United States Government Publishing Office publisher pbl distributor dst United States Government Accountability Office Resources, Community, and Economic Development Division author aut Government Organization text government publication eng GAOREPORTS Legislative Agency Publications gao legislative 2010-08-12 U.S. Government Printing Office 1996-09-04 monographic deposited born digital 37 p. GA 1.13:RCED-96-188 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-RCED-96-188 P0b002ee18037be61 f:rc96188 DGPO 2010-08-12 2011-03-28 GAOREPORTS-RCED-96-188 machine generated eng fdlp REPORT GAOREPORTS-RCED-96-188 RCED-96-188 Climate statistics Atmospheric research Air pollution control Data integrity International cooperation Reporting requirements Environmental monitoring Projections Energy consumption Energy efficiency Canada Germany Italy Japan United Kingdom EPA Climate Change Action Plan Letter Report RCED Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO evaluated the United States and other countries' progress in reducing greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by year 2000.<p/>GAO found that: (1) incomplete, unreliable, and inconsistent data prevent a complete assessment of these countries' efforts to limit greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2000; (2) the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change has compiled data emissions from 29 countries since February 1996; (3) all 29 countries reported 1990 data on carbon dioxide, 28 countries reported similar data for methane and nitrous oxide, and 8 countries did not provide projections to 2000 for at least one of the gases; (4) the level of uncertainty in emissions data is high since some countries adjusted their 1990 inventory levels to develop more reasonable projections for year 2000; (5) the Convention's reporting guidelines do not specify whether emissions' projections should be reported as gross emissions or net emissions; (6) this lack of detail affects the completeness and comparability of emissions inventories; (7) Germany and the United Kingdom are the only major developed countries that are likely to return to 1990 emissions levels by 2000; (8) energy use is the major factor affecting Annex I countries' ability to meet 1990 greenhouse levels by 2000; (9) efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the United States are hampered by changes in key economic variables; and (10) the adoption of revised reporting guidelines will help to ensure that complete and reliable emissions data are reported. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-RCED-96-188/html/GAOREPORTS-RCED-96-188.htm https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-RCED-96-188/pdf/GAOREPORTS-RCED-96-188.pdf GAO/RCED-96-188 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-RCED-96-188 Letter Report GAO/RCED-96-188; Global Warming: Difficulties Assessing Countries' Progress Stabilizing Emissions of Greenhouse Gases; Climate statistics Atmospheric research Air pollution control Data integrity International cooperation Reporting requirements Environmental monitoring Projections Energy consumption Energy efficiency Canada Germany Italy Japan United Kingdom EPA Climate Change Action Plan