Greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide absorb infrared energy radiated from the Earth's surface and prevent it from leaving the atmosphere. The presence of these naturally occurring gases in the atmosphere warms the planet's surface, making it hospitable to life. However, during the last century, human activities such as the burning of fossil fuels have increased the atmospheric levels of these gases. The effects of these increased concentrations are uncertain, but many scientists believe they will result in unpredictable and potentially catastrophic changes to the Earth's climate.

In response to these concerns, the United States has undertaken efforts to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. Rather than implement a regulatory program, the Congress and President Clinton have called for voluntary actions to reduce emissions and meet U.S. commitments under the Framework Convention on Climate Change.

The Voluntary Reporting of Greenhouse Gases Program, established by Section 1605(b) of the Energy Policy Act of 1992, provides a means for organizations and individuals who have reduced their emissions to record their accomplishments and share their ideas for action.

Why Report?

There are a number of reasons you may wish to report including:

To gain recognition for environmental stewardship.
To inform the public debate about activities aimed at achieving reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.
To establish a public record of emissions and reductions that may be referenced for future consideration.
To demonstrate support for voluntary approaches to achieving environmental policy goals.
To contribute to information exchanges on the most effective ways to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases.
To demonstrate progress toward meeting commitments to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases made under voluntary programs.

Who Can Report?

Anyone can report. You can report as: an individual, head of household, organization, small business, or large corporation. Past reporters include:

Utilities such as Niagara Mohawk, Houston Lighting and Power, and New England Electric Systems
Manufacturers such as General Motors, Johnson & Johnson, and Alcan Ingot
Coal producers such as Consol and Peabody
Chemical companies like Dow and DuPont
Information technology innovators like IBM
Coal producers such as Consol and Peabody
Trade associations reporting on behalf of their members like the Integrated Waste Services Association.

What Types of Information Can I Report?

You can report any activity that reduces emissions of greenhouse gases or increases carbon fixation or sequestration. Some examples of what you can report include:

Baseline emissions for 1987-1990 and subsequent years.
Emission reductions from 1991 onwards.
Projects such as:

     
• Operation of more efficient vehicles,
• Replacing lighting fixtures or appliances with more efficient ones,
• Fuel switching,
• Recovering methane from landfills,
• Forest preservation and tree planting,
• Carpooling
• Recycling

On Which Greenhouse Gases Can I Report?

This voluntary reporting program accepts information on:

Carbon Dioxide,
Methane,
Nitrous Oxide,
Halogenated substances, including many refrigerants (such as CFCs and HCFCs) and
Other radiatively enhancing gases, including nitrogen oxides (NOx), nonmethane volatile organic compounds (NMVOCs), and carbon monoxide (CO).

How Is the Information Collected?

To allow flexibility, the Voluntary Reporting of Greenhouse Gases Program offers two reporting forms:

Form EIA-1605, or the long form, allows you to give a detailed account of emissions, emission reductions, and carbon sequestration for an entire entity (for example your entire corporation, plant, or household) or for specific projects.
Form EIA-1605EZ, or the short form, allows you to provide a brief synopsis of emission reductions or sequestration achieved by individual projects.

Electronic Reporting

Both Form EIA-1065 and Form EIA-1605EZ can be downloaded from this web-site and submitted to the Energy Information Administration via the Internet. To access the electronic reporting form, click here. Forms are also available on CD-ROM or diskette and may be submitted on diskette via U.S. mail or by e-mail.

How Will the Information Be Used?

The information collected through the Voluntary Reporting of Greenhouse Gases Program is made available through a public use database. Public access to the data supports educational exchanges, informs public policy development, and encourages public recognition of your initiatives to reduce greenhouse gases. The database preserves, and makes publicly available, data on your emissions, emission reductions, and sequestration achievements.

Check Out Our Homepage

The Voluntary Reporting of Greenhouse Gases web site can be accessed at http://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/1605/
frntvrgg.html

This site provides general information about the program, and makes all the program's documentation available for viewing or downloading, including

current electronic and paper reporting forms
the database of reports received
guidelines and worksheets for the estimation of emissions, emission reductions, and carbon sequestration

How Can I Get Involved?

Anyone can get involved. If you have done anything - large or small - to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases, you can complete and submit a report to EIA.