Quality control and quality assurance are conducted at every step of the INCAS process to ensure best available data and that the Standard Methods have been correctly applied.
Quality control involves a series of routine technical activities that assess and maintain the quality of input data and outputs. Methods vary depending on the type of data being assessed, but typically involve accuracy checks of input data, calculations, and results.
Quality assurance is a planned system of review procedures conducted by personnel not directly involved in preparing input data and calculations. The focus is on ensuring standard methods have been followed and the outputs represent the best possible estimates of emissions and removals given the current state of knowledge and data availability.
The first national inventory using INCAS has undergone a series of independent reviews by Indonesian and international experts. This includes:
- Checks of outputs at each stage of the process have been conducted to confirm outputs meet the quality required and standard methods have been followed
- A draft report has been reviewed by five Indonesian technical and MRV experts with comments presented at the INCAS technical review workshop
- An INCAS technical review workshop was held on 18 August 2015, and involved the technical reviewers and representatives from Indonesian Government agencies and research organisations
- An INCAS public consultation workshop was held on 1 October 2015 to obtain feedback from other organisations
- Feedback from external reviews has been incorporated in the final reviews of the national inventory methods and results, and report finalisation.
Full details of the INCAS QA/QC process are available in the INCAS Standard Methods publication here.