diff --git a/validation/data_emissions.yaml b/validation/data_emissions.yaml
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+++ b/validation/data_emissions.yaml
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+# validation bounds for historical CO2 emissions
+- Historical fossil CO2 emissions data:
+    variable: Emissions|CO2|Energy and Industrial Processes
+    World:
+      region: World
+      rtol: 5%
+      file: data_emissions_global.csv
+    # source for regional reference values: Our World in Data (2023)
+    Asia (R5):
+      region: Asia (R5)
+      year: 2020
+      rtol: 10%
+      value: 20520  # MtCO2
diff --git a/validation/data_emissions_global.csv b/validation/data_emissions_global.csv
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+# historical fossil CO2 emissions
+# source: Global Carbon Budget (2023), values given in Mt CO2
+year, value
+2015, 36320
+2020, 35650
diff --git a/validation/data_final_energy.yaml b/validation/data_final_energy.yaml
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+++ b/validation/data_final_energy.yaml
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+# total final energy consumption and all sub-categories must be positive
+- variable: Final Energy*
+  lower_bound: 0