Monitoring
Repeated observation or measurement of relevant conditions or performance.
Example
A methane project can record gas flow and treatment operation over time.
The catch
Monitoring must cover the variables and periods needed by the method.
Related terms
Methane, Audit trail, Calibration, Carbon neutral, Climate positive, Conflict of interest
In more depth
Monitoring, explained.
Monitoring is the operator's job, and verification is someone else's check on it, so the quality of a climate claim starts with the monitoring plan. A good plan names each parameter and the instrument that measures it, then sets how often readings are taken and who keeps the equipment working. It also fixes rules for gaps, usually assuming the least favourable value when data are missing.
Continuous logging with time stamps makes problems visible, such as a flare that stopped for a weekend, which spot checks can miss. Calibration records belong in the file, because an uncalibrated meter produces confident numbers of unknown quality. Keep the raw data as well as the totals. An audit trail from each reading to the reported figure lets a reviewer trust the result.
In the journal