Managing Through Measurement: An Overview of Greenhouse Gas Accounting

Transcription

1 Managing Through Measurement: An Overview of Greenhouse Gas Accounting June 9, 2010 Hosted by The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority

2 The Climate Registry A non-profit organization governed by states, provinces and native sovereign nations in North America The only North American voluntary greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions registry for corporate inventories A community of 400 business, government and NGO leaders Partnered with IOU s to form The Cool Planet Project to provide complimentary assistance with GHG accounting to qualifying customers

3 Reducing Energy Reduces GHG s 1,300 kwh = 1 Ton of Carbon 200 therms = 1 Ton Carbon One ton of Carbon is emitted when you: Run an average US household for 60 days Drive 1,900 miles in a mid-sized car The Cool Planet Project rewards organizations who install large energy efficiency projects with assistance building their GHG inventory Facilitated by: SDG&E, The Gas Co., SCE

4 Presentation Overview 1. Voluntary Action vs. Mandatory Action 2. Benefits of GHG Accounting 3. Components of a GHG Inventory 4. GHG Protocols for Local Governments

5 Voluntary Action vs. Regulation Regulatory State, Regional, and Federal Voluntary Individual, Corporate, Municipal AB 32, Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, EPA Mandatory Reporting Rule Internal environmental initiatives, ICLEI, LEED, The Climate Registry, Global Reporting Initiative Focuses on certain sectors and thresholds Open to all sectors, no threshold Reporting is at facility or source level Reporting is at the entity level, carbon footprint Voluntary Action Should Follow Best Practice Standards 5

6 What is a GHG Inventory? Quantitative summary of GHG emissions associated with your operations Commonly referred to as. Your carbon footprint

7 Value of Building a GHG Inventory 7

8 6 Kyoto Greenhouse Gases (GHGs) Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Fossil fuel combustion (boilers, turbines, compressors, digesters, backup generators) and deforestation Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) Cooling and refrigeration; industrial and commercial needs; propellants; flame retardant; Methane (CH4) Landfills; livestock and livestock wastes; rice fields; wastewater treatment; production and distribution of natural gas and petroleum, and coal production Nitrous Oxide (N2O) Agriculture, (soil cultivation practices; use of commercial & organic fertilizers), and fossil fuel combustion Perfluorocarbons (PFCs) Aluminum production; medical applications; refrigerants; and semi conductor manufacturing Sulfur Hexafluoride (SF6) Electrical transmission and distribution systems; circuit breakers; insulators

9 Principles of a GHG Accounting Relevance: inventory should reflect the organization s emissions and decision-making Completeness: account for all GHG sources and activities within Defined inventory boundaries Consistency: consistent methodologies ensure meaningful comparison of inventory data over time Transparency: necessitating full disclosure of all assumptions, leaving a clear audit trail Accuracy: provides reasonable assurance of the information s integrity 9

10 Emissions Scopes

11 Steps for Building an Inventory Step 1: Determine Your Boundaries Geographic state, national, international Control operational, financial, equity share Step 2: Identify Emissions Sources and Collect Data Scope 1, 2 or 3 Most data is available in existing systems Step 3: Calculate Emissions Use standardized and up to date protocol and methodologies to calculate emission (Climate Registry Information Systems) Step 4: Communicate Findings Report information to stakeholders and decision-makers Report information to public through sustainability reports and/or The Registry Step 5: Evaluate Data 11

12 Reporting Protocols 1. Provide step-by-step guidance on building an inventory (see previous slide steps 1-4) 2. Ensure consistency with international standards 3. Ensure comparability between reporting years 4. Ensure accurate up-to-date methodologies and emissions factors 12

13 Reporting Protocols General Reporting Protocol The Climate Registry s standard guidance Detailed how to guide Updated annually Local Government Operations Protocol Developed by ARB, CCAR, ICLEI, and The Climate Registry Maintained and updated by The Climate Registry w/input Provides tailored guidance for quantifying local government emissions Community Protocol In development- spearheaded by ICLEI Important to ensure consistency across jurisdictions Important to address methodological challenges 13

14 You Can t Manage What You Don t Measure 14

15 Thank you! Zoe Elizabeth Communications Manager North American Energy Efficiency Program The Climate Registry Tel