Large differences between UK black carbon emission factors
Abstract Introduction Black carbon (BC) is a pollutant that illustrates strong links between climate warming and adverse health effects from air pollution. No standardised measurement technique for BC emissions has been implemented, making emissions and estimates highly uncertain. In this study, we...
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| Format: | Article |
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BMC
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Carbon Balance and Management |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13021-025-00306-3 |
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| _version_ | 1849402690196471808 |
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| author | Adam Brighty Iain Staffell Helen ApSimon |
| author_facet | Adam Brighty Iain Staffell Helen ApSimon |
| author_sort | Adam Brighty |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Introduction Black carbon (BC) is a pollutant that illustrates strong links between climate warming and adverse health effects from air pollution. No standardised measurement technique for BC emissions has been implemented, making emissions and estimates highly uncertain. In this study, we evaluate two UK-based BC emission factor databases calculated using two distinct. Methods the National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory (NAEI) and the Greenhouse Gas and Air Pollution Interactions and Synergies (GAINS) model database from IIASA. The scope of this investigation was limited to the 1 A (Fuel Consumption) NFR code, which comprised the largest BC-emitting activities in the UK. Comparisons were made between a reference NAEI value and a range of low (e.g., highest abatement, newest technology), medium, and high GAINS emission factors. The NAEI value sat outside the GAINS BC ranges across 64% of the selected 1 A sources, most evidently within industrial combustion. By comparison, PM2.5 and NOx emission factors within the same databases showed less frequent disagreement, with 26% and 46%, respectively, of the GAINS sources not overlapping with the NAEI reference. A complementary BC emissions estimate, using NAEI activity data, found the highest variance in emissions to be within industrial, domestic, and agricultural combustion sources. Overall, this paper highlights the need to understand the differences behind these BC emission factors and to bring them into closer alignment. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-b9c93bf28fc84f70a739e903c83474ff |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1750-0680 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Carbon Balance and Management |
| spelling | doaj-art-b9c93bf28fc84f70a739e903c83474ff2025-08-20T03:37:28ZengBMCCarbon Balance and Management1750-06802025-07-0120111510.1186/s13021-025-00306-3Large differences between UK black carbon emission factorsAdam Brighty0Iain Staffell1Helen ApSimon2Centre for Environmental Policy, Imperial College LondonCentre for Environmental Policy, Imperial College LondonCentre for Environmental Policy, Imperial College LondonAbstract Introduction Black carbon (BC) is a pollutant that illustrates strong links between climate warming and adverse health effects from air pollution. No standardised measurement technique for BC emissions has been implemented, making emissions and estimates highly uncertain. In this study, we evaluate two UK-based BC emission factor databases calculated using two distinct. Methods the National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory (NAEI) and the Greenhouse Gas and Air Pollution Interactions and Synergies (GAINS) model database from IIASA. The scope of this investigation was limited to the 1 A (Fuel Consumption) NFR code, which comprised the largest BC-emitting activities in the UK. Comparisons were made between a reference NAEI value and a range of low (e.g., highest abatement, newest technology), medium, and high GAINS emission factors. The NAEI value sat outside the GAINS BC ranges across 64% of the selected 1 A sources, most evidently within industrial combustion. By comparison, PM2.5 and NOx emission factors within the same databases showed less frequent disagreement, with 26% and 46%, respectively, of the GAINS sources not overlapping with the NAEI reference. A complementary BC emissions estimate, using NAEI activity data, found the highest variance in emissions to be within industrial, domestic, and agricultural combustion sources. Overall, this paper highlights the need to understand the differences behind these BC emission factors and to bring them into closer alignment.https://doi.org/10.1186/s13021-025-00306-3 |
| spellingShingle | Adam Brighty Iain Staffell Helen ApSimon Large differences between UK black carbon emission factors Carbon Balance and Management |
| title | Large differences between UK black carbon emission factors |
| title_full | Large differences between UK black carbon emission factors |
| title_fullStr | Large differences between UK black carbon emission factors |
| title_full_unstemmed | Large differences between UK black carbon emission factors |
| title_short | Large differences between UK black carbon emission factors |
| title_sort | large differences between uk black carbon emission factors |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13021-025-00306-3 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT adambrighty largedifferencesbetweenukblackcarbonemissionfactors AT iainstaffell largedifferencesbetweenukblackcarbonemissionfactors AT helenapsimon largedifferencesbetweenukblackcarbonemissionfactors |