Step 1: Select if materials are extracted, imported and/or exported

Where: “A. Data collection” sheet > 0. Data collection process > columns B, C, D;

How: Choose from the dropdown menu, “yes”, “no”, “I don’t know” for each of the materials and for each of the activities in column B, C, D.

  1. “Yes”: For example, you know that cereals and fruits are grown in the municipality and that natural gas is imported. Choose the “yes” tick mark for those biomass materials in column B and for the Fossil energy material in column C.
  2. “No”: For example, you know that there is no crude oil extracted, so you select the “no” cross for MF421, crude oil, in column B.
  3. “I don’t know”: You are not familiar with those processes and materials and need to investigate first, so you can select yes or no later on.
    • A great place to start doing the investigation is the Eurostat EW-MFA data for your country. If the country has not extracted the material for the last 10 years, then it can be assumed that it was not done so in the city either.
    • If you cannot confirm it with the EW-MFA data of your country, check if you can find “employees by place of work” data. If no one has worked in this activity, it can be assumed that the city does not extract the materials either.
    • If you are not sure what even is included under certain material categories like “MF118 fruits”, for example, you can refer to the annexes of the ew-mfa questionnaire (annex 1, see screenshot below)

You see, Step 1 is a great way to help you with the orientation of the materials in your UCA city and you will likely already have come across some first data.

Tip: Make use of the notes fields of column E, F, G, to write down your explanation as to why you have selected yes or no. A short comment such as “no, not in national Eurostat EW-MFA from last 10 years” is very useful if doubts occur, if you are working in a team, or if someone wants to validate your data later on.

You are not exactly sure what is meant by domestic extraction? Check out the video below:

You are not exactly sure what is meant by imports and exports? Check out the video below: