These Best Practice Guidelines are intended to provide technical guidance on current state-of-the-art technologies in urban greenhouse gas information systems. The available methodologies, as well as how they can best be implemented and guidance on the end-user outputs, are laid out. There are many unresolved challenges in this evolving field of research, and we include a discussion of ongoing research and considerations. Consequently, the best practices will require regular updating as knowledge develops. We recommend bi-annual updates to this document, with contributions solicited from researchers from around the world.
This document has been developed by many members of the urban greenhouse gas research community. The intent is to provide guidelines that can be used by researchers and stakeholders.
The first outline of these best research practices was developed during an online workshop in June 2020, with individuals nominated to lead each section. Those authors subsequently developed each section and annex, in conjunction with others from the research community, to produce a draft document. The draft was open for expert and public comment until January 31st, 2022. Following that date, comments and reviews were incorporated into a final document that was released in June 2022. Urban greenhouse gas research is evolving quickly, and we anticipate updating these Best Research Practices on a two-yearly basis.