News

A new greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions calculation tool has been developed at the request of the Ministry of Climate and Energy, aimed at helping regional waste management centers and waste management companies more accurately determine the emissions generated by their activities. This tool will promote more sustainable business practices. The new methodology and tool will be presented and taught during training sessions held in two phases, on November 12 and 21.

The developed GHG emissions calculation tool offers an automated approach that allows for efficient calculation of GHG emissions from activities such as waste transportation, recycling, recovery, and disposal.

The methodology used in the tool is based on internationally recognized guidelines and calculation methods, developed with reference to the guidelines of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and other acknowledged industry sources. This approach ensures high accuracy and compliance with national inventory data compilation requirements, allowing the calculation results to be used both in policy-making and national-level reporting.

The GHG emissions calculation tool provides an overview of various activities in the waste sector that produce emissions and highlights aspects related to the circular economy and energy efficiency. GHG emissions are expressed in CO2 equivalents, including carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O), ensuring a comprehensive assessment of the emissions impact. Such an assessment will help regional waste management centers and waste management companies plan measures to reduce fossil emissions and ensure more efficient resource use.

One of the main sources of GHG emissions in the waste management sector is the disposal of household waste. The methodology considers both historical and annual data on the volume of waste disposed of in landfills, providing detailed information on carbon accumulation in landfills. Additionally, emissions from biodegradable waste resulting from composting and anaerobic digestion processes are analyzed.

In the energy sector, the methodology examines emissions from both energy production and use within the waste management sector. This helps companies understand how energy processes affect their emissions and what measures can help reduce these emissions.

The tool also highlights circular and energy efficiency measures, which are becoming increasingly important in the context of sustainable operations. These measures not only help reduce fossil emissions but also ensure more efficient resource use, which is beneficial for both companies and the environment in the long term.

Representatives from the waste sector are invited to participate in the training sessions to learn more about the new GHG emissions calculation methodology and its application in daily operations. The training will be conducted online in two phases on November 12 and 21. To register for the training, please contact Jolanta Malnace from the Ministry of Climate and Energy (email: jolanta.malnace@kem.gov.lv).

The GHG emissions calculation tool is available here: GHG Calculation Tool.
The user manual in Latvian for the GHG emissions calculation tool can be found here: User Manual.

Training material in English for using the GHG emission calculation tool can be found here:

Presentation.

The GHG emissions calculation tool was developed as part of the LIFE integrated project “Waste To Resources Latvia - boosting regional sustainability and circularity" (LIFE Waste To Resources IP, LIFE20 IPE/LV/000014).