical value.

Example Response

If International Emissions Analysis Protocol (ICLEI) is selected in 3.4:

3.11c Where it will facilitate a greater understanding of your region-wide emissions, please provide a breakdown of these emissions by UNFCCC Sector.

Response Options

Please complete the following table.You are able to add rows by using the “Add Row” button at the bottom of the table.

[Add Row]

Guidance

The purpose of this question is to understand the breakdown of your state/region’s emissions by sector, as defined by the UNFCCC and used by International Emissions Analysis Protocol (ICLEI). You are provided with a table in the reporting platform to structure your response. Using the “Add row” function in this table allows you to report your state/region’s emissions breakdown using multiple sectors and scopes.

• UNFCCC sector: Please select the relevant sector as defined by the UNFCC under the International Emissions Analysis Protocol (ICLEI): Stationary Energy, Transport, Fugitive Emissions, Industrial Processes, Agriculture, Land Use, Land Use Change and Forestry, Solid Waste Disposal, Wastewater Treatment and Discharge and Other.
• Scope: Please indicate the scope considered for each sector.
• Emissions (metric tonnes CO2e): Emissions associated with that sector in numerical value.

Example Response

If any other methodology is selected in 3.4:

3.11d Where it will facilitate a greater understanding of your region-wide emissions, please provide a breakdown of these emissions by end user (buildings, water, waste, transport), economic sector (residential, commercial, industrial, institutional), or any other classification system used in your region.

Response Options

Please complete the following table.You are able to add rows by using the “Add Row” button at the bottom of the table.

[Add Row]

Guidance

The purpose of this question is to learn more about how your regional government breaks down emissions, which can be valuable information for comparative understanding between states and regions. Please note that this question is flexible to accommodate many of the different kinds of categories used by states and regions. You are provided with a table in the ORS to structure your response. Examples of how your state/region might characterize and differentiate emissions are listed below and shown below.

• Source: This field is where you can input the type of classification system you use for region.

End user - Buildings, transport, water utilities, wastewater utilities, etc.
Economic sector - Commercial, residential, industrial, agricultural, freight and logistics, etc.
Other - Please describe if your state/region uses another classification approach (e.g. by geography or zone, by zoning or land use classification, etc.).

• Scope: Please indicate the scope considered for each sector.

• Emissions (metric tonnes CO2e): Emissions associated with that end user, sector or other forms of emissions categorization in numerical value.

Example Response

If “Yes” is selected in response to 3.9:

3.12 Does your region have a breakdown by source of region-wide Scope 3 emissions?

Response Options

Select one of the following options:

• Yes
• No
• In progress
• Intending to undertake in the next 2 years
• Not intending to undertake

Guidance

Please provide an answer using the drop-down menu provided. If you answer “Yes” you will be directed to question 3.12a, if you answer “No”, “intending to undertake in the future”, "Intending to undertake in the next 2 years", or “Not intending to undertake” you will be directed to question 3.12b. Examples of Scope 3 emissions that a region may include in its community emissions inventory include:

• Emissions from landfills outside the region’s boundary.
• Emissions from ships, trains and airplanes used to ferry passengers and freight to and from the boundary of a community.

For more information on Scope 3 emissions, please see, for example, the ICLEI International Emissions Analysis Protocol.

Explanation of term

• Scope 3: All other indirect emissions not covered in Scope 2, such as emissions resulting from the extraction and production of purchased materials and fuels, transport-related activities in vehicles not owned or controlled by the disclosing entity (e.g., employee commuting and business travel), outsourced activities, waste disposal, etc.

If “Yes” is selected in response to 3.12:

3.12a Please provide a breakdown of your region's Scope 3 emissions.

Response Options

Please complete the following table.You are able to add rows by using the “Add Row” button at the bottom of the table.

[Add Row]

Guidance

We anticipate that there will be variations between regions in how Scope 3 emissions are calculated. The information you provide in the question will assist in making comparison between states, regions and drawing lessons learned that can assist in selecting and implementing appropriate methods for accurately measuring and managing this type of emissions. This is a table question designed to allow disclosers to identify the Scope 3 emissions sources, which are included in your region-wide emissions inventory. The table has the following headers:

• Source of Scope 3 emissions: Provide a breakdown of the different categories of scope 3 emissions. Please select from the drop-down options provided. If you want to report on a different source not categorized from the options provided, please select “Other” and specify the relevant source for your region.
• Emissions (metric tonnes CO2e): Provide the amount of CO2e emitted for each source in numerical value.
• Comments: Provide more detail about your Scope 3 emissions reported.

Example Response

If “No”, “Intending to undertake in the next 2 years” or “Not intending to undertake” is selected in response to 3.12:

3.12b Please explain why not and detail your plans to do so in the future, if any.

Response Options

Please complete the following table:

Guidance

Please select the most appropriate reason as to why your region does not have a breakdown of Scope 3 emissions and explain your choice. Please outline any information you have on future plans to measure and assess Scope 3 emissions breakdown for your region.

If “Yes” is selected in response to 3.1:

3.13 Please provide the details of your region's historical and projected region-wide total emissions.

Response Options

Please complete the following table:

Guidance

This question asks states and regions to report their historical emissions in the year 2010 and projected region-wide emissions by 2030 and 2050. The information reported for this question will help better understand how a state/region’s region-wide emissions will change over time. If you do not have historical and projected emissions values for 2010, 2030, 2050, but it is available for other years then please report this information in the comments field.

Projected region-wide total emissions are estimated projections of how emissions may evolve in the future. Baselines can inform strategic planning on climate change, emissions mitigation goal setting, and climate policy design. The OECD elaborates more on baseline emissions projections here.

Example Response

If “No” is selected in response to 3.1:

3.14 Please explain your reasoning and detail your plans to report on your region's emissions inventory in the future, if any.

Response Options

Please complete the following table:

Guidance

This question only appears if you selected “No” to question 3.1. The aim of this question is to allow states and regions to give more details on why they do not have information to report regarding their region-wide emissions inventory by selecting an option from the drop-down options in the “Reasoning” field. States and regions can also provide more details and additional information to explain their choice in the “Explanation” field.

External verification – Region-wide

If “Yes” is selected in response to 3.1:

3.15 Has the region-wide GHG emissions data you have reported in this section been externally verified either in part or in whole?

Response Options

Select one of the following options:

• Yes
• No

Guidance

Regional governments may see value in having external verification or auditing of their emissions and emission reduction efforts. This can ensure higher levels of quality control/quality assurance. Externally verified information may also be required if performance metrics related to carbon emissions have been devised for government departments or department managers. The ability to call on verified data may provide government organizations a powerful tool in their efforts to influence policy or regulation at other levels of government or with other regional stakeholders. Please only state that you have had or are having verification/assurance carried out if it is by an independent third party accredited to perform verification of GHG data.

Select your response from the following options:

• Yes - will direct you to question 3.15a
• No - will direct you to question 3.15b

If “Yes” is selected in response to 3.15:

3.15a Please provide the following information about the region-wide emissions verification.

Response Options

Please complete the following table:

Guidance

This question only applies if you have answered “Yes” to question 3.15. This question provides an opportunity to describe relevant information about the verification process. Please provide the following information if you have it:

• Name of verifier. CDP regards verification as process undertaken by an independent third party accredited to perform verification/assurance of the GHG emissions data.
• Year of verification
• Any comments or relevant information you have on the verification process and what emissions have been included in the verification, for example if it is region-wide emissions or sector-specific emissions that have been verified.

Activities using external data helps establish the reliability for the intended applications of the inventory. As a valuable element of the Quality Assurance/Quality Control (QA/QC) system of the inventory management, there are different tools for verification published by the IPCC.

If “No” is selected in response to 3.15:

3.15b Please describe why not and your future plans to verify your emissions, if any.

Response Options

Please complete the following table:

Guidance

This question only applies if you have answered “No” to question 3.15. The question includes drop-down options for states and regions to select the reason for their response. This question offers you the opportunity to explain why you do not have an external verification process and provide further information about your future plans for external verification, if you have any.

Region-wide electricity

3.16 Please detail your region-wide electricity consumption, production and imports, and the GHG emissions associated with these activities.

Response Options

Please complete the following table:

Guidance

This question is your opportunity to detail the amount of electricity generated in your region, consumed by your region and imported by your region. Electricity generated refers to “in-state” generation. The associated GHG emissions are also asked for. The table has the following fields:

• Amount of electricity: Your answers must be numeric entries without commas (i.e. 1000).
• Units: Select from the drop-down the corresponding unit for the number entered in the previous field (GWh; MWh; kWh; TJ; GJ; MJ)
• Associated GHG emissions (metric tonnes of CO2e): Your answers must be numeric entries (i.e. 1000).
• Reporting year of data used: Please state the relevant year for the data you used for your region-wide electricity consumption, production and imports.
• Comments: Please provide any contextualizing information on the electricity figures or their associated GHG emissions. This comments field is particularly important for this question as electricity use is quantified differently in different states. Please provide clear information that accurately explains the data you have inputted.

Explanation of terms

• Electricity consumed: Electricity consumption is based on calculated consumption; this equals the energy supplied minus transmission and distribution losses.
• Electricity produced: It is the total amount of electrical energy produced by transforming other forms of energy – minus the consumption of power stations' auxiliary services for Net total.
• Electricity imported: This refers to the total imported electricity used to supply consumers, e.g. through electricity networks connected to systems in other countries.

Example Response

3.17 Please detail the energy mix of your region-wide electricity generation (%).

Response Options

Please complete the following table:

Guidance

The goal of this question is to get a better understanding of the current energy mix of your electricity grid and the contribution made by renewable technologies at the region-wide scale. In the energy source field we have listed the most common sources of energy. If other sources of energy are relevant for your region, please specify them in the comments field. Please indicate the percentage of each energy source constituting your energy mix, where it is applicable. If the energy source is not applicable to your electric grid please enter 0.

Please ensure that the total percentage entered adds up to 100.

Example Response

4. Emissions - Government operations

Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions data – Government operations

4.1 Do you have an emissions inventory for your government operations to report?

By selecting “Yes” below, you are indicating that you have GHG emissions data from your government operations (sometimes referred to as 'corporate' or 'municipal' emissions) to report at this time.

Response Options

Select one of the following options:

• Yes
• No

Guidance

This question asks states and regions whether they have an emissions inventory for their government operations to report. This question allows states and regions to select “No” as a response to this question if they do not have the relevant information. In this case, the discloser would be directed to question 4.9, which invites them to explain the reasoning behind their response. States and regions that responded with “No” will only see this question, while those that have selected “Yes” will see additional questions designed to ask states and regions specific details regarding their government’s emissions inventory.

If “Yes” is selected in response to 4.1:

4.2 Please provide the dates of the accounting year or 12-month period for which you are reporting an emissions inventory for your government operations.

Response Options

Please complete the following table:

Guidance

The reporting platform provides a drop-down calendar for you to enter the dates requested. Entries must be for a 12-month period. Please provide the start and end dates of the period for which your emissions inventory. If you do not have data for the entire 12-month period, please extrapolate to 12 months.

If “Yes” is selected in response to 4.1:

4.3 Please select the category that best describes the boundary of your government’s GHG emissions inventory.

Response Options

Select one of the following options:

• Departments, entities or companies over which operational control is exercised
• Departments, entities or companies over which financial control is exercised
• Other: please specify

Guidance

In your answer, please choose from the list of options provided. The options allow for emissions to be captured from a ranging set of institutions, from government departments to quasi-governmental authorities, public corporations and special purpose vehicles. Further guidance on the suitability of these different methods is available in the Local Government Operations Protocol and the WRI/WBCSD GHG Protocol. If none of the listed options describes your boundary, please select “other” from the options provided. You will then be provided with a text field in which to describe your boundary.

If “Yes” is selected in response to 4.1:

4.4 Please give the name of the primary protocol, standard, or methodology you have used to calculate your government’s GHG emissions.

Response Options

Please complete the following table:

Guidance

This question aims to understand which processes you have used to calculate emissions generated by your government operations. In the first field you will see a list of methodologies. Please select the methodology on which you base the majority of your calculations. The system will only let you select one methodology. These values are not meant to be exhaustive. If you do not see your chosen methodology reflected in the list please select “Other” and describe your methodology.

If you have an emissions inventory you wish to upload you can attach it to this question.

• Greenhouse Gas Protocol: Public Sector Standard;
• International Emissions Analysis Protocol (ICLEI);
• ISO 14064;
• Local Government Operations Protocol (ICLEI / The Climate Registry / California Climate Action Registry / California Air Resources Board);
• Australian National Greenhouse and Energy Disclosing (Measurement) Determination;
• Other: please specify

You might have calculated your emissions using multiple methodologies or by slightly modifying an existing methodology. In the second field, please detail how you have used multiple methodologies or how your region collects and manages data for your government operations.

Some of these measurement methodologies share general principles. Many of these principles are included in the WRI/WBCSD GHG Protocol (and other similar methods) and the following is quoted directly from the ICLEI International Emissions Analysis Protocol:

• Relevance: the greenhouse gas inventory shall appropriately reflect the greenhouse gas emissions of the government operations or the region and should be organized to reflect the areas over which regional governments exert control and hold responsibility in order to serve the decision-making needs of users.
• Completeness: all greenhouse gas emission sources and activities within the chosen inventory boundary shall be accounted for. Any specific exclusion should be disclosed.
• Consistency: consistent methodologies to allow for meaningful comparisons of emissions over time shall be used. Any changes to the data, inventory boundary, methods, or any relevant factors in the time series shall be disclosed.
• Transparency: all relevant issues shall be addressed in a factual and coherent manner to provide a clear audit trail, should auditing be required. Any relevant assumptions shall be disclosed and include appropriate references to the accounting calculation methodologies and data sources used, which may include this Protocol and any relevant Supplements.
• Accuracy: the quantification of greenhouse gas emissions should not be systematically over or under the actual emissions. Accuracy should be sufficient to enable users to make decisions with reasonable assurance as to the integrity of the reported information.

Many methodologies also suggest similar best practices in measuring greenhouse gas emissions. Some of these suggestions are detailed here:

• Definition of boundaries (operational and organizational) to restrict emissions to only those that are relevant (or material) to the organization. In general, this relates to those emissions under the direct control or influence of the organization (and excludes regional emissions, which are dealt with in a later section of the questionnaire).
• Attention to the integrity of the data sources and calculation rules to produce consistent results.
• Disaggregating total emissions for sector- or activity-based disclosing.
• Many methodologies (though not all) also encourage the use of “Scopes” to differentiate the level of control over the source of the emissions.
• Use of emissions factors to normalize emissions data (carbon intensity or carbon equivalents) across gases, activities or geographies.
• Disclosing against, as a minimum, the six main greenhouse gases defined by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC): carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), perfluorocarbons (PFCs), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) and sulphur hexafluoride (SF6).

If “Yes” is selected in response to 4.1:

4.5 Please select which gases are included in your government’s GHG emissions inventory.

Response Options

Select all that apply:

• CO2
• CH4
• N2O
• HFCs
• PFCs
• SF6
• NF3

Guidance

The list consists of the main greenhouse gases defined by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC): carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs), sulphur hexafluoride (SF6), as well as nitrogen trifluoride (NF3).

If “Yes” is selected in response to 4.1:

4.6 Please provide total emissions (Scopes 1 and 2) for your government, and indicate if your emissions have changed since your last reported year.

Response Options

Please complete the following table:

Reason for change drop-down options:

If “Increased” is selected:

• Increased energy/electricity consumption
• Population increase
• Policy/legislative change
• Financial conditions
• Emissions reduction actions not implemented
• Change in weather conditions
• Change in activity data
• Change in emission factors
• Change in available data
• Change in data collection methods
• Improved data accuracy
• Change in accounting methodology
• Change in calculation following verification
• Other: please specify

If “Decreased” is selected:

• Reduced energy/electricity consumption
• Behavioural change
• Technological change
• Policy/legislative change
• Financial conditions
• Emissions reduction actions implemented
• Change in weather conditions
• Change in activity data
• Change in emission factors
• Change in available data
• Change in data collection methods
• Improved data accuracy
• Change in accounting methodology
• Change in calculation following verification
• Other: please specify

If “This is our first year of calculation” is selected:

• Previous data was not reliable
• Lack of resource / funding overcome
• Lack of knowledge overcome
• Other: please specify

If “Stayed the same” is selected:

• No new inventory to report
• Emissions have not changed
• Other: please specify

If “Do not know” selected is selected:

• Change in staff
• Lack of documentation
• Change in accounting methodology
• Other: please specify

Guidance

This question is your opportunity to enter a numeric value for the total figure for your government operations’ GHG emissions in the selected year / 12 months of disclosing. Please indicate figures related to total emissions (combining scopes 1 & 2) in the first row. If your region disaggregates emissions into Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions, please enter the total emissions for scope 1 only in the second row and the total emissions for scope 2 only in the third row. If you do not break down your emissions in this way then please skip this question. Please provide the following information:

• Emissions (metric tonnes CO2e): This question is your opportunity to enter the total figure for your region’s GHG emissions in the selected year. Your answers will be numeric entries (metric tonnes of CO2e).
• Comment on total emissions: Please provide any relevant information on the total emission figure.
• Change in total emissions from last reported year: Please specify the evolution of the total emissions figure from the last reported year to this reported year. Your emissions could have increased, decreased or not changed at all. You also have the possibility to specify if this is your first year of disclosing.
• Reason for change: Please select from the drop-down menu to indicate some of the reasons you have identified that led to this change (depending on the response to the Change in total emissions from last reported year). For example, if you previously reported emissions from 2012 and you are now reporting emissions from 2017 please explain any material difference in the figures. For instance, you may have experienced population increase, change in reporting methodology, financial conditions, which may have affected the figures.
• Explanation: Please explain the reasons behind the evolution of the total emissions figure.

Scopes are a common categorization and more details are available in the following methodologies:

• International Emissions Analysis Protocol
• Local Government Operations Protocol
• WRI / WBCSD Greenhouse Gas Protocol

Explanation of terms

For example, the following description of scopes is taken directly from the Local Government Operations Protocol:

• Scope 1: All direct GHG emissions (with the exception of direct CO2 emissions from biogenic sources).

• Scope 2: Indirect GHG emissions associated with the consumption of purchased or acquired electricity, steam, heating, or cooling.

Example Response

If “Yes” is selected in response to 4.1:

4.7 Please provide the breakdown of your Scope 1 and 2 emissions by source.

Response Options

Please complete the following table. You are able to add rows by using the “Add Row” button at the bottom of the table.

[Add Row]

Guidance

This modified question asks states and regions a breakdown of the Scope 1 and 2 emissions by source. In CDP’s platform, you will have the option to select as many as apply. The full list of emissions sources is below. Multiple entries can be made, using the ‘Add row’ button at the base of the question. These values are broadly consistent with guidance provided by other organizations for disaggregating and disclosing total emissions.

• Source: The full list of emissions sources is available on the table above. If you have any other major emission sources not listed above, please select "Other" and use the comment field to provide a description.
• Scope: For more information about scopes see question 4.6. Select from the following options - Scope 1, Scope 2 or Total Figure.
• Emissions: Enter a numeric value in metric tonnes of CO2e for the amount of emissions that correspond with the source of emissions selected.
• Comments: This field was included to additional information on the selected source of emissions.

Example Response

If “Yes” is selected in response to 4.1:

4.8 Do you measure Scope 3 emissions?

Response Options

Select one of the following options:

• Yes
• No

Guidance

Please provide a “Yes” or “No” answer using the drop-down menu provided. If you answer “Yes” you will be directed to question 4.9a, if you answer “No” you will be directed to question 4.9b. Further detail on measuring Scope 3 emissions can be found in the ICLEI Local Government Operations Protocol.

Explanation of term

The following description of Scope 3 emissions is taken directly from the ICLEI Local Government Operations Protocol:

• Scope 3: All other indirect emissions not covered in Scope 2, such as emissions resulting from the extraction and production of purchased materials and fuels, transport-related activities in vehicles not owned or controlled by the disclosing entity (e.g., employee commuting and business travel), outsourced activities, waste disposal, etc.

If "Yes" is selected in response to 4.8:

4.8a Please complete the table below.

Response Options

Please complete the following table. You are able to add rows by using the “Add Row” button at the bottom of the table.

[Add Row]

Guidance

We anticipate that there will be variations between regions in how Scope 3 emissions are calculated. The information you provide in the question will assist in making comparison between regions and drawing lessons learned that can assist regions in selecting and implementing appropriate methods for accurately measuring and managing this type of emissions.

This is a table question with three fields to allow explanation of the Scope 3 emissions sources which are included in the government operations inventory. The fields provided are as follows:

• Source of Scope 3 emissions: Provide a breakdown of the different categories of scope 3 emissions using the options provided. If you have any other major emission sources not listed above, please select "Other" and use the comment field to provide a description.
• Emissions: Provide the amount of CO2e emitted for each source in numerical value.
• Comment: Provide more detail about your Scope 3 emissions reported.

Example Response

If “No” is selected in response to 4.8:

4.8b Please describe why not and your future plans to measure Scope 3 emissions, if any.

Response Options

Please complete the following table:

Guidance

Please select the most appropriate reason as to why your government operations do not have a breakdown of Scope 3 emissions and explain your choice. Please outline any information you have on future plans to measure and assess Scope 3 emissions breakdown for your government operations.

If “No” is selected in response to 4.1:

4.9 Please explain your reasoning and your plans to report on your government’s emissions inventory in the future, if any.

Response Options

Please complete the following table:

Guidance

This question only appears if you selected “No” to question 4.1. The aim of this question is to allow states and regions to give more details on the on why they do not have information to report regarding their government’s emissions inventory by selecting an option from the drop-down options in the “Reasoning” field. States and regions can also provide more details and additional information in the “Explanation” field.

External verification – Government operations

If “Yes” is selected in response to 4.1:

4.10 Has the GHG emissions data you have reported for your government operations been externally verified either in part or in whole?

Response Options

Select one of the following options:

• Yes
• No

Guidance

Regional governments may see value in having external verification or auditing of their emissions and emission reduction efforts. This can ensure higher levels of quality control / quality assurance. Externally verified information may also be required if performance metrics related to carbon emissions have been devised for government departments or department managers. The ability to call on verified data may provide government organizations a powerful tool in their efforts to influence policy or regulation at other levels of government or with other regional stakeholders.

Select your response from the following options:

• Yes - will direct you to question 4.10a
• No - will direct you to question 4.10b

If “Yes” is selected in response to 4.10:

4.10a Please provide the following information about the emissions verification process.

Response Options

Please complete the following table:

Guidance

This question only applies if you have answered “Yes” to question 4.10. This question provides an opportunity to describe relevant information about the verification process. Please provide the following information if you have it:

• Name of verifier
• Year of verification
• Any comments or relevant information you have on the verification process

Activities using external data helps establish the reliability for the intended applications of the inventory. As a valuable element of the Quality Assurance/Quality Control (QA/QC) system of the inventory management, there are different tools for verification published by the IPCC.

If “No” is selected in response to 4.10:

4.10b Please describe why not and your future plans to verify your emissions, if any.

Response Options

Please complete the following table:

Guidance

This question only applies if you have answered “No” to question 4.10. This question offers you the opportunity to explain why you do not have an external verification process and provide further information about your future plans for external verification, if you have any.

Government electricity

4.11 Please detail your government’s total electricity consumption and its associated GHG emissions.

Response Options

Please complete the following table:

Guidance

This question is your opportunity to detail the total amount of electricity consumed by your government. The associated GHG emissions are also asked for. The table has the following fields:

• Amount of electricity: Your answers must be numeric entries without commas (i.e. 1000).
• Units: Select from the drop-down list the corresponding unit for the number entered in the previous field (GWh; MWh; kWh; TJ; GJ; MJ)
• Associated GHG emissions (metric tonnes of CO2e): Your answers must be numeric entries (i.e. 1000).
• Reporting year of data used: This field is a new addition for this question. Please state the relevant year for the data you used for total government electricity consumption.
• Comments: Please provide any contextualizing information on your government’s total electricity consumption or their associated GHG emissions. This comments field is particularly important for this question as electricity use is quantified differently in different states. Please provide clear information that accurately explains the data you have inputted.

4.12 Please detail the energy mix of your government’s electricity consumption (%).

Response Options

Please complete the following table:

Guidance

The goal of this question is to get a better understanding of the current energy mix of your electricity grid and the contribution made by renewable technologies at the region-wide scale. In the Energy source field, we have listed the most common sources of energy. If other sources of energy are relevant for your government electricity consumption, please specify them in comments field. Please indicate the percentage of each energy source constituting your energy mix, where it is applicable. If the energy source is not applicable to your electric grid please enter 0.

Please ensure that the total percentage entered adds up to 100.

Example Response

5. Strategy

Emissions reduction – Region-wide

5.1 Does your region have a climate change action plan for reducing region-wide GHG emissions?

Response Options

Select one of the following options:

• Yes
• No
• In progress
• Intending to undertake in the next 2 years
• Not intending to undertake
• Do not know

Guidance

Please indicate whether your region has a climate change action plan by selecting “Yes”; “No”; “In progress”; “Intending to undertake in the next 2 years”; “Not intending to undertake”; or “Do not know” from the drop-down menu provided. If you select “Yes” you will be directed to question 5.1a. If you select “No”, “Not intending to undertake” or “intending to undertake in the next 2 years” you will be directed to question 5.1b.

Explanation of term

• Climate action plans are comprehensive roadmaps that outline the specific activities that an agency will undertake to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Climate action plans build upon the information gathered by greenhouse gas inventories and generally focus on those activities that can achieve the relatively greatest emission reductions in the most cost effective manner (Reference: Institute for Local Government).

If “Yes” is selected in response to 5.1:

5.1a Please attach your region's climate change action plan below.

Response Options

Please complete the following table.You are able to add rows by using the “Add Row” button at the bottom of the table.

Guidance

If you selected “Yes” in question 5.1, you will be asked to complete this table question to provide additional details about your climate action plan. Please note that if you have multiple climate change action plans, you can provide their information by adding a row when responding to this question. The table has the following fields:

• Publication title: State the official name of your region’s climate action plan.
• Year of publication: Enter the year the plan was published as a numeric value.
• Attachment: Please click the attachment icon to upload your climate change action plan.
• Web link: If it is available online, please provide a web link to the climate action plan.
• Stage of implementation: Indicate the extent to which your region has implemented its climate change action plan by selecting the most applicable response from the list in the table above. If the options do not indicate the stage of implementation of your region's climate change plan, please choose the "Other" option and specify the appropriate stage of implementation in the text field provided.

If "No", "Not intending to undertake", or "Intending to undertake in the next 2 years" is selected in response to 5.1:

5.1b Please explain why you do not have a regional climate change action plan and any future plans to create one.

Response Options

Please complete the following table:

Guidance

If you selected “No”, “Not intending to undertake”, or “Intending to undertake in the next 2 years” in question 5.1, you will be asked to complete this table question to explain the reasoning behind your response. The table has the following fields:

• Reason: Please select the most appropriate reason for your response from the options provided. If there is no applicable option, please select "Other" and specify the reason in the text box provided.
• Explanation: This field is for you to provide additional information to explain the reason selected in the context of your region.

5.2 Do you have a GHG emissions reduction target in place at the region-wide level? Select all that apply.

Response Options

Select all that apply:

• Base year emissions target
• Base year intensity target
• Baseline scenario (business as usual) target
• Fixed level target
• No target

Guidance

“Region-wide” includes the entire geographic area of the region while “Government operations” focuses on targets applied solely to your government operations. If you want to report your emissions reduction targets in place for your government operations, please see question 5.3. Please note that:

Disclosing states and regions that have joined the Under2 Coalition must provide a "region-wide" scale emissions reduction target.

Please select all the relevant types of emissions reductions target that are in place within your region. Depending on the type of target you select, individual tables will appear allowing you to provide additional information about each of those target types. If you currently do not have emissions reduction targets, please select “No target” and you will be directed to question 5.2e where you will be given the opportunity to explain the reason behind your response.

Best practice:

It is considered good practice to set ambitious climate targets that encompass all of Kyoto greenhouse gases – carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N₂O), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs), sulphur hexafluoride (SF6) and nitrogen trifluoride (NF3) – emitted by all IPCC sectors – Energy, Industry, Transport, Agriculture, Waste, and LULUCF.

Please make sure to reflect this in your response by specifying the sectors and gases covered by your total region-wide emissions in the comments field of the table for each type of target type selected. If you would like to report on your individual sector-specific emissions reduction targets, please select the sector in the sector field and specify the gases covered in the comments field.

Explanation of terms

• Base year emissions target: A reduction in greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) emissions relative to an emissions level in a historical base year (see GHG Protocol – Mitigation Goal Standard).
• Base year intensity target: A reduction in emissions intensity relative to an emissions intensity level in a historical base year. Emissions intensity is emissions per unit of output. Examples of units of output include GDP, population, and energy use (see GHG Protocol – Mitigation Goal Standard).
• Baseline scenario (business as usual) target: This target represents a reduction in emissions relative to a baseline scenario emissions level. They are typically framed in terms of a percent reduction of emissions from the baseline scenario, rather than an absolute reduction in emissions (see GHG Protocol – Mitigation Goal Standard).
• Fixed level target: An absolute reduction in emissions to a certain level by a target year, such as carbon neutrality (zero net emissions by a certain date) (Source: Dhakal and Ruth, 2017 - Creating Low Carbon Cities). Fixed-level goals include carbon neutrality goals, which are designed to reach zero net emissions by a certain date (see GHG Protocol – Mitigation Goal Standard).

If “Base year emissions target” is selected in response to 5.2:

5.2a Please provide the details of your region-wide base year emissions reduction target(s). You may add rows to provide the details of your sector-specific targets by selecting the relevant sector in the sector field.

Response Options

Please complete the following table.The table is displayed over several rows for readability. You are able to add rows by using the “Add Row” button at the bottom of the table.

[Add Row]

Guidance

This question allows you to provide the details of your region-wide base year emissions reduction target. You can provide information on multiple targets by adding additional rows. Please try to complete all the relevant fields of this table. This is a table question with the following fields:

• Sector: If your target applies across your entire jurisdiction and covers multiple sectors, please select “Total region-wide emissions” in this field. If you want to provide details of your sector-specific targets, please select the relevant sector in this field.

• Year of target implementation: Please enter in numerical format the year in which your target came into effect. This differs from your base year, which is used as a reference year from which to measure or compare emissions.

• Base year: Please enter a numerical value for this field. Your base year is the reference year from which your greenhouse gas reductions are measured. Please ensure the base year corresponds to any emissions inventory you may have for the correct sector selected in the sector field.

• Base year emissions (metric tonnes CO2e): Please enter the numerical value for the emissions in your base year, without commas. Your base emissions are the greenhouse gas emissions from your base year on which your target is based. Please ensure the base year emissions pertain to the total emissions inventory if “Total region-wide emissions” is selected in the sector field. If you are reporting a target for a specific sector of your region-wide emissions inventory, please provide the base year emissions for that sector. Please ensure that the base year emissions correspond with the base year reported.

• Percentage reduction target: Please enter the numerical value of your percentage reduction target, without commas and without the percentage symbol (%). If your target is not currently expressed as a percentage, please convert it into this format (for example an absolute emissions reduction in metric tonnes CO2e can be converted into a percentage reduction relative to the base year). If this is not possible, please note your target reduction and other relevant detail in the ‘Please describe the target’ field for this question. If you have met your target in the reporting year, indicate 100% complete. It is not possible to put values greater than 100% in this field; however, if you have exceeded your target by more, please explain in the ‘Please describe the target’ field. For example, if your target is to reduce your region-wide emissions by 10% by 2020 compared with a 2010 base year, and in the reporting year your emissions had reduced by 3% compared to the base year emissions, your target is 30% complete ((3/10)*100).

• Target year: Please enter in numerical form the year by which you anticipate achieving your goal. Please note that the target year cannot be in the past.

• Percentage of target achieved: Please enter a numerical value for the percentage of your emissions reduction target that you have achieved since the “Target year start”, without commas and without the percentage symbol (%).

• Does this target align with a 1.5-2°C trajectory?: This is a new column in this year’s questionnaire that explores if and how regions are aligning their targets with a 1.5-2°C trajectory as outlined in the Paris Agreement. If your target aligns with a 1.5-2°C trajectory then please select either ‘Yes - 1.5°C’ or ‘Yes - 2°C’ and explain how your target aligns with this trajectory and any methodologies used to determine this alignment in the column ‘Please describe the target’. If your target does not align with any of these trajectories then select 'No' or if you are unsure whether your target aligns with these trajectories then select 'Don't know'.

• Has a decarbonisation pathway(s) been modelled for your target: Please detail whether or not a decarbonisation pathway has been modelled for your target by selecting: “Yes”, “No” or “Informal”. Please use informal if you have a decarbonisation pathway modelled but has not been officially verified. Decarbonisation pathways are the different options and strategies in place to meet their emissions reduction targets provides crucial information about how GHG reduction targets can be met, which considers the trade-offs that will have to be made.

• Pathway summary: Please provide a summary of your decarbonisation pathway. A decarbonization pathway or pathway starts with a government’s long-term greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction goal, and then works backwards to identify the technologies, infrastructure and investments that will be required to achieve it. In collaboration with government agencies, the process helps policymakers set intermediate milestones that must be achieved to reach the long-term decarbonization vision, and better understand the costs, risks, trade-offs and co-benefits associated with different policy approaches. The result is a series of tailored options that explore the potential pace at which emission reductions can be achieved, and their social and economic implications within the jurisdiction.

• Please describe the target: Please provide any other contextualizing information about your reduction target in this field including but not limited to:

Short target summary: Please include your short target summary in this field. Examples of short target summaries are presented below for total region-wide emissions and sectoral targets respectively.
Sectors covered: If you selected “Total region-wide emissions” in the sector field, please outline the relevant ones covered by your target in this field.
Gases covered: Please specify all the relevant Kyoto GHGs (CO2, CH4, N2O, HFCs, PFCs and SF6) covered by your emissions target.
Web link of target: If there is additional information regarding your target on your regions website, then please provide the web link in this field.

Examples of target summaries

For additional information on base year emissions reduction targets, below are examples of targets that cover both total region-wide and individual sectors.

Example Response

If “Base year intensity target” is selected in response to 5.2:

5.2b Please provide the details of your region-wide base year intensity target(s). An intensity target is usually measured per capita or per unit GDP. You may add rows to provide the details of your sector-specific targets by selecting the relevant sector in the sector field.

Response Options

Please complete the following table.The table is displayed over several rows for readability. You are able to add rows by using the “Add Row” button at the bottom of the table.

[Add Row]

Guidance

This question allows you to provide the details of your region-wide base year intensity target. You can provide information on multiple targets by adding additional rows. Please try to complete all the relevant fields of this table. This is a table question with the following fields:

• Sector: If your target applies across your entire jurisdiction and covers multiple sectors, please select “Total region-wide emissions” in this field. If you want to provide details of your sector-specific targets, please select the relevant sector in this field.

• Year of target implementation: Please enter in numerical format the year in which your target came into effect. This differs from your base year, which is used as a reference year from which to measure or compare emissions.

• Intensity unit (Emissions per): Please define the variable used in your region’s intensity target by selecting the relevant variable from the drop-down options (either metric tonnes CO2e per capita, or metric tonnes CO2e per GDP). If your region uses a variable, which is not listed, please select “Other” and define the variable in the text field provided. Emissions intensity refers to emissions per unit of another variable, which is typically economic output, such as GDP, but may also be population, energy use, or a different variable.

• Base year: Please enter a numerical value for this field. Your base year is the reference year from which your greenhouse gas reductions are measured. Please ensure the base year corresponds to any emissions inventory you may have for the correct sector selected in the sector field.

• Base year emissions per intensity unit (metric tonnes CO2e per denominator): Please enter the numerical value of your base year emissions per intensity unit, without commas. Your base year emissions are the greenhouse gas emissions from your base year on which your target is based. Please ensure the base year emissions correspond to the total emissions inventory if "Total region-wide emissions" is selected in the sector field. If you are reporting a target for a specific sector of your region-wide emissions inventory, please provide the base year emissions for that sector. Please ensure that the base year emissions correspond with the base year reported.

• Percentage reduction target in emissions intensity: Please enter the numerical value of your percentage reduction target, without commas and without the percentage symbol (%). If your target is not currently expressed as a percentage, please convert it into this format (for example an emissions reduction in metric tonnes CO2e per intensity metric can be converted into a percentage reduction relative to the base year). If this is not possible, please note your target reduction and other relevant detail in the Comment field for this question.

• Target year: Please enter in numerical form the year by which you anticipate achieving your goal. Please note that the target year cannot be in the past.

• Percentage of target achieved: Please enter a numerical value for the percentage of your emissions reduction target that you have achieved since the “Target year start”, without commas and without the percentage symbol (%). If you have met your target in the reporting year, indicate 100% complete. It is not possible to put values greater than 100% in this field; however, if you have exceeded your target by more, please explain in the ‘Please describe the target’ field. For example, if your target is to reduce your region-wide emissions per intensity unit by 10% by 2020 compared with a 2010 base year, and in the reporting year your emissions per intensity unit had reduced by 3% compared to the base year emissions, your target is 30% complete ((3/10)*100).

• Does this target align with a 1.5-2°C trajectory?: This is a new column in this year’s questionnaire that explores if and how regions are aligning their targets with a 1.5-2°C trajectory as outlined in the Paris Agreement. If your target aligns with a 1.5-2°C trajectory then please select either ‘Yes - 1.5°C’ or ‘Yes - 2°C’ and explain how your target aligns with this trajectory and any methodologies used to determine this alignment in the column ‘Please describe the target’. If your target does not align with any of these trajectories then select 'No' or if you are unsure whether your target aligns with these trajectories then select 'Don't know'.

• Has a decarbonisation pathway(s) been modelled for your target: Please detail whether or not a decarbonisation pathway has been modelled for your target by selecting: “Yes”, “No” or “Informal”. Please use informal if you have a decarbonisation pathway modelled but has not been officially verified. Decarbonisation pathways are the different options and strategies in place to meet your emissions reduction targets, which provides crucial information about how GHG reduction targets can be met and considers the trade-offs that will have to be made.

• Pathway summary: Please provide a summary of your decarbonisation pathway. A decarbonization pathway or pathway starts with a government’s long-term greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction goal, and then works backwards to identify the technologies, infrastructure and investments that will be required to achieve it. In collaboration with government agencies, the process helps policymakers set intermediate milestones that must be achieved to reach the long-term decarbonization vision, and better understand the costs, risks, trade-offs and co-benefits associated with different policy approaches. The result is a series of tailored options that explore the potential pace at which emission reductions can be achieved, and their social and economic implications within the jurisdiction.

• Please describe the target: Please provide any other contextualizing information about your reduction target in this field including but not limited to:

Short target summary: Please include your short target summary in this field. Examples of short target summaries are presented below for total region-wide emissions and sectoral targets respectively.
Sectors covered: If you selected “Total region-wide emissions” in the sector field, please outline the relevant ones covered by your target in this field.
Gases covered: Please specify all the relevant Kyoto GHGs (CO2, CH4, N2O, HFCs, PFCs and SF6) covered by your emissions target.
Web link of target: If there is additional information regarding your target on your regions website, then please provide the web link in this field.

Examples of target summaries

For additional information on base year intensity targets, below are examples of targets that cover both total region-wide and individual sectors.

Example Response

If “Baseline scenario (business as usual) target” is selected in response to 5.2:

5.2c Please provide the details of your region-wide baseline scenario target(s), including projected business as usual emissions. You may add rows to provide the details of your sector-specific targets by selecting the relevant sector in the sector field.

Response Options

Please complete the following table. The table is displayed over several rows for readability. You are able to add rows by using the “Add Row” button at the bottom of the table.

[Add Row]

Guidance

This question allows you to provide the details of your region-wide baseline scenario (business as usual) target. You can provide information on multiple targets by adding additional rows. Please try to complete all the relevant fields of this table. This is a table question with the following fields:

• Sector: If your target applies across your entire jurisdiction and covers multiple sectors, please select “Total region-wide emissions” in this field. If you want to provide details of your sector-specific targets, please select the relevant sector in this field.

• Year of target implementation: Please enter in numerical format the year in which your target came into effect. This differs from your base year, which is used as a reference year from which to measure or compare emissions.

• Base year: Please enter a numerical value for this field. Your base year is the reference year from which your greenhouse gas reductions are measured. Please ensure the base year corresponds to any emissions inventory you may have for the correct sector selected in the sector field.

• Base year emissions (metric tonnes CO2e): Please enter the numerical value for the emissions in your base year, without commas. Your base emissions are the greenhouse gas emissions from your base year on which your target is based. Please ensure the base year emissions pertain to the total emissions inventory if “Total region-wide emissions” is selected in the sector field. If you are reporting a target for a specific sector of your region-wide emissions inventory, please provide the base year emissions for that sector. Please ensure that the base year emissions correspond with the base year reported.

• Target year: Please enter in numerical form the year by which you anticipate achieving your goal. Please note that the target year cannot be in the past.

• Estimated business as usual absolute emissions in target year (metric tonnes CO2e): Please indicate the estimated business as usual emissions figure in the target year. A baseline scenario is a reference case that represents the events or conditions most likely to occur in the absence of activities taken to meet a mitigation target.

• Percentage reduction target from business as usual: Please enter the percentage reduction relative to your region’s baseline scenario emissions. This should not include commas or the percentage symbol (%)

• Percentage of target achieved: Please enter a numerical value for the percentage of your emissions reduction target that you have achieved since the “Target year start”, without commas and without the percentage symbol (%).

• Does this target align with a 1.5-2°C trajectory?: This is a new column in this year’s questionnaire that explores if and how regions are aligning their targets with a 1.5-2°C trajectory as outlined in the Paris Agreement. If your target aligns with a 1.5-2°C trajectory then please select either ‘Yes - 1.5°C’ or ‘Yes - 2°C’ and explain how your target aligns with this trajectory and any methodologies used to determine this alignment in the column ‘Please describe the target’. If your target does not align with any of these trajectories then select 'No' or if you are unsure whether your target aligns with these trajectories then select 'Don't know'.

• Has a decarbonisation pathway(s) been modelled for your target: Please detail whether or not a decarbonisation pathway has been modelled for your target by selecting: “Yes”, “No” or “Informal”. Please use informal if you have a decarbonisation pathway modelled but has not been officially verified. Decarbonisation pathways are the different options and strategies in place to meet your emissions reduction targets, which provides crucial information about how GHG reduction targets can be met and considers the trade-offs that will have to be made.

• Pathway summary: Please provide a summary of your decarbonisation pathway. A decarbonization pathway or pathway starts with a government’s long-term greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction goal, and then works backwards to identify the technologies, infrastructure and investments that will be required to achieve it. In collaboration with government agencies, the process helps policymakers set intermediate milestones that must be achieved to reach the long-term decarbonization vision, and better understand the costs, risks, trade-offs and co-benefits associated with different policy approaches. The result is a series of tailored options that explore the potential pace at which emission reductions can be achieved, and their social and economic implications within the jurisdiction.

• Please describe the target: Please provide any other contextualizing information about your reduction target in this field including but not limited to:

Short target summary: Please include your short target summary in this field. Examples of short target summaries are presented below for total region-wide emissions and sectoral targets respectively.
Sectors covered: If you selected “Total region-wide emissions” in the sector field, please outline the relevant ones covered by your target in this field.
Gases covered: Please specify all the relevant Kyoto GHGs (CO2, CH4, N2O, HFCs, PFCs and SF6) covered by your emissions target.
Web link of target: If there is additional information regarding your target on your regions website, then please provide the web link in this field.

Examples of target summaries

For additional information on baseline scenario targets, below are examples of targets that cover both total region-wide and individual sectors.

Example Response

If “Fixed level target” is selected in response to 5.2:

5.2d Please provide the details of your region-wide fixed level target(s). Fixed level targets are not expressed relative to either a historical base year or a projected baseline scenario.You may add rows to provide the details of your sector-specific targets by selecting the relevant sector in the sector field.

Response Options

Please complete the following table. The table is displayed over several rows for readability. You are able to add rows by using the “Add Row” button at the bottom of the table.

[Add Row]

Guidance

This question allows you to provide the details of your region-wide fixed level target. You can provide information on multiple targets by adding additional rows. Please try to complete all the relevant fields of this table. This is a table question with the following fields:

• Sector: If your target applies across your entire jurisdiction and covers multiple sectors, please select “Total region-wide emissions” in this field. If you want to provide details of your sector-specific targets, please select the relevant sector in this field.

• Year of target implementation: Please enter in numerical format the year in which your target came into effect. This differs from your base year, which is used as a reference year from which to measure or compare emissions.

• Carbon neutrality target?: Select ‘Yes’ if this target aims to reduce region-wide or sector CO2e emissions to net zero by the target year. If not then select ‘No’, you will then be asked to report your target year absolute emissions in metric tonnes CO2e.

• Target year: Please enter in numerical form the year by which you anticipate achieving your goal. Please note that the target year cannot be in the past.

• Target year absolute emissions (metric tonnes CO2e): Please complete this column if ‘No’ is selected in the column “Carbon neutrality target?”. This figure is the estimated absolute emissions in metric tonnes CO2e in the target year.

• Percentage of target achieved: Please enter a numerical value for the percentage of your emissions reduction target that you have achieved since the “Target year start”, without commas and without the percentage symbol (%).

• Does this target align with a 1.5-2°C trajectory?: This is a new column in this year’s questionnaire that explores if and how regions are aligning their targets with a 1.5-2°C trajectory as outlined in the Paris Agreement. If your target aligns with a 1.5-2°C trajectory then please select either ‘Yes - 1.5°C’ or ‘Yes - 2°C’ and explain how your target aligns with this trajectory and any methodologies used to determine this alignment in the column ‘Please describe the target’. If your target does not align with any of these trajectories then select 'No' or if you are unsure whether your target aligns with these trajectories then select 'Don't know'.

• Has a decarbonisation pathway(s) been modelled for your target: Please detail whether or not a decarbonisation pathway has been modelled for your target by selecting: “Yes”, “No” or “Informal”. Please use informal if you have a decarbonisation pathway modelled but has not been officially verified. Decarbonisation pathways are the different options and strategies in place to meet your emissions reduction targets, which provides crucial information about how GHG reduction targets can be met and considers the trade-offs that will have to be made.

• Pathway summary: Please provide a summary of your decarbonisation pathway. A decarbonization pathway or pathway starts with a government’s long-term greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction goal, and then works backwards to identify the technologies, infrastructure and investments that will be required to achieve it. In collaboration with government agencies, the process helps policymakers set intermediate milestones that must be achieved to reach the long-term decarbonization vision, and better understand the costs, risks, trade-offs and co-benefits associated with different policy approaches. The result is a series of tailored options that explore the potential pace at which emission reductions can be achieved, and their social and economic implications within the jurisdiction.

• Please describe the target: Please provide any other contextualizing information about your reduction target in this field including but not limited to:

Short target summary: Please include your short target summary in this field. Examples of short target summaries are presented below for total region-wide emissions and sectoral targets respectively.
Sectors covered: If you selected “Total region-wide emissions” in the sector field, please outline the relevant ones covered by your target in this field.
Gases covered: Please specify all the relevant Kyoto GHGs (CO2, CH4, N2O, HFCs, PFCs and SF6) covered by your emissions target.
Web link of target: If there is additional information regarding your target on your regions website, then please provide the web link in this field.

Examples of target summaries

For additional information on baseline scenario targets, below are examples of targets that cover both total region-wide and individual sectors.

Example Response

If “No target” is selected in response to 5.2:

5.2e Please explain why you do not have a region-wide emissions reduction target and any plans to set one in the future.

Response Options

Please complete the following table:

Guidance

Please give more details on why you do not have a region-wide target by selecting the most suitable option from the drop-down options provided in the “Reason” field and give an explanation in the context of you region. Select “Other” if you have a different reason that best explains your region’s lack of emissions reduction target and specify it in the text field provided.

Emissions reduction – Government operations

5.3 Do you have a GHG emissions reduction target in place for your government operations?

Response Options

Select one of the following options:

• Yes
• No

Guidance

To respond to this question, please select “Yes” or “No” from the drop-down menu. Please note this question applies to government operations only. If you want to report information about your targets that are in place at the region-wide level, please see question 5.2. Responding “Yes” directs you to question 5.4, where you will be asked to specify the types of target you have for your government operations. Responding “No” directs you to question 5.5 to explain the reason behind your response.

If “Yes” is selected in response to 5.3:

5.4 Please select the type of emissions reduction target in place for your government operations.

Response Options

Select all that apply:

• Base year emissions target
• Base year intensity target
• Baseline scenario (business as usual) target
• Fixed level target

Guidance

Please select all the relevant types of emissions reductions target that are in place for your government’s operations. Depending on the type of target you select, individual tables will appear allowing you to provide additional information about each of those target types.

Best practice:

It is considered good practice to set ambitious climate targets that encompass all of Kyoto greenhouse gases – carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N₂O), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs), sulphur hexafluoride (SF6) and nitrogen trifluoride (NF3) – emitted by all IPCC sectors – Energy, Industry, Transport, Agriculture, Waste, and LULUCF.

Please make sure to reflect this in your response by specifying the sectors and gases covered by your government operations target in the comments field of the table for each type of target type selected. If you would like to report on your individual sector-specific emissions reduction targets, please select the sector in the sector field and specify the gases covered in the comments section.

Explanation of terms

• Base year emissions target: A reduction in greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) emissions relative to an emissions level in a historical base year (see GHG Protocol – Mitigation Goal Standard).
• Base year intensity target: A reduction in emissions intensity relative to an emissions intensity level in a historical base year. Emissions intensity is emissions per unit of output. Examples of units of output include GDP, population, and energy use (see GHG Protocol – Mitigation Goal Standard).
• Baseline scenario (business as usual) target: This target represents a reduction in emissions relative to a baseline scenario emissions level. They are typically framed in terms of a percent reduction of emissions from the baseline scenario, rather than an absolute reduction in emissions (see GHG Protocol – Mitigation Goal Standard).
• Fixed level target: An absolute reduction in emissions to a certain level by a target year, such as carbon neutrality (zero net emissions by a certain date) (Source: Dhakal and Ruth, 2017 - Creating Low Carbon Cities). Fixed-level goals include carbon neutrality goals, which are designed to reach zero net emissions by a certain date (see GHG Protocol – Mitigation Goal Standard).

If “Base year emissions target” is selected in response to 5.4:

5.4a Please provide the details of your base year emissions reduction target(s). You may add rows to provide the details of your sector-specific targets by selecting the relevant sector in the sector field.

Response Options

Please complete the following table. The table is displayed over several rows for readability. You are able to add rows by using the “Add Row” button at the bottom of the table.

[Add Row]

Guidance

This question allows you to provide the details of your base year emissions reduction target for your government operations. You can provide information on multiple targets by adding additional rows. Please try to complete all the relevant fields of this table. This is a table question with the following fields:

• Sector: If your target applies for the entire of your government’s operations and covers multiple sectors, please select “Total” in this field. If you want to provide the details of your sector-specific targets, please select the relevant sector in this field.

• Year of target implementation: Please enter in numerical format the year in which your target came into effect. This differs from your base year, which is used as a reference year from which to measure or compare emissions.

• Base year: Please enter a numerical value for this field. Your base year is the reference year from which your greenhouse gas reductions are measured. Please ensure the base year corresponds to any emissions inventory you may have for the correct sector selected in the sector field.

• Base year emissions (metric tonnes CO2e): Please enter the numerical value for the emissions in your base year, without commas. Your base emissions are the greenhouse gas emissions from your base year on which your target is based.

• Percentage reduction target: Please enter the numerical value of your percentage reduction target, without commas and without the percentage symbol (%). If your target is not currently expressed as a percentage, please convert it into this format (for example an absolute emissions reduction in metric tonnes CO2e can be converted into a percentage reduction relative to the base year). If this is not possible, please note your target reduction and other relevant detail in the Comment field for this question.

• Target year: Please enter in numerical form the year by which you anticipate achieving your goal. Please note that the target year cannot be in the past.

• Percentage of target achieved: Please enter a numerical value for the percentage of your emissions reduction target that you have achieved since the “Target year start”, without commas and without the percentage symbol (%).

• Has a decarbonisation pathway(s) been modelled for your target: Please detail whether or not a decarbonisation pathway has been modelled for your target by selecting: “Yes”, “No” or “Informal”. Please use informal if you have a decarbonisation pathway modelled but has not been officially verified. Decarbonisation pathways are the different options and strategies in place to meet their emissions reduction targets provides crucial information about how GHG reduction targets can be met, which considers the trade-offs that will have to be made.

• Comments: Please provide any other contextualizing information about your reduction target in this field including but not limited to:

Short target summary: Please include a brief description of your target in this field.
Sectors covered: If you selected “Total” in the sector field, please outline the relevant ones covered by your target in this field.
Gases covered: Please specify all the relevant Kyoto GHGs (CO2, CH4, N2O, HFCs, PFCs and SF6) covered by your base year emissions target.

Example Response

If “Base year intensity target” is selected in response to 5.4:

5.4b Please provide the details of your base year intensity target(s). An intensity target is usually measured per capita or per unit GDP. You may add rows to provide the details of your sector-specific targets by selecting the relevant sector in the sector field.

Response Options

Please complete the following table. The table is displayed over several rows for readability. You are able to add rows by using the “Add Row” button at the bottom of the table.

[Add Row]

Guidance

This question allows you to provide the details of your base year intensity target for your government operations. You can provide information on multiple targets by adding additional rows. Please try to complete all the relevant fields of this table. This is a table question with the following fields:

• Sector: If your target applies for the entire of your government’s operations and covers multiple sectors, please select “Total” in this field. If you want to provide the details of your sector-specific targets, please select the relevant sector in this field.

• Year of target implementation: Please enter in numerical format the year in which your target came into effect. This differs from your base year, which is used as a reference year from which to measure or compare emissions.

• Intensity unit (Emissions per): Please define the variable used in your government’s intensity target by selecting the relevant variable from the drop-down options (either metric tonnes CO2e per capita, or metric tonnes CO2e per GDP). If your region uses a variable, which is not listed, please select “Other” and define the variable in the text field provided. Emissions intensity refers to emissions per unit of another variable, which is typically economic output, such as GDP, but may also be population, energy use, or a different variable.

• Base year: Please enter a numerical value for this field. Your base year is the reference year from which your greenhouse gas reductions are measured. Please ensure the base year corresponds to any emissions inventory you may have for the correct sector selected in the sector field.

• Base year emissions per intensity unit (metric tonnes CO2e per denominator): Please enter the numerical value of your base year emissions per intensity unit, without commas. Your base year emissions are the greenhouse gas emissions from your base year on which your target is based.

• Percentage reduction target in emissions intensity: Please enter the numerical value of your percentage reduction target, without commas and without the percentage symbol (%). If your target is not currently expressed as a percentage, please convert it into this format (for example an emissions reduction in metric tonnes CO2e per intensity metric can be converted into a percentage reduction relative to the base year). If this is not possible, please note your target reduction and other relevant detail in the Comment field for this question.

• Target year: Please enter in numerical form the year by which you anticipate achieving your goal. Please note that the target year cannot be in the past.

• Percentage of target achieved: Please enter a numerical value for the percentage of your emissions reduction target that you have achieved since the “Target year start”, without commas and without the percentage symbol (%).

• Has a decarbonisation pathway(s) been modelled for your target: Please detail whether or not a decarbonisation pathway has been modelled for your target by selecting: “Yes”, “No” or “Informal”. Please use informal if you have a decarbonisation pathway modelled but has not been officially verified. Decarbonisation pathways are the different options and strategies in place to meet your emissions reduction targets, which provides crucial information about how GHG reduction targets can be met and considers the trade-offs that will have to be made.

• Comments: Please provide any other contextualizing information about your reduction target in this field including but not limited to:

Short target summary: Please include a brief description of your target in this field.
Sectors covered: If you selected “Total” in the sector field, please outline the relevant ones covered by your target in this field.
Gases covered: Please specify all the relevant Kyoto GHGs (CO2, CH4, N2O, HFCs, PFCs and SF6) covered by your base year emissions target.

Example Response

If “Baseline scenario (business as usual) target” is selected in response to 5.4:

5.4c Please provide the details of your baseline scenario target(s), including projected business as usual emissions. You may add rows to provide the details of your sector-specific targets by selecting the relevant sector in the sector field.

Response Options

Please complete the following table. The table is displayed over several rows for readability. You are able to add rows by using the “Add Row” button at the bottom of the table.

[Add Row]

Guidance

This question allows you to provide the details of your baseline scenario (business as usual) target for your government operations. You can provide information on multiple targets by adding additional rows. Please try to complete all the relevant fields of this table. This is a table question with the following fields:

• Sector If your target applies for the entire of your government’s operations and covers multiple sectors, please select “Total” in this field. If you want to provide the details of your sector-specific targets, please select the relevant sector in this field.

• Year of target implementation: Please enter in numerical format the year in which your target came into effect. This differs from your base year, which is used as a reference year from which to measure or compare emissions.

• Base year: Please enter a numerical value for this field. Your base year is the reference year from which your greenhouse gas reductions are measured. Please ensure the base year corresponds to any emissions inventory you may have for the correct sector selected in the sector field.

• Base year emissions (metric tonnes CO2e): Please enter the numerical value for the emissions in your base year, without commas. Your base emissions are the greenhouse gas emissions from your base year on which your target is based.

• Target year: Please enter in numerical form the year by which you anticipate achieving your goal. Please note that the target year cannot be in the past.

• Estimated business as usual absolute emissions in target year (metric tonnes CO2e): Please indicate the estimated business as usual emissions figure in the target year. A baseline scenario is a reference case that represents the events or conditions most likely to occur in the absence of activities taken to meet a mitigation target.

• Percentage reduction target from business as usual: Please enter the percentage reduction relative to your region’s baseline scenario emissions. This should not include commas or the percentage symbol (%)

• Percentage of target achieved: Please enter a numerical value for the percentage of your emissions reduction target that you have achieved since the “Target year start”, without commas and without the percentage symbol (%).

• Has a decarbonisation pathway(s) been modelled for your target: Please detail whether or not a decarbonisation pathway has been modelled for your target by selecting: “Yes”, “No” or “Informal”. Please use informal if you have a decarbonisation pathway modelled but has not been officially verified. Decarbonisation pathways are the different options and strategies in place to meet your emissions reduction targets, which provides crucial information about how GHG reduction targets can be met and considers the trade-offs that will have to be made.

• Comments: Please provide any other contextualizing information about your reduction target in this field including but not limited to:

Short target summary: Please include your short target summary in this field.
Sectors covered: If you selected “Total region-wide emissions” in the sector field, please outline the relevant ones covered by your target in this field.
Gases covered: Please specify all the relevant Kyoto GHGs (CO2, CH4, N2O, HFCs, PFCs and SF6) covered by your emissions target.

Example Response

If “Fixed level target” is selected in response to 5.4:

5.4d Please provide the details of your fixed level target(s). Fixed level targets are not expressed relative to either a historical base year or a projected baseline scenario. You may add rows to provide the details of your sector-specific targets by selecting the relevant sector in the sector field.

Response Options

Please complete the following table.You are able to add rows by using the “Add Row” button at the bottom of the table.

[Add Row]

Guidance

This question allows you to provide the details of your fixed level target for your government operations. You can provide information on multiple targets by adding additional rows. Please try to complete all the relevant fields of this table. This is a table question with the following fields:

• Sector: If your target applies for the entire of your government’s operations and covers multiple sectors, please select “Total” in this field. If you want to provide the details of your sector-specific targets, please select the relevant sector in this field.

• Year of target implementation: Please enter in numerical format the year in which your target came into effect. This differs from your base year, which is used as a reference year from which to measure or compare emissions.

• Percentage reduction target: Please express your target as a numerical percentage, where possible. This should not include commas or the percentage symbol (%). For example, if your target is to limit or have no emissions from a specific sector, then please enter 100. If this is not possible, please explain your target other relevant detail in the Comment field for this question.

• Target year: Please enter in numerical form the year by which you anticipate achieving your goal. Please note that the target year cannot be in the past.

• Percentage of target achieved: Please enter a numerical value for the percentage of your emissions reduction target that you have achieved since the “Target year start”, without commas and without the percentage symbol (%).

• Has a decarbonisation pathway(s) been modelled for your target: Please detail whether or not a decarbonisation pathway has been modelled for your target by selecting: “Yes”, “No” or “Informal”. Please use informal if you have a decarbonisation pathway modelled but has not been officially verified. Decarbonisation pathways are the different options and strategies in place to meet your emissions reduction targets, which provides crucial information about how GHG reduction targets can be met and considers the trade-offs that will have to be made.

• Comments: Please provide any other contextualizing information about your reduction target in this field including but not limited to:

Short target summary: Please include your short target summary in this field.
Sectors covered: If you selected “Total region-wide emissions” in the sector field, please outline the relevant ones covered by your target in this field.
Gases covered: Please specify all the relevant Kyoto GHGs (CO2, CH4, N2O, HFCs, PFCs and SF6) covered by your emissions target.

Example Response

If “No” is selected in response to 5.3:

5.5 Please explain why you do not have a government operations emissions reduction target.

Response Options

Please complete the following table:

Guidance

Please give more details on why you do not have a region-wide target by selecting the most suitable option from the drop-down options provided in the “Reason” field and give an explanation in the context of your regional government. Select “Other” if you have a different reason that best explains why your regional government does not have an emissions reduction target and specify it in the text field provided.

Energy

5.6 Does your region have an energy efficiency target in place at the region-wide level and/or your government operations?

Response Options

Select one of the following options:

• Yes
• No

Guidance

To respond to this question, please select “Yes” or “No” from the drop-down menu. Responding “Yes” will direct you to question 5.6a, where you will be asked to provide details of your reduction target; responding “No” directs you to question 5.6b.

Explanation of term

• Energy efficiency definition: It is the ratio of a delivered good or service to the energy consumed in the process, getting the same level – or an equivalent quality-adjusted – of service from a smaller quantity of energy consumed (Reference: Brennan, T. (2013). Energy Efficiency Policy Puzzles. The Energy Journal, 34(2), 1-25. Available at: http://www.jstor.org/stable/41970480).

If “Yes” is selected in response to 5.6:

5.6a Please provide the details of your energy efficiency target(s).

Response Options

Please complete the following table. The table is displayed over several rows for readability. You are able to add rows by using the “Add Row” button at the bottom of the table.

[Add Row]

Guidance

If you select “Yes” to question 5.6, please complete this table question with the following fields:

• Scale: Please select the relevant scale for your target. “Region-wide” includes the entire geographic area of the region while “Government operations” focuses on targets applied solely to your government operations.

• Sector: If your target applies for the entire of your region or government’s operations and covers multiple sectors, please select “Total” in this field. If you want to provide the details of your sector-specific targets, please select the relevant sector in this field.

• Target type: Please select the type of target you have from the following options:

Increase efficiency: Increasing energy efficiency means getting more from the energy used to deliver goods and services through innovation, and/or cutting out wasted energy, reducing the energy used while maintaining output.
Reduce consumption: Targets refer to reducing consumption patterns of both final and primary energy and electricity to deliver goods and services that is delivering equal or greater output with less energy.

• Base year: Please enter a numerical value for this field. Your base year (also known as a “baseline year” or “representative year”) is the reference year from which your target is measured.

• Target year: Please enter in numerical form the year by which you anticipate achieving your goal. Please note that the target year cannot be in the past.

• Target energy: Please select the relevant target energy for your target from the following options:

Electricity: As a widely used form of energy, targets refer to the efficiency of electric power systems – encompassing generation, transmission, distribution and utilization of electrical energy – that provide electricity to households, industry and transport sector among others.
Final energy: It refers to the form of energy available to end users for consumption such as households, industry and agriculture, following the conversion from primary energy carriers (e.g. crude oil, natural gas, coal, and renewables). Final forms of energy include, among others, electricity, heating oil, fuels, gas and district heat (Reference: European Nuclear Society).
Primary energy: Energy that has not been subjected to any conversion or transformation process. Primary energy includes non-renewable energy and renewable energy (Reference: European Council for an Energy Efficient Economies).

• Target (%): Please express your target as a numerical percentage, where possible. This should not include commas or the percentage symbol (%).

• Percentage of target achieved: Please enter a numerical value for the percentage of your target that you have achieved since the “Target year start”, without commas and without the percentage symbol (%).

• Comments: Please provide any other contextualizing information about your reduction target in this field including but not limited to:

Short target summary: Please include your short target summary in this field. Examples of short target summaries are presented below.
Sectors covered: If you selected “Total” in the sector field, please outline the relevant ones covered by your target in this field.

Examples of target summaries

For additional information on energy efficiency targets, below are examples of targets that cover both total and individual sectors as well as region-wide and government operations target scale.

Example Response

If “No” is selected in response to 5.6

5.6b Please explain why you do not have an energy efficiency target.

Response Options

Please complete the following table:

Guidance

Please give more details on why you do not have an energy efficiency target by selecting the most suitable option from the drop-down options provided in the “Reason” field and give an explanation in the context of your region. Select “Other” if you have a different reason that best explains why your region does not have an energy efficiency target and specify it in the text field provided.

5.7 Does your region have a renewable energy or electricity target in place at the region-wide level and/or your government operations?

Response Options

Select one of the following options:

• Yes
• No

Guidance

To respond to this question, please select “Yes” or “No” from the drop-down menu. Responding “Yes” will direct you to question 5.7a, where you will be asked to provide details of your reduction target; responding “No” directs you to question 5.7b.

Explanation of terms

• Renewable energy definition: Energy derived from renewable non-fossil energy sources and natural processes (e.g. sunlight and wind) that are replenished at a faster rate than they are consumed. Solar, wind, geothermal, hydro, and some forms of biomass are common sources of renewable energy (Reference: International Energy Agency).
• Renewable electricity definition: Electricity generated by means of a renewable energy source is considered “renewable electricity”. Sources include wind, solar, hydro power, biomass, geothermal energy, wave, tidal energy and the renewable part of waste (Reference: RECS International)

If “Yes” is selected in response to 5.7:

5.7a Please provide details of your renewable energy or electricity target(s).

Response Options

Please complete the following table.The table is displayed over several rows for readability. You are able to add rows by using the “Add Row” button at the bottom of the table.

[Add Row]

Guidance

If you selected “Yes” to question 5.7, please complete this table question with the following fields:

• Scale: Please select the relevant scale for your target. “Region-wide” includes the entire geographic area of the region while “Government operations” focuses on targets applied solely to your government operations.

• Target type: Please select the relevant type for your target from the following options:

Renewable electricity consumption: It is the electricity generated from renewable energy sources delivered to consumers (public and private). It can be defined as the ratio between the electricity produced from renewable energy sources and the gross national electricity consumption – which comprises national electricity generation from all fuels (including auto production), plus electricity imports, minus exports (Reference: European Environment Agency).
Renewable electricity production: It refers to the process of producing or generating electrical energy by transforming other forms of renewable energy, for example wind power or geothermal energy (Reference: Eurostat).
Renewable energy consumption: It is the consumption of energy from renewable sources. It can be defined as the energy commodities delivered for energy purposes to industry, transport, households, services, agriculture, forestry and fisheries, including electricity and heat consumed by the energy sector and losses of electricity and heat in distribution and transmission (Reference: Eurostat).
Renewable energy production: It refers to the primary production of energy from renewable sources, that is the extraction of energy products in a useable form from natural sources. This occurs when natural sources are exploited (e.g. hydro power plants, wind farms). Transforming energy from one form into another (from solar to heat) is not primary production (Reference: Eurostat).
Other: Please specify the type of target you have.

• Unit type: Please select the appropriate unit type for your renewable production or consumption figure. The associated units that can be selected for this question include: GW, MW, GWh, MWh, and %.

• Base year: Please enter a numerical value for this field. Your base year (also known as a "baseline year" or "representative year") is the reference year from which your target is measured.

• Total renewable production or consumption in base year: Please provide your base year’s total renewable production or consumption, as either a production value, consumption value or percentage as a numerical value without commas and the percentage symbol (%).

• Target year: Please enter in numerical form the year by which you anticipate achieving your goal. Please note that the target year cannot be in the past.

• Total renewable production or consumption in target year: Please provide your target year’s total renewable production or consumption, as a production value, consumption value or percentage as a numerical value without commas and the percentage symbol (%).

• Target (%): Please express your target as a numerical percentage, where possible. This should not include commas or the percentage symbol (%).

• Percentage of target achieved: Please enter a numerical value for the percentage of your target that you have achieved since the “Base year”, without commas and without the percentage symbol (%).

• Web link of target: If it is available online, please provide a web link to the target.

• Comments: Please provide any other contextualizing information about your reduction target in this field including a short target summary. Examples of short target summaries are presented below.

Examples of target summaries

For additional information on renewable energy targets, below are examples of target summaries.

Example Response

If “No” is selected in response to 5.7:

5.7b Please explain why you do not have a renewable energy or electricity target.

Response Options

Please complete the following table:

Guidance

Please give more details on why you do not have a renewable energy/electricity target by selecting the most suitable option from the drop-down options provided in the “Reason” field and give an explanation in the context of your region. Select “Other” if you have a different reason that best explains why your region does not have an renewable energy/electricity target and specify it in the text field provided.

Climate actions

5.8 Please select the sectors that are relevant for your region’s climate actions.

Response Options

• Agriculture
• Buildings & Lighting
• Energy
• Finance & Economy
• Governance
• Industry
• Land use
• Transport
• Waste
• Water
• Healthcare

Guidance

This question covers which climate actions you are taking in your region. A total of 110 possible climate actions available, grouped into the 11 sectors as outlined below. To disclose the climate actions you are taking for a specific sector, simply click on the sector you wish to disclose your actions for, and tables will appear outlining the climate actions associated with selected sectors. You can select more than one sector and if your region currently does not have any climate actions planned or implemented, please skip this question.

Number of climate actions by sector:

• Agriculture sector (5 possible actions)
• Buildings & Lighting sector (19 possible actions)
• Energy sector (22 possible actions)
• Finance & Economy sector (13 possible actions)
• Governance sector (6 possible actions)
• Industry sector (6 possible actions)
• Land use sector (6 possible actions)
• Transport sector (16 possible actions)
• Waste sector (12 possible actions)
• Water sector (3 possible actions)
• Healthcare sector (3 possible actions)

Tables with relevant climate actions by sector will appear depending on the response to 5.8:

5.8a - 5.8k Please provide details of your climate actions in the [Agriculture, Buildings & Lighting, Energy, Finance & Economy, Governance, Industry, Land use, Transport, Waste and Water, Healthcare] sector.

Response Options

Please complete the following table:

Guidance

Tables with relevant climate actions by sector will appear depending on the response to 5.8. Each table will present all relevant climate actions for that sector asking you to provide additional information on the following fields:

• Climate actions: This field will present all the relevant actions for selected sectors in different rows. A complete list of climate actions for each sector is outlined in Appendix B.
• Is your region taking this action: Please indicate whether each climate action presented in the table is being taken by your region by selecting “Yes”, “No” or “Planned in the next 2 years”
• What is the scale of its implementation: Please select: “Pilot” when your region is trialing a climate action, “Limited implementation” when the climate action has been partly deployed in your region/applicable areas, and “Comprehensive implementation” when the climate action has been fully deployed across your region/applicable areas.
• Action description: Please provide a description of your climate action in the context of your region.

Additional information on the different climate actions for each sector

Agriculture

Building & Lighting

Energy

Finance & Economy

Governance

Industry

Land Use

Transport

Waste

Water

Healthcare

Climate action on short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs)

5.9 Do you measure your region-wide SLCPs (i.e. black carbon, CH4, O3, HFCs)?

Response Options

Select one of the following options:

• Yes
• No

Guidance

"Region-wide" refers to the jurisdictional boundary in which your regional government has undertaken measurements to reduce SLCPs. Please answer by selecting “Yes” or “No” from the options provided. If you select “Yes” you will be directed to question 5.9a.

These questions assist CDP in understanding to what extent your regional government is aware of these pollutants and what actions have been taken to reduce them. SLCPs can be collectively defined as gases and particles that contribute to global warming and have a relatively short lifetime in the atmosphere of a few days up to approximately 12 years. These pollutants contribute to as much as 40% of current global warming and are also responsible for dangerous air pollution, with detrimental impacts on human health, agriculture and ecosystems.

For more information on SLCPs, please visit the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC).

If “Yes” is selected in response to 5.9:

5.9a Please select which region-wide SLCPs you measure.

Response Options

Select all that apply:

• Black carbon
• Methane (CH4)
• Tropospheric Ozone (O3)
• Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs)

Guidance

This question only applies when you have answered “Yes” to question 5.9. This question invites you to provide information as to the types of pollutants you are measuring within your region. Please select one or more from the options provided.

Explanation of terms

• Black carbon: It is emitted from various sources including diesel cars and trucks, residential stoves, forest fires, agricultural open burning and some industrial facilities. After being emitted, black carbon only remains in the atmosphere for a few days. More information about black carbon can be found here: https://www.epa.gov/air-research/black-carbon-research.
• Methane (CH4): Mainly comes from agriculture, including rice cultivation, manure management and livestock, oil and gas industry and municipal landfills. It has an atmospheric life of about 12 years. More information about methane can be found here: https://www.globalmethane.org/about/methane.aspx.
• Tropospheric ozone (O3): It is not directly emitted into the air but is rather formed by sunlight-driven oxidation of other ozone precursors, such as methane. It has a lifetime of a few days to a few weeks. More information about tropospheric ozone can be found here: https://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/TOP08-98/page004.html.
• Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs): These are man-made greenhouse gases used in air conditioning, refrigeration, solvents, and aerosols. It can remain in the atmosphere for less than 15 years. More information about hydrofluorocarbons can be found here: http://www.ccacoalition.org/en/slcps/hydrofluorocarbons-hfc.

5.10 Have you conducted an environmental assessment of the effects of your region-wide SLCPs?

Response Options

Select one of the following options:

• Yes
• No

Guidance

Please answer this question by selecting “Yes” or “No”. An environmental assessment refers to the process by which your regional government has evaluated the potential environmental impacts of SLCPs for your region-wide. Environmental assessments are critical tools that can help to identify ways to minimize, mitigate or eliminate the impacts of SLCPs before the implementation of a plan, policy or project.

Additional information about environmental assessments can be found here: http://ec.europa.eu/environment/eia/index_en.htm.

5.11 Have you conducted an economic assessment of measures to mitigate your region-wide SLCPs?

Response Options

Select one of the following options:

• Yes
• No

Guidance

Please answer this question by selecting “Yes” or “No”. This question refers to the economic analysis that your regional government has undertaken to identify the direct costs and value the anticipated benefits associated with the implementation of measures to mitigate your region-wide SLCPs. The economic assessment could relate to long-term economic benefits of SLCP mitigation related to issues of employment, poverty reduction and public health.

Additional information about economic assessments can be found here: http://www.who.int/heli/economics/en/.

5.12 Do you have a region-wide plan to reduce SLCPs?

Response Options

Select one of the following options:

• Yes
• No

Guidance

This question applies when your regional government has developed a plan, which focuses only on SLCPs mitigation. A plan refers to a set of actions and measures developed by a regional government that will establish guidelines for achieving the objectives stated in the plan. Please answer by selecting “Yes” or “No”. If you answered “Yes” you will be directed to question 5.12a, 5.12b, 5.12c and 5.12d. If you answered “No” you will be directed to 5.12e.

If "Yes" is selected in response to 5.12:

5.12a Please detail the scale of the plan's implementation.

Response Options

Select one of the following options:

• Pilot
• Limited implementation
• Comprehensive implementation

Guidance

Please answer by selecting “Pilot”, “Limited implementation” and Comprehensive implementation” from the options provided.

• “Pilot” is when your region is trialing a plan to reduce SLCPs.
• “Limited implementation” is when your plan to reduce SLCPs has been partly implemented/adopted in your region/applicable areas.
• “Comprehensive implementation” is when your plan to reduce SLCPs has been fully implemented/adopted across your region/applicable areas.

If "Yes" is selected in response to 5.12:

5.12b Which sectors are covered in your region-wide plans to reduce SLCPs?

Response Options

Please complete the following table.You are able to add rows by using the “Add Row” button at the bottom of the table.

[Add Row]

Guidance

This question invites your region to disclose more information about the sectors covered by your region-wide plan to reduce SLCPs. The sectors of Agriculture, Energy, Industry, Transport, Buildings (commercial and residential) and Waste were identified by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the CCAC through the reducing global health risks through mitigation of short-lived climate pollutants report. This report focuses on a range of strategies and policies, which have the potential to slow-down the pace of climate, change and deliver benefits for health and air quality.

To support the implementation of actions that can help to reduce emissions from these pollutants, the CCAC and the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) also identified a set of 16 SLCP control measures, which are targeting SLCP emitting sectors, which includes those mentioned above. To find out more about these report please visit Time to act to reduce short-lived climate pollutants.

Please select as many options as apply to your region from the drop-down options in the table. The table has the following fields:

• Sectors covered in your region-wide plans to reduce SLCPs: Please select the relevant sectors for your state/region. If you want to add other types of sectors that are not listed in the provided drop-down options, please select “Other” and specify the type of sector.
• Types of action to reduce SLCPs relevant to the sector: Please provide the types of action you have to reduce SLCPs relevant for the sector you selected.

Example Response

If “Yes” is selected in response to 5.12:

5.12c Is your region-wide plan to reduce SLCPs integrated into your broader region-wide mitigation policies and/or climate action strategy?

Response Options

Select one of the following options:

• Yes
• No

Guidance

Please answer by selecting “Yes” or “No”. This rationale behind this question is to consider the mitigation of SLCPs holistically either through its inclusion in broader region-wide policies and/or climate action strategies. This is important considering that SLCPs can have far reaching impacts including harm public health, reduce food security, warm the atmosphere, increase ice and snow melting as well as disrupt weather patterns (Reference: WHO).

If "Yes" is selected in response to 5.12:

5.12d Please comment on the plan, detailing any progress towards achieving the plan's objectives and its level of integration within your broader region-wide mitigation policies and/or climate action strategy.

Response Options

This is an open text question.

Please note that when copying from another document into the disclosure platform, formatting is not retained.

Guidance

This is an open text field question, which invites you to comment on how your region's SLCPs plan has been integrated within your broader region-wide policies and/or climate action strategies. The information provided here will assist CDP to identify distinctions, similarities and comparative features between subnational governments in terms of progress towards the holistic integration of region-wide plans and strategies to reduce SLCPs.

If "No" is selected in response to 5.12:

5.12e Please explain why you do not have a plan to reduce your region-wide SLCPs.

Response Options

Please complete the following table:

Guidance

This question has been changed to a table and asks regions to outline the reason why they do not have any plans to reduce SLCPs. The table has the following fields:

• Reason: Please select the most appropriate reason, from the table above, for why you do not have any plans to reduce SLCPs. If you want to add other reasons that are not listed in the provided drop-down options, please select “Other” and specify the reasoning for your response.
• Explanation: Please use this field to provide more information or context on the reason selected.

Example Response

5.13 Please attach any assessment or plans regarding your region-wide SLCPs.

Response Options

Please attach your relevant document here.

Guidance

Please use the attachment function to upload any assessments or plans related to how your region is addressing SLCPs. The attachment functionality allows you to upload multiple files in response to this question.

Regional projects seeking financing

5.14 List any emission reduction, adaptation, water related or resilience projects that you have planned within your region for which you hope to attract financing, and provide details on the estimated costs and status of the project. If your region does not have any relevant projects, please select “No relevant projects” under Project Area.

Response Options

Please complete the following table. You are able to add rows by using the “Add Row” button at the bottom of the table.

[Add Row]

Guidance

The goal of this question is to understand what climate-change related projects your region is currently seeking external financing for from public or private institutions. These may be projects relating to renewable energy, sustainable transport, building or energy efficiency, waste or other climate-related areas. Use the table in this question to list the different projects your region is looking to attract financing for – you can add multiple projects by clicking “Add row”. If your region is not currently seeking financing on any relevant projects, please select “No relevant projects” in the Project Area field. The table has the following fields:

• Project area: Use the drop-down options to select the project area that is closest to the project that your region is seeking financing for. If your region does not have any projects currently seeking financing, please select “No relevant projects”. Please select “Other” if you want to report a project that cannot be categorized using the options provided in the drop-down list.

• Status of project: Please indicate the current status of the project by selecting from the following options:

Scoping – If your region is in the process of developing a project plan, this is also known as the identification phase.
Pre-feasibility study – If your region is researching the feasibility of the project plan, this is known as the evaluation phase.
Pre-implementation – If your region has developed a project plan but not begun implementation, this is also known as the feasibility or definition phase.
Implementation – If the project has started implementation (execution).
Operation – If the project is in full operation.
Complete – If the project is complete.
Measurement and reporting – If the project is complete and results are being measured.

• Status of financing: Please indicate the status of the project’s financing by selecting from the following options:

Project not funded and seeking partial funding – If the project is not funded and your region is seeking financing for part of the project. If your project is in this status, please use the Total investment cost needed (if relevant) field in the table to indicate the amount of finance being sought.
Project not funded and seeking full funding – If the project is not funded and seeking financing for the whole project. If your project is in this status, please indicate how much finance is being sought in the Total investment cost needed (if relevant) field of the table.
Project partially funded and seeking additional funding – If the project is partially financed, but your state/region is still seeking additional finance. If your project is in the status, please indicate how much finance has already been received and how much additional finance is being sought.
Project fully funded – If the project is fully financed, but your state/region is still seeking additional finance. If your project is in the status, please indicate how much finance has already been received and how much additional finance is being sought.
Other – Please use this option if there is a different status that best describes your region’s project(s).

• Project description: Use this text field to describe the project. This can include, for example, further information on the type of project (i.e. whether the project is an infrastructure development, policy and regulation based, a financial mechanism, education and awareness raising, ICT etc.), whether this project contributes towards meeting a climate-related target in your region and the impact of the project (i.e. emissions reduction, energy security, green economy, sustainable mobility, job creation etc.).

• Total cost of project: Give an estimate of the total overall cost of the project, including any financing, which has already been secured. The currency reported in question 1.1 would be used here.

• Total investment cost needed (if relevant): Indicate how much finance you hope to raise for the project. If your project is partially financed and seeking additional finance, please indicate the amount of money your region is still seeking. The currency reported in question 1.1 would be used here.

6. Risks and adaptation

Assessment and planning

6.1 Has a climate change risk or vulnerability assessment been undertaken for your region?

Response Options

Select one of the following options:

• Yes
• In progress
• No

Guidance

Please respond to indicate whether your region has undertaken a climate change risk or vulnerability assessment by selecting the most relevant option from the drop-down menu. If you select “Yes” you will be directed to questions 6.1a and 6.1b.

The effects of climate change my pose a significant risk to your region’s future development. A climate change risk or vulnerability assessment is a qualitative or quantitative scientific estimation the risks from or vulnerability to climate change. These assessments are most usually done within the context of a decision-making or planning process to address climate change impacts. Before developing an adaptation plan, it is important to understand how climate change is likely to affect your region - this is usually done by conducting a climate change risk or vulnerability assessment.

A vulnerability assessment is the analysis of the expected impacts, risks and the adaptive capacity of your region to the effects of climate change. Assessing the vulnerability of your region encompasses more than simple measurement of the potential harm caused by events resulting from climate change: it also includes an assessment of the region or sector's ability to adapt, sometimes referred to as "adaptive capacity".

To complete a vulnerability assessment, a region is likely to need to undertake the following steps:

• Decide the purpose and scope of your risk of vulnerability assessment
  
  
• Hazards faced by your region requires several steps:

Identifying the hazards to which your region is (or has historically been) exposed
Assessing the consequence and likelihood of the impact of these hazards on your region based on recent, expert-reviewed estimates where possible
Selecting climate change scenarios outlining possible future climate in the region
Understanding how the frequency and intensity of climate hazards will change under these scenarios

• Understanding your region’s exposure and sensitivity to climate hazards, and your capacity to adapt, requires several steps:

Assessing previously identified current and future hazard exposure usually under two (or more) climate change scenarios
Identifying the region’s critical assets and the relationships between them
Identifying likely impacts from current and future hazards on the region’s critical assets
Identifying strengths and weaknesses of the region’s adaptive capacity
Assessing the vulnerability of the region, based on the combination of the possible impacts of climate change and the region’s adaptive capacity

A high-quality vulnerability assessment involves engagement with a broad range of stakeholders. It is important to recognize the diverse expertise that different stakeholders provide. It is particularly critical to acknowledge local community and traditional indigenous knowledge and to be aware of different perspectives and values. Broad engagement can result in identification of previously overlooked areas of vulnerability or in a more nuanced understanding of the root cause of vulnerabilities and hence better-targeted adaptation responses.

If “Yes” is selected in response to 6.1:

6.1a Please upload your climate change risk or vulnerability assessment.

Response Options

Please attach your relevant document here.

Guidance

This question allows states and regions to directly upload climate change risk or vulnerability assessment. The reporting platform allows you to upload multiple documents.

If “Yes” is selected in response to 6.1:

6.1b Please select the primary process or methodology used to undertake the climate change risk or vulnerability assessment of your region.

Response Options

Please complete the following table:

Guidance

Answering this question will provide important information for other regions which are assessing the physical risks from climate change for the first time and may be interested in the methodology you used. In the first field you can choose from a list of the most commonly used methodologies and types of methodologies on which your assessment is based. Select “Other” to report something not covered in the existing list of values. Selecting other will allow you to write in the name of the methodology used. Select “Unknown” if you do not know on which methodology the assessment was based and select “No evaluation done” if a vulnerability assessment has not been carried out.

• Primary methodology: Please select the methodology you use to undertake climate change risk or vulnerability assessment from the options provided.
  
• Comments: Use the second field to provide more details on how the assessment was carried out. If you choose "Proprietary Methodology" or "Other" to describe your methodology in the first field, please provide details so that others may understand your approach.

The following resources provide further information about physical risks and the methodology of risk assessment:

• The IPCC Fifth Assessment Report (Working Group II: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability)
• The OECD Strategic Environmental Assessment and Adaptation to Climate Change
• UNDP climate risk management methodologies
• ICLEI climate adaptation methodology (ADAPT): http://www.icleiusa.org/tools/adapt and http://archive.iclei.org/index.php?id=adaptation-toolkit0
• UK Climate Impacts Partnership Framework (UKCIP)
• World Bank Urban Risk Assessment (URA)
• A report of the Economics of Climate Adaptation (ECA) Working Group: Shaping climate resilient development: A framework for decision making
• An example of a national vulnerability assessment is the Swedish Commission on Climate and Vulnerability report titled Sweden facing climate change – threats and opportunities
• An example of an agency specific vulnerability and risk assessment methodology is the US Department of Transportation’s Federal Highways Administration Methodology.

6.2 Do you have a plan that addresses climate change adaptation?

Response Options

Select one of the following options:

• Yes
• No

Guidance

Please respond to indicate whether your region has produced an adaptation plan by selecting “Yes” or “No” from the drop-down menu. If you select “Yes” you will be directed to question 6.2a and 6.2b. If you select “No” you will be directed to question 6.2c.

Explanation of term

A climate adaptation plan (also known as climate resilience plan) can be defined as a planned response across the region’s services and departments in order to address and manage future climate change risks. The aim of such a plan is to ensure that climate change risks are addressed in a preventive manner by putting in place a set of concrete measures to tackle those risks.

6.2a Please provide the details of your climate adaptation plan.

Response Options

Please complete the following table:

Guidance

This is a table question with the following fields:

• Publication title: Please state the name of your climate adaptation plan.
• Year of publication title: Please state the year that your climate adaptation plan was published.
• Areas covered: This field is a new addition to the question. The purpose of this addition is to identify adaptation plans that cover the different priority areas of the RegionsAdapt initiative. Members of the RegionsAdapt initiative commit to take concrete action on adaptation in at least one of the key priority areas, but not necessarily all of them. For more information about RegionsAdapt, please see: http://www.nrg4sd.org/climate-change/regionsadapt/. States and regions can select all thematic areas that apply.
• Publication hyperlink: If you would like to provide a web link to your region’s climate adaptation plan, please add it in this field.

If “Yes” is selected in response to 6.2:

6.2b If not available online, please upload your climate adaptation plan.

Response Options

Please attach your relevant document here.

Guidance

This question gives you the opportunity to upload your region's climate adaptation plan. The reporting platform allows you to upload multiple documents.

If “No” is selected in response to 6.2:

6.2c Please explain why you do not have a climate adaptation plan and any future arrangements you have to create a plan.

Response Options

Please complete the following table. You are able to add rows by using the “Add Row” button at the bottom of the table.

[Add Row]

Guidance

Some regions have not created an adaptation plan for a variety of reasons. Others are still in the process of completing their adaptation plan. This question gives you the opportunity to explain why you have not created an adaptation plan. This question allows states and regions to select the reason for their lack of climate adaptation plan. Multiple reasons can be selected by adding a row in response to this question. This is a table question with the following fields:

• Reason: Please select all the reasons that apply from the options provided. Multiple reasons can be selected by adding a row in response to this question. Please select “Other” if you want to provide information on a different reason that cannot be categorized from the options provided.
• Explanation: Please use this field to explain the relevance of each selected reason in the context of your regional jurisdiction. If you have selected "Climate adaptation plan is in progress" then please provide information on the development of the plan and the expected year in which the plan will be completed. If applicable, please provide information if adaptation actions are included in other documents, such as territorial management plans, regional development plans, etc.

Example Response

6.3 Please describe any adaptation goals you have for your region.

Response Options

This is an open text question.

Please note that when copying from another document into the disclosure platform, formatting is not retained.

Guidance

Your goals can be of any type. Please use the text field to provide as much explanation on what your main goals are for adaptation and the status of those goals. Your adaptation goals could include information on your region's overall strategy and objectives across the different thematic areas covered by your adaptation plan.

6.4 Do you work with local governments in the development and/or implementation of your regional adaptation strategies? Please explain how.

Response Options

Please complete the following table:

Guidance

The aim of this question is to identify examples of vertical integration where local (city-level) governments collaborate with regional governments on climate adaptation. Please complete the table by selecting “Yes” or “No” and providing an explanation with relevance to your region’s climate adaptation work.

It has become increasingly evident that regional and local decisions are essential in the design and implementation of adaptation strategies to respond to climate change. In adaptation, there are a variety of reasons as to why subnational governments should work with local level decision-making. First, climate change impacts are manifested locally, affecting local livelihood activities, economic enterprises, human health, etc. Second, vulnerability and adaptive capacity are determined by local conditions. Regional or national vulnerability indices often mask the dramatic variations in vulnerability at local levels. Third, adaptation activities are often best observed and implemented at the local level. Decisions about livelihood strategies and investments drive adaptation. Local monitoring and evaluation of how policies, programs and projects are supporting adaptation are essential as they also provide a basis for learning, adjusting and eventually scaling up actions that are successful (OECD, 2009).

Local action will also provide essential insights for understanding the political economy of climate change policy. It will provide a vehicle to identify how incentives and interests interact at different levels of governance, to observe and understand direct local costs and benefits of action, including local co-benefits, and the local winners and losers of any particular set of policy choices. The evidence or perceptions of who wins and who loses, and the weight of co-benefits associated with any set of climate policies may significantly differ at local scales compared to aggregate region/nation-wide experience. This can open a range of opportunities for local action that may not exist at broader scales.

6.5 Are you involved in the development and/or implementation of your government’s National Adaptation Plan (NAP)? Please explain how.

Response Options

Please complete the following table:

Guidance

The aim of this question is to identify examples of vertical integration on climate adaptation. Please complete the table by selecting “Yes” or “No” and providing an explanation in relevance to your region’s involvement.

The National Adaptation Plan (NAP) process emerged from the 16th Conference of the Parties (COP) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Cancun in 2010, where Parties affirmed that “adaptation must be addressed with the same priority as mitigation” (UNFCCC, 2010). In the context of the NAP process, vertical integration is the process of creating intentional and strategic linkages between national and sub-national adaptation planning, implementation and monitoring and evaluation.

In a given country context, this may include multiple levels, including the local level. Vertical integration is not a single step in the NAP process – it is an ongoing effort to ensure on the one hand that local realities are reflected in the NAP, and on the other hand that the NAP enables adaptation at sub-national levels. It is driven by recognition of sub-national diversity in vulnerability to climate change, as well as the important role played by sub-national authorities and local organizations in advancing adaptation. Effective vertical integration requires an explicit commitment from national actors to have an inclusive and participatory NAP process, with ongoing dialogue between national and sub-national actors throughout all stages.

Climate risks and adaptation actions

6.6 Do current and/or anticipated impacts of climate change present significant physical risks to your region?

Response Options

Select one of the following options:

• Yes
• No
• Do not know

Guidance

The IPCC defines risk as the potential for consequences where something of value is at stake and where the outcome is uncertain, recognizing the diversity of values. Risk is often represented as probability or likelihood of occurrence of hazardous events or trends multiplied by the impacts if these events or trends occur (IPCC, 2014). For this question, please report whether climate change present significant physical risks to your region, by selecting “Yes”, “Do not know” or “No”. If you select “Yes” or "Do not know", you will be directed to questions 6.6a and 6.6b. If you select “No”, you will be directed to question 6.6c.

When identifying impacts from climate change, states and regions should think objectively of the ways in which changes in the climate conditions will affect their region’s ability to conduct business as usual. Information about impacts associated with climate change can be found on the website of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), in the report by Working Group II, “Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability”.

If "Yes" or "Do not know" is selected in response to 6.6:

6.6a Please describe these current and/or anticipated impacts of climate change.

Response Options

Please complete the following table. You are able to add rows by using the “Add Row” button at the bottom of the table.

[Add Row]

Guidance

This question asks you to detail the physical risks of climate change, which you expect to experience in your region, together with their anticipated timescales. Do not feel obliged to include every risk to the region - list only the most pertinent and important, for example, those that may have the biggest impact, magnitude or risk factor. Responses should be reported in the fields provided using the drop-down menus where appropriate, as detailed below:

• Climate change impacts: Please select the climate change impacts that are relevant for your region from the drop-down options provided. You can select more than one type of impact by adding new rows to the table. Please note that the risks you have selected in this question will be used in question 6.6b.
• Anticipated timescale: The field offers four choices for timescale:

Current - If your region is already experiencing the identified effect from climate change.
Short term - If you anticipate your region will experience the identified effect from climate change by 2025.
Medium term - If you anticipate your region will experience the identified effect from climate change between 2026 and 2050.
Long term - If you anticipate your region will experience the identified effect from climate change after 2051.

• Estimated magnitude of potential impact: CDP asks regions to assess their level of risk by estimating the potential impact from the anticipated effect of climate change, and in the following column the probability of that effect occurring. The categories of risk are general and all that is necessary is an estimate. Four options are available to describe the seriousness of the climate change impact selected:

Extremely serious - If you anticipate that the expected effect of climate change poses the highest level of potential concern to your region. For example, you might choose this option if you expect large storms to have a significant impact on your region within a short time period.
Serious - If you anticipate that the expected effect of climate change poses a significant level of concern to your region. For example, you might choose this option if you expect large storms to have a significant impact on your region within a medium time frame.
Less serious - If you anticipate that the expected effect of climate change will have a lower impact within a longer timescale.
Other - Please specify the level of seriousness for the selected climate change impact.

It is up to the region to determine its level of risk and to make judgments about priorities: for example, whether a high impact risk with a long term timescale constitutes a more serious risk than a low impact risk with an immediate timescale.

• Estimated probability of impact: CDP asks regions to assess their likelihood of risk by estimating the probability of that effect occurring. The categories of probability are general and all that is necessary is an estimate.

• Impact description: The final question field gives you an opportunity to describe individual impacts that could be affected by the physical climate change effects you have identified, including for example, agriculture, buildings, water, waste, transport, energy, communications/telecommunications or human health. It may be useful to state how the expected effects of climate change may affect each of these areas in detail. Some examples of impact descriptions are provided below.

Example Response

Example of climate change effects and potential impacts relevant to regions

• Higher average temperatures and more extreme heat waves:

Increased cooling loads (buildings)
Decreased efficiency of energy generating plants and transmission and distribution lines (energy infrastructure)
Increase in morbidity and mortality from at-risk populations to extreme heat (human health)

• Decrease in average annual rainfall:

Decreased water availability for hydroelectric power generation and for cooling water for thermal energy plants (energy)
Decreased potable water supply and resulting water use restrictions (water)
Increased potential for pipe breakage and failure of underground services due to soil / ground condition changes (water, waste)

• More intense precipitation events:

Increased likelihood of combined sewer overloads (waste)
Increased likelihood of landslide and landslip and resulting damage (buildings)

• Sea level rise:

Increased likelihood of service disruptions on freight and mobility infrastructure networks near coastal areas (marine terminals, airports, roads, rail) (transport)
Decreased efficacy of gravity fed wastewater and sewage systems in low-lying areas (waste)
Salinization of groundwater (water)

If “Yes” or "Do not know" is selected in response to 6.6:

6.6b Please describe the adaptation actions you are taking to reduce the vulnerability of your region's citizens, businesses and infrastructure to the impacts of climate change identified in 6.6a.

Response Options

Please complete the following table. You are able to add rows by using the “Add Row” button at the bottom of the table.

[Add Row]

Guidance

This question only applies if you have answered "Yes" to question 6.6. Please note that you must have filled out question 6.6a before attempting to answer this question. This is a table question with the following fields:

• Climate change impact: Please describe a number of possible effects of climate change, which you have to select to mirror those selected from the drop-down list in question 6.6a.
• Adaptation action: Please detail the adaptation your region is taking in relation to the climate change risk which you identified, the values are listed in Appendix C.
  
• Status of action: This field is added to allow regions to select the most appropriate option from the drop-down list to describe the stage of implementation of the project or action.
  
• Action description: Please provide additional information about the adaptation action selected in the context of your region. This can include, for example, information on the avoided costs resulting from the adaptation action.
  

Example Response

If "No" is selected in response to 6.6:

6.6c Please explain why the anticipated impacts of climate change present no significant physical risks to your region.

Response Options

Please complete the following table:

Guidance

This question provides options to explain the reason why climate change does not present physical risks for the region. This question is a table with the following fields:

• Reason: Please select the most appropriate reason for your response from the options provided in the drop-down list. Please select “Other” if you want to provide a different reason from the options provided. Please specify this reason in the text field provided.
• Explanation: Please provide a brief explanation as to the relevance of this reason in the context of your region.

6.7 Please detail any compounding factors that may worsen the impacts of climate change in your region.

Response Options:

This is an open text question.

Please note that when copying from another document into the disclosure platform, formatting is not retained.

Guidance

A compounding factor is something that could intensify the impacts of climate change. These may include underlying conditions or characteristics of the region that may accentuate the severity. While a high level of predictability may be difficult, it is possible that climate change’s effects (e.g. extreme heat) may have increasing consequences due to compounding factors. These may include underlying conditions or characteristics of the region that may accentuate the severity. For example, it is understood that extreme heat raises the risk of wildfires, increasing the demand for water while simultaneously reducing its supply. Compounding factors could include terrain that is susceptible to wildfires or low annual rainfall.

6.8 Do you consider that these impacts of climate change threaten the ability of businesses to operate successfully in your region? Please explain the reasoning behind your response.

Response Options

Please complete the following table:

Guidance

Please respond by selecting “Yes”, “No” or “Do not know” from the drop-down menu. You might answer, “Yes” to this question if, for example, the dominant industry in your region is dependent on certain climatic conditions, like skiing.

For the explanation field, please explain how and why climate change threatens businesses in your region. Your answer could relate to how physical impacts of climate change will affect businesses operating in your region. Examples could include facilities / companies operating in a low-lying, increasingly flood-prone area or those businesses that are dependent on certain predictable weather conditions such as agriculture or tourism. The consideration of business viability could extend to higher costs of doing business, issues of workforce availability, transport disruptions, storm or flood damage, supply chain interruptions, or the health risks to residents due to frequent severe weather events. It may also be useful for other regions to understand how you assessed the risks to businesses in your region.

Socio-economic risks

6.9 Does your region face any socio-economic risks as a result of climate change?

Response Options

Select one of the following options:

• Yes
• No
• Do not know

Guidance

Please respond by selecting “Yes”, “No” or “Don’t know” from the drop-down menu. If you answer “Yes” or “Don’t know” you will be directed to question 6.9a, if you answer “No” you will be directed to question 6.9b. Regional governments may encounter socio-economic risks as a result of climate change. Examples of such risks might health and wellbeing, (e.g. susceptibility to disease vectors or heat-related morbidity and mortality), crime, social unrest, migration, or quality of life.

If “Yes” or “Do not know” is selected in response to 6.9:

6.9a Please complete the table below.

Response Options

Please complete the following table.You are able to add rows by using the “Add Row” button at the bottom of the table.

[Add Row]

Guidance

This question is structured as a table. The first field describes a number of possible social risks of climate change, which can be selected from the drop-down menu. Additional entries can be made in the question, using the ‘Add another’ button at the base of the question. This table has the following fields:

• Socio-economic risks: Please select all that apply for your region from the options provided. Please select “Other” if you want to provide a different socio-economic risk not covered in the drop-down list and specify this risk in the text field provided.

• Anticipated timescale in years: Please choose the timescale by which you expect to experience social risks arising from climate change. The field offers four choices for timescale:

Current - If your region is already experiencing the identified effect from climate change.
Short term - if you anticipate your region will experience the identified effect from climate change by 2025.
Medium term - If you anticipate your region will experience the identified effect from climate change between 2026 and 2050.
Long term - If you anticipate your region will experience the identified effect from climate change after 2051.

• Level of risk: CDP asks regions to assess their level of risk by estimating the potential impact along with the likelihood of that effect occurring. The categories of risk are general and all that is necessary is an estimate. Four options are available to describe the seriousness of the climate change impact selected:

Extremely serious - If you anticipate that the expected effect of climate change poses the highest level of potential concern to your region. For example, you might choose this option if you expect large storms to have a significant impact on your region within a short time period.
Serious - If you anticipate that the expected effect of climate change poses a significant level of concern to your region. For example, you might choose this option if you expect large storms to have a significant impact on your region within a medium time frame.
Less serious - If you anticipate that the expected effect of climate change will have a lower impact within a longer timescale.
Other - Please specify the level of risk associated with the socio-economic risk selected.

It is up to the region to determine its level of risk and to make judgments about priorities: for example, whether a high impact risk with a long term timescale constitutes a more serious risk than a low impact risk with an immediate timescale.

• Risk description: You may wish to describe the effect experienced / anticipated, the level of risk, anticipated timescale and sectors affected. Please use this field to provide any additional information about any socio-economic risk you selected.

• Action taken to reduce risk: Please include information on the actions/measures you are taking to reduce the impact of these socio-economic risks.

Example Response

If “No” is selected in response to 6.9:

6.9b Please explain why your region is not exposed to any socio-economic risks as a result of climate change.

Response Options

Please complete the following table:

Guidance

This question provides options to explain the reason why your region is not exposed to socio-economic risks. This question is a table with the following fields:

• Reason: Please select the most appropriate reason for your response from the options provided in the drop-down list. Please select “Other” if you want to provide a different reason from the options provided. Please specify this reason in the text field provided.
  
• Explanation: Please provide a brief explanation as to the relevance of this reason in the context of your region.

7. Water security

Water security risks

7.1 Do you foresee substantive risks to your region’s water security in the short, medium or long term?

Response Options

Select one of the following options:

• Yes
• No
• Do not know

Guidance

This question asks you to consider risks to the region’s water security. These risks may or may not be caused or exacerbated by climate change. Consider risks that stem from physical impacts as well as those that may result from regulatory, economic or social settings. If you select “Yes” or “Do not know” you will be directed to questions 7.1a and 7.2. If you select “No” you will be directed to question 7.1b.

Water is an issue of critical importance for regional governments. Water connects across sectors, places and people, as well as geographic and temporal scales. In most cases, hydrological boundaries and administrative perimeters do not coincide. Water policy is inherently complex and strongly linked to domains that are critical for development, including health, environment, agriculture, energy, spatial planning, regional development and poverty alleviation. To varying degrees, countries have allocated increasingly complex and resource-intensive responsibilities to subnational governments, resulting in interdependencies across levels of government that require co-ordination to mitigate fragmentation and manage water supply risks effectively (OECD, 2015).

If “Yes” or "Do not know" is selected in response to 7.1:

7.1a Please identify the substantive risks to your region’s water security as well as the timescale and level of risk.

Response Options

Please complete the following table. You are able to add rows by using the “Add Row” button at the bottom of the table.

[Add Row]

Guidance

This is a table question allowing states and regions to report on relevant water security risks. Multiple rows can be entered into the group using the ‘Add another’ button to the base of the group of question fields. This table has the following fields:

• Water security risks: This field asks you to classify the level of risk to your water supply. The field provides a drop-down list of options from which to select. Please select “Other” if you have a different water supply risk that can be categorized from the options provided. Specify this other water supply risk in the text field provided.

• Anticipated timescale: Please choose the timescale by which you expect to experience social risks arising from climate change. The field offers four choices for timescale:

Current - if your region is already experiencing the identified effect from climate change
Short term - if you anticipate your region will experience the identified effect from climate change by 2025.
Medium term - if you anticipate your region will experience the identified effect from climate change between 2026 and 2050.
Long term - if you anticipate your region will experience the identified effect from climate change after 2051.

• Estimated magnitude of potential: CDP asks regions to assess their level of risk by estimating the potential impact along with, in the following column, the probability of that effect occurring. The categories of risk are general and all that is necessary is an estimate. Four options are available to describe the seriousness of the climate change impact selected:

Extremely serious - If you anticipate that the expected effect of the water security risk poses the highest level of potential concern to your region.
Serious - If you anticipate that the expected effect of the water security risk poses a significant level of concern to your region. For example, you might choose this option if you expect large storms to have a significant impact on your region within a medium time frame.
Less serious - If you anticipate that the expected effect of the water security risk will have a lower impact within a longer timescale.
Other - Please specify the level of risk associated with the selected water security risk.

It is up to the region to determine its level of risk and to make judgments about priorities: for example, whether a high impact risk with a long term timescale constitutes a more serious risk than a low impact risk with an immediate timescale.

• Estimated probability of impact: CDP asks region to assess their likelihood of risk by estimating the probability of that effect occurring. The categories of probability are general and all that is necessary is an estimate.
• Risk description: You may wish to describe the effect experienced / anticipated, the level of risk, anticipated timescale and sectors affected. Please provide in this field any additional information about the water supply risks you selected. If you have selected the option "Increased water stress or scarcity" then please outline if possible whether the risks stress or scarcity specific.

Example Response

If “No” is selected in response to 7.1:

7.1b Please explain why you do not consider your region to be exposed to any substantive water security risk.

Response Options

Please complete the following table:

Guidance

This question provides options to explain the reason why your region is not exposed to water security risks. This question is a table with the following fields

• Reason: Please select the most appropriate reason for your response from the options provided in the drop-down list. Please select “Other” if you want to provide a different reason from the options provided.
• Explanation: Please provide a brief explanation as to the relevance of this reason in the context of your region.

If “Yes” or "Do not know" is selected in response to 7.1:

7.2 Please describe the actions you are taking to reduce the risks to your region’s water security.

Response Options

Please complete the following table. You are able to add rows by using the “Add Row” button at the bottom of the table.

[Add Row]

Guidance

This question is relevant only if you have answered, “Yes” to 7.1. The purpose of this question is to understand the actions you are taking to reduce the risks to your water security which you have identified in question 7.1a.

• Water security risks: The risks selected in question 7.1a will be used in this field.
• Adaptation action: This field provides an opportunity to detail the adaptation you are taking in relation to the water security risk, which you identified. If the adaptation action you are taking is not in the list provided please select “Other” and specify the type of action in text field provided.
• Action Description: In this field, please provide any additional information about the actions/measures you are taking to reduce the impacts of the water security risk(s) identified.

Example Response

7.3 Please provide a brief description of your region's approach to governing and managing its freshwater resources.

Response options

This is an open text question.

Please note that when copying from another document into the disclosure platform, formatting is not retained.

Guidance

Please provide any further information on the governance structure and mechanisms in your region for monitoring and safeguarding freshwater resources. For example, you may wish to include details of:

• The governing body, the highest level committee or individual position with oversight of freshwater resources as a strategic resource for the region.
• The incorporation of water issues into regional bylaws/legislation.
• How water management and protection is embedded into the role of national/regional regulators or river basin authorities.
• Which government and non-government bodies are involved in decision making.
• The body responsible for the collection of hydrological data or pollution monitoring.
• Where the accountability lies for managing water risks and a secure potable water supply for the region.
• How water issues are integrated into other regional planning matters such as energy, finance, agriculture.

8. Forest

Please note that this year, we will be piloting a new Forest module in the questionnaire, which will only be relevant to a selected number of states and regions. More information on the list of countries for this Forest module pilot can be found here.

Module overview

• For 2019, the Forest module will be a pilot, which will only be relevant to a selected number of states and regions. More information on the list of countries for this Forest module pilot can be found here. Countries were selected if they or at least one of their sub-national governments had endorsed the NYDF. If your region is within the countries listed, you will be requested to provide information on your forest management work, where relevant.
• The Forest module will allow state and regional governments to report data on all relevant drivers of deforestation and/or forest degradation within their jurisdiction. The selection of drivers of deforestation and/or forest degradation in question 8.2 is integral if you wish to disclose information on how your region is managing those deforestation / forest degradation drivers. You need to select at least one driver in question 8.2 if you wish to disclose information on your forest policies, management plans, risks, impacts and opportunities.

This part of the 2019 reporting guidance provides additional support and information for states and regions that are requested to answer the forest module. The information you will provide in response to the Forest module’s questions will assist in making comparisons between states and regions. It will also help inform lessons learned that could assist other states and regions on their way to tackling deforestation and/or forest degradation or it could help further refine the collection of data.

Current state

8.1 Please provide the details of your region's current natural forest area.

Response Options

Guidance

• Current natural forest area (in square km): Please provide a numerical value to indicate the coverage of your region’s natural forest area. Please consider the “land area” value provided in question 1.5 and report the natural forest within boundaries of your jurisdiction.
• Reporting year used for your region’s natural forest area: Please state the relevant year for the data used for your region’s natural forest area.
• Comments on the methodology used to collect data and quantify natural forest area: This is an open text field with 2400 characters. Please provide any comments you have about your region’s methodology used to quantify your region’s natural forest area in this field.
• Can you provide information on the ownership or tenure rights associated with your region’s natural forest area: This question provides insight into the relationship between people with respect to forests by defining ownership and tenure rights within a jurisdiction. Clear and secure forest tenure is widely believed to be a key enabling condition for sustainable management of forests (Source:WRI, The Governance of Forests Initiative (GFI) Guidance Manual: A Guide to Using the GFI Indicator Framework). Please respond to this question, by selecting from one of the options provided. If “Yes” is selected in this question, a follow-up question will appear to allow states and regions to provide additional details on the region’s forest ownership and tenure rights.

Explanation of terms

• Natural forest area: A forest that is a natural ecosystem, i.e., possesses most of the native species composition, structure, and ecological function as a forest native to the given site. This includes (Source: Accountability Framework Initiative (AFI), Core Principles and Definitions, 2018):

a) Primary forests that have not been subject to major anthropogenic impacts;
b) Regenerated (second-growth) forests that were subject to major anthropogenic impacts in the past (e.g., by agriculture) but where the main causes of impact have ceased or greatly diminished, and the ecosystem has attained much of the species composition, structure and function of prior or other contemporary natural ecosystems;
c) Managed natural forests;
d) Forests that have been partially degraded by anthropogenic causes (e.g., harvesting, fire, invasive species) but where the land has not been converted to another use neither the thresholds that define a forest have been lost.

If "Yes" is selected in response to question 8.1:"Can you provide information on the ownership or tenure rights associated with your region's natural forest area?"

8.1a Please provide details of your region's natural forest area by different categories of forest ownership.

Response Options

Guidance

• Forest ownership category: This field requests data on two specific categories; public and private. The supporting table below provides additional information on these categories.
• Percentage of region’s natural forest area characterized by forest ownership category: Please provide a numerical % value according to which your region’s natural forest area is designated under the relevant forest ownership categories.
• Explanation: This is an open text field with 2400 characters. Please provide any additional information you can provide relating to forest ownership and tenure rights within your region in relation to the categories provided.

Forest tenure categories providing examples of public and private designations (Source: FAO, Forest Tenure in Cambodia, Nepal and Vietnam).