Reconciliation of macroscale and microscale motor vehicle emission estimates

A generalised approach is presented for the compilation of spatially and temporally disaggregated motor vehicle emission inventories. Top-down (macroscale) and bottom-up (microscale) estimates of activity data and emission factors are carried out independently and are then compared and reconciled in order to produce estimates with the fewest possible uncertainties. The proposed methodology was applied with some simplifications in the urban area of Thessaloniki, and a disaggregated traffic emission inventory was created, showing that in principle it is possible to bring in line top-down and bottom-up assessments.