Greenhouse gases: documentation of statistics

The statistics on greenhouse gases (GHG) cover anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions and removals within the borders of Finland with few exceptions.

The statistics cover seven actual greenhouse gases (in addition, more than one gas is included in the groups of HFC and PFC compounds):

• carbon dioxide (CO₂)
• methane (CH₄)
• nitrous oxide (N₂O)
• HFCs
• PFCs
• sulphur hexafluoride (SF₆)
• nitrogen trifluoride (NF₃).

In addition, the following emissions are reported: carbon monoxide (CO), nitrous oxides (NOx), sulphur dioxide (SO₂) and non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOCs). 

Emissions are reported for the following sectors:

• Energy: energy use of fuels, and evaporative and fugitive emissions related to the production, distribution and consumption of fuels.
• Industrial processes and product use: emissions from industrial processes, emissions from the use of raw materials and fuels used as raw materials, emissions from the use of F gases, and emissions from the use of nitrous oxide for industrial and medical applications.
• Agriculture: CH₄ emissions from enteric fermentation, CH₄ and N₂O emissions from manure management, soil N₂O emissions, N₂O emissions of field burning of agricultural residues, and CO₂ emissions from liming and urea application.
• Land use, land-use change and forestry (LULUCF): carbon stock changes (emissions and changes) for the following land-use categories: forest land, cropland, grassland, wetlands, settlements and other land. Other items reported include carbon stock changes for wood products, emissions from wildfires and forest fires, N₂O emissions from land converted to cropland, forest fertilisation, drained forest land and peat extraction areas, and CH₄ emissions from drained forest land and peat extraction areas.
• Waste: emissions from landfilling, compost and digestion and sewage treatment.
• Indirect CO₂ from fossil fugitive emissions or industrial process and product use (IPPU) emissions of CH₄ and NMVOC.

The statistics on greenhouse gases (GHG) cover anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions and removals within the borders of Finland with few exceptions.

In accordance with international agreements, the inventory is carried out at a national level.

The time series of the statistics start in 1990, which is the base year under the UNFCCC.

The time series may be updated due to a revision of the calculation methods or reference data up to 1990, because the inventory process is continuously improving following recommendations from international inventory reviews and the development of the scientific basis for emission calculation methods. Changes are made for the entire timeseries in order to ensure time series consistency. Especially in the LULUCF sector, the use of new data in the calculation revises the annual sums of removals and emissions (net sink or net source) backwards in the time series, especially for the latest years, because typically not all the necessary data were available when the data for each year were first published.

The unit of measure used in the statistics is tonnes of CO₂ equivalent. The calculation of GHG emissions and sinks is based on CO₂, methane, nitrous oxide and F gases. The warming potential of different greenhouse gases is translated into a common measure, i.e. CO₂ equivalent, using Global Warming Potential (GWP) factors. The GWP assigned to CO₂ is 1, and the GWP factors for other greenhouse gases are determined by comparing the radiative forcing of one kilogramme of the GHG concerned (W/m²) with the corresponding radiative forcing of CO₂.

The greenhouse gas inventory data are produced in accordance with the new EU governance regulation, and global warming potential (GWP) factors according to the IPCC's Fifth Assessment Report (AR5) are adopted in EU reporting from 2023 on and in Paris agreement from 2024 on.

Table 1. GWP factors according to the IPCC Assessment Reports (SAR, AR4 and AR5)

¹ In accordance with the inventory reporting guidelines, up to the 2014 inventory submission.

² In accordance with the inventory reporting guidelines, starting from the 2015 inventory submission until the 2022 inventory submission.

³ In accordance with the inventory reporting guidelines, starting from the 2023 inventory submission.

4 Mandatory reporting items.

The reference period is a year. The first release of the annual data (instant preliminary data) is produced using simplified methods and is published at around 5 months. The preliminary data are published with a delay of around 12 months, and the final data are published with a delay of 15 months.

The classifications are based on Guidance for operationalizing the modalities, procedures and guidelines for the enhanced transparency framework referred to in Article 13 on the Paris Agreement (Decision 5/CMA.3) https://unfccc.int/sites/default/files/resource/CMA2021_L10a2E.pdf

The compilation of statistics is guided by the Statistics Act. The Statistics Act contains provisions on collection of data, processing of data and the obligation to provide data. Besides the Statistics Act, the General Data Protection Regulation, the Data Protection Act and the Act on the Openness of Government Activities are applied to processing of data when producing statistics.

Statistics Finland compiles statistics in line with the EU’s regulations applicable to statistics, which steer the statistical agencies of all EU Member States.

Further information: Statistical legislation

The compilation of statistics is guided by the Statistics Act. The Statistics Act contains provisions on collection of data, processing of data and the obligation to provide data. Besides the Statistics Act, the Data Protection Act and the Act on the Openness of Government Activities are applied to processing of data when producing statistics.

Statistics Finland compiles statistics in line with the EU’s regulations applicable to statistics, which steer the statistical agencies of all EU Member States.

The greenhouse gases statistics are based on Statistics Finland’s international GHG inventory reporting. The Finnish Government adopted a resolution on the organisation of climate policy activities by the government authorities on 30 July 2003. In accordance with the Resolution, Statistics Finland is the responsible body for the national inventory system for GHG emissions. Statistics Finland guides the inventory work, and compiles and sends the data independently to the UNFCCC, Paris Agreement (from 2024 on) and the EU Commission. The role of Statistics Finland as the responsible body for the national GHG inventory system was confirmed in the Climate Change Act (609/2015).

Finland is a party to the 1992 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), which entered into force in 1994. In addition, Finland is a party to the Kyoto Protocol, which supplements the UNFCCC. It entered into force in February 2005. Paris Agreement was adopted on 2015 and the reporting under PA will start in the 2021 inventory year. The Paris Agreement supplements the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) concluded in 1992. The parties have agreed on the reporting of emissions by the UNFCCC and Paris Agreement decisions. In addition to emissions, the reporting covers the uptake of greenhouse gases from the atmosphere (removals/sinks).

Statistics Finland, the Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE) and the Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke) participate in the production of the statistics and in the calculation of emissions and removals as actual expert organisations. Other key parties are the ministries involved in the drafting of the climate policy: the Ministry of the Environment, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment and the Ministry of Transport and Communications. The resources of the national monitoring mechanism are allocated to the expert organisations via the performance guidance of the relevant ministries.

In addition to the regulations governing Statistics Finland, the production of the data is based on agreements between Statistics Finland and the expert organisations on the production and reporting of emission inventory data, as well as on collaboration with the responsible ministries. Some parts of the emission calculation are purchased by Statistics Finland.

Further information: Statistical legislation

Statistics Finland publishes new statistical data in its web service. Reporting tables and inventory report is submitted to EU and UNFCCC. A Biennial Transparency Report is submitted to the Paris Agreement every two years.

The data used in the calculation of energy and industrial process emissions are obtained from administrative registers, the information system of the environmental administration, the emissions trading data of the Energy Authority, and the data collected by Statistics Finland for the production of energy statistics, as well as other administrative data of Statistics Finland. The F-gas emission calculation is based on annual data collection from economic operators.

The statistics of the Natural Resources Institute Finland and the Food Authority are the main sources of data for the calculation of emissions in the agricultural sector. The main data sources for the calculation of emissions and removals in the LULUCF sector are the National Forest Inventory, and the statistics on forestry and agriculture. The emission calculation for waste management is carried out on the basis of administrative data and modelling.

The data used in the statistics are annual data.

The administrative data for energy and industrial process calculations are delivered to Statistics Finland as line transfers according to agreements. Emission and removal data for F gases and the agricultural, waste and LULUCF sectors are obtained from the expert organisations through the UNFCCC reporting tool (ETF Inventory Tool).

Data from different sources are compared with data from the previous year. Quality control is guided by the international reporting guidelines.

In the greenhouse gas inventory the greenhouse gas emissions and removals are generated in accordance with the IPCC methodological guidelines. These guidelines also instruct quality control and quality assurance. In the data compilation the faults and errors are corrected. The methods of processing data vary depending on the source data (see Source data). Methods to compile data are described by sectors in the inventory report which is submitted to the EU and UNFCCC.

The statistics are part of Finland's national reporting to the EU, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and from 2024 on also to the Paris Agreement. Data are used by ministries, other public administration, research institutes and think tank-type organisations (Finnish Environment Institute, Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra, etc.), the media, consultants and other enterprises, non-governmental organisations, interest groups. The data are also used by international organisations.

In the light of the best current knowledge, the greenhouse gases statistics reflect emissions, subject to the limits and definitions agreed in the UNFCCC and Paris Agreement. The aim of the guidelines was to ensure that the methods were scientifically sound and objective.

The reliability of the emissions estimates of the inventory (and the related statistical release) is assessed using the uncertainty estimation methods set out in the inventory guidelines. The annual results of the uncertainty analyses are reported in the National Inventory Document.

When compiling the statistics on greenhouse gases, no sampling is used for data calculated by Statistics Finland, but the expert organisations providing data also use sample-based source data in their calculations.

Examples of possible errors in statistical releases include erroneous figures in release texts, figures or tables, or use of incorrect concepts. Unlike revisions, error situations are unexpected deviations in the normal production of statistics.

Errors are corrected and the users are informed about them as quickly as possible. Statistics Finland informs about significant errors to the same extent and through the same channels as in the releasing of the original data.

Notations about corrections and their points of time are added to the corrected releases.

Recalculation are described more detailed in the inventory report which is submitted to the EU and UNFCCC.

Quality management requires comprehensive guidance of activities. The European Statistics Code of Practice forms the basis for the common quality system of the European Statistical System.

The Code of Practice is based on 16 principles that concern statistical authorities' independence, accountability and the quality of the processes and data to be published.

The principles are in line with the Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics approved by the United Nations Statistics Commission and are supplementary to them. The quality criteria of Official Statistics of Finland are compatible with the European Statistics Code of Practice.

Further information: European Statistics Code of Practice | Statistics Finland and Recommendations of the Advisory Board of Official Statistics of Finland | Statistics Finland

The experts involved in the compilation of the statistics are responsible for planning, carrying out and documenting the practical implementation of the QC review of the inventory within their respective inventory areas in accordance with the inventory protocols. Inventory experts implement the QC activities in accordance with the QA/QC plan within their respective inventory areas and document the performance of the activities on the QA/QC form, the inventory report and the documentation concerning their inventory area in an appropriate manner over the course of the inventory work.

Revisions – i.e. improvements in the accuracy of statistical data already published – are a normal feature of statistical production and result in improved quality of statistics. The principle is that statistical data are based on the best available data and information concerning the statistical phenomenon. On the other hand, the revisions are communicated as transparently as possible in advance. Advance communication ensures that the users can prepare for the data revisions.

The reason why data in statistical releases become revised is often caused by the data becoming supplemented. Then the new, revised statistical figure is based on a wider information basis and describes the phenomenon more accurately than before.

Revisions of statistical data may also be caused by the calculation method used, such as annual benchmarking or updating of weight structures. Changes of base years and used classifications may also cause revisions to data.

The GHG emissions data for Finland are reported annually to the European Commission and to the UNFCCC. Inventory reporting under Paris Agreement started in 2024.

The most recent statistical data according to the reporting rules are from two years ago. The national inventory of GHG emissions is submitted to the European Commission by 15 January. The Commission is responsible for the compilation of the EU-level inventory. It is possible for Member States to supplement and update their data until 15 March. The EU inventory is compiled from the deliveries of the Member States and delivered to the UNFCCC Secretariat by 15 April. Finland submits its own final inventory to the UNFCCC Secretariat by the same date.

In addition, instant preliminary data calculated using simplified GHG inventory methods are submitted to the Commission by 31 July. The instant preliminary data concern the year preceding the reporting year.

The data (instant preliminary data) calculated using simplified inventory methods are published in May with a delay of 5 months. Preliminary data are released in December with a delay of 12 months. The official data for the statistical reference year are published with the delay of around 15 months.

The delivery date is the same as the target date.

The international comparability of the Finnish inventory is ensured by using the IPCC methods, classifications and presentation structure agreed at the Meetings of the Parties of the UNFCCC.

The reported data cover all the main emission sources, sinks and gases referred to in the IPCC Guidelines. Any exceptions to coverage are specified in the reporting tables and in the National Inventory Report for each sector.

The time series for the inventory start in 1990, the base year under the UNFCCC. The comparability of the time series over time is one of the basic principles of compiling the inventory. If the inventory methods change, the previous years are recalculated, or the comparability of the time series is ensured in accordance with the IPCC Guidelines.

CO₂ emissions from energy use make up the majority of the GHG inventory emissions. They are also published annually in Statistics Finland’s energy statistics and in preliminary energy statistics.

The GHG emission estimates published in the preliminary energy statistics are calculated using more simplified methods than the corresponding figures in the GHG inventory. The earlier years of the GHG emission time series of both the preliminary and final energy statistics are made uniform with the inventory data.

As part of the inventory, data on energy use and generation are reported, which also form part of the data of the energy statistics. There are differences in baseline data, classifications and level of detail between the energy statistics and the inventory, but work is underway to harmonise these areas.

The following differences and similarities must be taken into account when comparing the data from the energy statistics and the GHG inventory:

• The total fuel consumption and the resulting CO₂ emissions reflect the same thing in both statistics; the aim is to harmonise the data to the extent possible;
• The total fuel consumption in the GHG inventory does not include other energy sources (e.g. nuclear power, hydro power, etc.);
• The amount of CO₂ emissions in the energy statistics does not include CO₂ or other greenhouse gases from other sources, while the GHG inventory also reports all GHG emissions from the energy sector;
• The total GHG emissions of the energy statistics (excluding sinks) are a rough estimate based on the preliminary energy statistics, which are produced using different methods than the corresponding data in the GHG inventory.

The following differences and similarities must be taken into account when comparing the GHG inventory with the data on Air emission accounts statistics:

• Air emission accounts statistics according to the Environment Economic Accounts Regulation (EU) No 691/2011 also include emissions from land, water and air transport by Finnish citizens and from Finnish fishing vessels abroad;
• Emissions from land, water and air transport by foreign nationals are deducted from the air emission accounts in Finland. This residence-principle approach differs from the approach used in the GHG inventory, which only includes emissions from the territory of Finland, irrespective of the nationality of the person responsible for the emission (principle of territoriality). An exception in the greenhouse gas inventory is the wood product stock of the LULUCF sector: Carbon stock changes for wood products made of domestic wood are also reported in the inventory as concerns exported wood products, when the so-called production-based approach is used in the calculation. This approach is used in reporting under the Paris Agreement and in EU reporting, so Finland's inventory also uses it;
• The classification and division of industries used in the statistics differ from the division of sectors used in the reporting of greenhouse gases. The definition of transport corresponds to the national accounts procedure, in which transport by households is part of private consumption. In the energy statistics and the GHG inventory, the transport sector covers all modes of transport.

Sub-annual statistics are not published from the statistics on greenhouse gases.

The comparability of the time series over time is one of the basic principles of compiling the inventory. If the inventory methods change, the previous years are recalculated, or the comparability of the time series is ensured in accordance with the IPCC Guidelines.

Statistics Finland publishes new statistical data at 8 am on weekdays in its web service. The release times of statistics are given in advance in the release calendar available in the web service. The data become public after they have been updated in the web service.

Further information: Publication principles for statistics at Statistics Finland

Statistics Finland's release calendar Future publications

Future publications of the statistics can be found on the page of the statistics at: Future publications of the statistics

The data are released to all users at the same time. Statistical data may be processed at Statistics Finland and information on them may be given before release only by persons involved in the production of the statistics concerned or who need the data of the statistics concerned in their own work before the data are published.

Further information: Publication principles for statistics

Unless otherwise specifically stated in connection with the product, data or service concerned, Statistics Finland is the producer and copyright owner of the data. The terms of use for statistical data.

The release is published annually on the home page of the statistics.

The database tables of the statistics can be found in the StatFin database.

Unit-level data used in the compilation of the statistics are not available to others than producers of statistics.

The greenhouse gases statistics are based on Statistics Finland’s international GHG inventory reporting. Calculation methodologies are described more detailed in the inventory report which is submitted to the EU and UNFCCC.

The annual reporting of the GHG inventory data takes place through standard reporting tables as set out in the UNFCCC and from 2024 Paris agreement guidelines, as well as through the National Inventory Report. The preparation of the GHG inventory is guided by the reporting guidelines of the UNFCCC and Paris Agreement the IPCC methodological guidelines for assessing emissions. The IPCC guidelines cover all sectors, and experts from around the world have contributed to their development. The IPCC guidelines allow reporting countries to select the methodological levels best suited for the calculation of the different emission categories based on the resources and data available in each country.

The EU's Monitoring Mechanism Regulation, its amendment, as well as its Implementing Regulation and Delegated Regulation, set their own requirements for the national inventories of the Member States.

Reporting guidelines for the UNFCCC inventory:

• 24/CP.19 UNFCCC reporting guidelines on annual inventories for Parties included in Annex I to the Convention (2013)
  In the inventory, the warming potential of different greenhouse gases is translated into a common measure, i.e. CO₂ equivalent, using Global Warming Potential (GWP) factors. I n the IPCC’s Fourth Assessment Report (2007) are used (25 for methane, 287 for nitrous oxide, and 12–22,800 for F-gases, depending on the gas).
• Paris Agreement - The Rulebook concerning the implementation of the Paris Agreement was adopted at the Katowice Climate Change Conference in 2018 and finalised at the Glasgow Climate Change Conference in 2021. The rules are comprehensive and common to all, while also allowing certain limited flexibilities for the developing countries.

IPCC guidelines for inventory calculations:

• IPCC 2006 Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories (2006)
• 2013 Revised Supplementary Methods and Good Practice Guidance Arising from the Kyoto Protocol (2013)
• 2013 Supplement to the 2006 IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories: Wetlands The use of the Wetlands guidelines is optional, unless a party to the Kyoto Protocol has chosen to implement activities related to the drainage and rewetting of wetlands. Finland has not chosen such activities but has applied these guidelines in the selection of emission factors for drained organic soils to complement national research data.
• 2019 Refinement to the 2006 IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories (2019) – voluntary under Paris Agreement

The data protection of data collected for statistical purposes is guaranteed. The compilation of statistics is guided by the Statistics Act. Alongside the Statistics Act, the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation and the Finnish Data Protection Act are applied to the processing of personal data. Provisions on the confidentiality of data collected for statistical purposes are laid down in the Act on the Openness of Government Activities.

The data are processed only by persons who need the data in their work. The use of data is restricted by usage rights. All persons employed by Statistics Finland have signed a pledge of secrecy, where they have obliged to keep secret the data prescribed as confidential by virtue of the Statistics Act or the Act on the Openness of Government Activities.

Further information: Data protection | Statistics Finland (stat.fi)

The data materials are protected at all stages of processing with the necessary physical and technical solutions. The unit-specific data of the calculation data must be kept confidential.