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Greenhouse Gases

  
NASA image of Earth from space.

The Greenhouse Gases (GHG) Program Area includes the latest guidance and information resources to aid Federal facilities in managing greenhouse gas emissions. This encompasses current guidance, policies, and trends related to climate change/global warming, calculation of carbon footprints, GHG inventories, and the application of offsets to reduce carbon footprints.

Click to access FedCenter's GHG Inventory Reporting module for Federal agencies.

The primary 6 GHGs of concern are: carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, and sulfur hexafluoride. The main sources of these gases due to human activity are as follows:

  • Carbon Dioxide (CO2): burning of fossil fuels and deforestation;
  • Methane (CH4): livestock enteric fermentation (i.e. cows) and manure management, paddy rice farming, land use and wetland changes, pipeline losses, and covered vented landfill emissions;
  • Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs): these items are of concern from the standpoint of global warming and the Kyoto Protocol;
  • Perfluorocarbons (PFCs): these are being used in refrigerating units as replacements for CFCs;
  • Nitrous Oxide (N2O): this is used for its anesthetic and analgesic effects as well as being used as an oxidizer in rocketry and in motor racing to increase the power output of engines;
  • Sulfur Hexafluoride (SF6): used in the electrical industry as a gaseous dielectric medium for high-voltage (35 kV and above) circuit breakers, switchgear, and other electrical equipment, often referred to as SF6. SF6 is also employed as a contrast agent for ultrasound imaging. See the DOE Safety Bulletin for more information on SF6.

As part of the Federal agenda on GHG, Executive Order (EO) 13514, "Federal Leadership in Environmental, Energy, and Economic Performance," was signed by President Obama on 5 October 2009.

EO 13514 specifically outlines how the Federal government is going to tackle the issue of GHG. The first step is the development of agency goals and targets for GHG. For most Federal agencies, this meant getting a grasp on what are their sources of GHG.

Reporting under EO 13514 related to GHG started with the submission to OMB and CEQ of a percentage reduction target for agency-wide reductions of scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions (see Definitions below) in absolute terms by fiscal year 2020, relative to a fiscal year 2008 baseline of the agency's scope 1 and 2 GHG. This was due 4 January 2010. NOTE: This target excludes direct emissions from excluded vehicles (see Definitions below) and equipment and from electric power produced and sold commercially to other parties in the course of regular business. (EO 13514, Section 2(a)).

The second EO 13514 GHG reporting target is the reporting of Scope 3 targets (see Definitions below) to OMB and CEQ by 2 June 2010 (EO 13514, Section 2(b)).

The final EO 13514 GHG reporting target is the comprehensive GHG inventory for each agency due 31 January 2011 to CEQ and OMB (EO 13514, Section 2(c)).

EPA developed the tool Development of Agency Reduction Targets (DARTs) for agencies to use to calculate and submit their scope 1 and 2 GHG emission.

FEMP developed the tool Annual GHG and Sustainability Data Report for agencies to use to develop their comprehensive GHG inventories due to OMB and CEQ by 31 January 2011.

The following definitions from the EO 13514, Section 19 are applicable to this Program Area:

  • Absolute Greenhouse Gas Emissions - total greenhouse gas emissions without normalization for activity levels and includes any allowable consideration of sequestration (EO 13514, Section 19(a)).


  • Agency - an executive agency as defined in section 105 of title 5, United States Code, excluding the Government Accountability Office(EO 13514, Section 19(b)).
  • Excluded Vehicles and Equipment – any vehicle, vessel, aircraft, or non-road equipment owned or operated by an agency of the Federal Government that is used in (EO 13514, Section 19(h)):
    • Combat support, combat service support, tactical or relief operations, or training for such operations;
    • Federal law enforcement (including protective service and investigation)
    • Emergency response (including fire and rescue); or
    • Spaceflight vehicles (including associated ground-support equipment).
  • Greenhouse Gases – carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, and sulfur hexafluoride (EO 13514, Section 19(i)).


  • Scope 1 - direct greenhouse gas emissions from sources that are owned or controlled by the Federal agency (EO 13514, Section 19(k)(i)).


  • Scope 2 - direct greenhouse gas emissions resulting from the generation of electricity, heat, or steam purchased by a Federal agency (EO 13514, Section 19(k)(ii)).


  • Scope 3 - greenhouse gas emissions from sources not owned or directly controlled by a Federal agency but related to agency activities such as vendor supply chains, delivery services, and employee travel and commuting (EO 13514, Section 19(k)(iii)).

Please use the links below to quickly jump to the information area needed or scroll down to view all items.



Regulations, Guidance, and Policy
 
National
Strengthening Federal Environmental, Energy, and Transportation Management
24 January 2007
Executive Order 13423 "Strengthening Federal Environmental, Energy, and Transportation Management", signed by President Bush on January 24, 2007. The order sets goals in the areas of energy efficiency, acquisition, renewable energy, toxics reductions, recycling, renewable energy, sustainable buildings, electronics stewardship, fleets, and water conservation. In addition the order requires more widespread use of Environmental Management Systems as the framework in which to manage and continually improve these sustainable practices.
Federal Leadership in Environmental, Energy, and Economic Performance
5 October 2009
This EO sets sustainability goals for Federal agencies and focuses on making improvements in their environmental, energy and economic performance. The Executive Order requires Federal agencies to set a 2020 greenhouse gas emissions reduction target within 90 days; increase energy efficiency; reduce fleet petroleum consumption; conserve water; reduce waste; support sustainable communities; and leverage Federal purchasing power to promote environmentally-responsible products and technologies.
This act was signed into law on August 8, 2005. The Act contains a multitude of provisions covering energy production, distribution, storage, efficiency, conservation, and research. Title XVI of the act addresses climate change.
This guidance was revised 4 June 2012. This guidance establishes requirements for Federal agencies in calculating and reporting GHG emissions associated with agency operations. This Guidance is accompanied by a separate Technical Support Document for Federal GHG Accounting and Reporting (TSD), which provides detailed information on inventory reporting requirements and calculation methodologies. Federal agencies are required to use this Guidance when reporting GHG emissions under E.O. 13514. The Guidance is not designed for quantifying the reductions from individual GHG mitigation projects, nor does it include strategies for reducing GHG emissions.
This document, dated 6 October 2010, accompanies the Federal Greenhouse Gas Accounting and Reporting Guidance and provides detailed information on the inventory reporting process and accepted calculation methodologies.
Suppliers of fossil fuels or industrial greenhouse gases, manufacturers of vehicles and engines, and facilities that emit 25,000 metric tons or more per year of GHG emissions are required to submit annual reports to EPA. The gases covered by the proposed rule are carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), hydrofluorocarbons (HFC), perfluorocarbons (PFC), sulfur hexafluoride (SF6), and other fluorinated gases including nitrogen trifluoride (NF3) and hydrofluorinated ethers (HFE). The final rule was signed by the EPA Administrator on September 22, 2009.
This is a series of information sheets intended to assist potential reporters and others to understand key provisions of the Mandatory Reporting of Greenhouse Gases Rule. The "General Provisions" information sheet provides an overview of the source categories covered under this rule. The source-specific information sheets and checklists highlight key information on each specific emission category. The monitoring checklist identifies the data needed to monitor starting 1 January 2010.
This GSA document, published April 2010, details the response to EO 13514, Section 13's mandate that the General GSA, in coordination with other key agencies, to assess the feasibility of working with the Federal supplier community (comprised of vendors and contractors that serve federal agencies) to measure and reduce supply chain GHG emissions, while encouraging sustainable supplier operations. This report is a feasibility assessment addressing the requirements of Section 13 and was developed by a cross-agency working group led by GSA.
These guidelines, updated in January 2007 by the DOE's Office of Policy and International Affairs, are divided into General Guidelines and Technical Guidelines. The purpose of the General Guidelines is to establish the procedures and requirements for filing voluntary reports. The purpose of the Technical Guidelines is to define permissible methods of calculating reportable emissions and reductions.
This report was published 5 October 2010 by the Interagency Climate Change Adaptation Task Force. The report outlines recommendations on how Federal Agency policies and programs can better prepare the United States to respond to the impacts of climate change.
International
Issued by ICLE – Local Governments for Sustainability, the protocol consists of the general principles and philosophy that any local government, regardless of location, should adhere to when inventorying GHGs from its internal operations and community as a whole. The emission sources that should be included in a GHG inventory and the methods used to quantify theses sources are generally consistent between local governments, but are unique when compared with any other type of entity.
This standard specifies principles and requirements at the organization level for quantification and reporting of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and removals. It includes requirements for the design, development, management, reporting and verification of an organization's GHG inventory.
This standard specifies principles and requirements and provides guidance at the project level for quantification, monitoring and reporting of activities intended to cause greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions or removal enhancements. It includes requirements for planning a GHG project, identifying and selecting GHG sources, sinks and reservoirs relevant to the project and baseline scenario, monitoring, quantifying, documenting and reporting GHG project performance and managing data quality.
This standard specifies principles and requirements and provides guidance for those conducting or managing the validation and/or verification of greenhouse gas (GHG) assertions. It can be applied to organizational or GHG project quantification, including GHG quantification, monitoring and reporting carried out in accordance with ISO 14064-1 or ISO 14064-2. This standard also specifies requirements for selecting GHG validators/verifiers, establishing the level of assurance, objectives, criteria and scope, determining the validation/verification approach, assessing GHG data, information, information systems and controls, evaluating GHG assertions and preparing validation/verification statements.
This standard specifies principles and requirements for bodies that undertake validation or verification of greenhouse gas (GHG) assertions.
Regional
The GRP is an easy-to-follow user's manual that outlines the principles, concepts, calculation methodologies and procedures required for effective participation in the California Registry.
This is a mandatory, market-based effort in the United States to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Ten Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic states will cap and then reduce CO2 emissions from the power sector 10% by 2018.
Supporting Information and Tools
 
Databases/Software Tools
This tool is designed to help you assess whether your facility would be required to report greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions as required by EPA's Mandatory GHG Reporting Rule. Applicability depends on the source categories located at the facility and, for some source categories, the emission level or production capacity.
Carbonfund supports third-party validated renewable energy, energy efficiency and reforestation projects globally that reduce carbon dioxide emissions and the threat of climate change. They focus on climate change education, carbon offsets and reductions, and public outreach.
This tool is a searchable, online database of good practice sustainability measures for building services engineers. The measures are a distillation of well-established sustainability guidance. The tool provides: a shortlist of measures for specific sustainability topics; and references to further guidance, including the section of the relevant document. The issues addressed include: water use; adapting buildings for climate change; sustainable drainage systems; site ecology and habitats; and energy recovery. This is not a comprehensive list of all issues addressed.
CARROT is the California Registry's greenhouse gas emission calculation and reporting software.
Module 1 of the CLIP Tool estimates GHG and CAP emissions from park sources (e.g., mobile combustion, wastewater treatment) and sums these emission estimates to produce an inventory for the entire park. Module 1 is designed for use by one or two individuals who collect "activity data" (data on activities that produce emissions) and enter the data into Module 1. After completing an inventory using Module 1, the user exports the results of the inventory to Module 2. Module 2 of the CLIP Tool allows users to investigate ways to reduce their park's emissions. The tool is organized into management sectors: energy, transportation, waste and education and outreach. Each management sector includes emission reduction calculators; information and links on related technologies, financial savings, and environmental benefits; and dynamic scenario-planning features. Module 2 culminates in the an Action Plan, which presents the park's emission inventory results, actions the park plans to take to reduce emissions, the associated emission reductions and cost savings, and narrative describing climate change and the park's efforts to mitigate climate change.
CEDB enables comparison of the potential emissions associated with moving passengers and freight via various transportation modes. The CEDB comprises emissions data for a wide range of vehicles across all modes. This data can be used as input to emissions models to calculate inventories and health and climate impacts.
The intent of this calculator is to help companies and individuals understand the greenhouse gas (GHG) emission implications of various disposal methods for durable goods. GHG emission and energy estimates provided by the Durable Goods Calculator are intended to support voluntary GHG measurement and reporting initiatives as well as provide information regarding the GHG emission implications of waste management decisions. The Calculator estimates GHG emissions benefits in MTCE and energy savings in MMBtu for recycling, landfilling and combustion of 14 typical durable goods.
This quiz estimates the amount of land and ocean area required to sustain an individual's consumption patterns and absorb their waste an annual basis.
eGRID is a comprehensive air emissions database of electric power plants in the United States, including emissions data on nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, carbon dioxide and mercury. The new edition of eGRID now also provides emissions data on two greenhouse gases, methane and nitrous oxide.
This Carbonfund calculator helps users measures emissions from employee's commutes based on whether they are using motor vehicles or public transit.
e-GGRT is a web-based system EPA supporting reporting under the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program (GHGRP).
This Carbonfund calculator helps users measures emissions from events based on the length of the event, the distances traveled to the event, modes of travel, hotel use, and number of attendees.
This Excel workbook provides electronic reporting capability for the Federal agency compiled comprehensive GHG inventory for fiscal year 2010 and the base-year 2003 GHG inventory for the purpose of measuring progress toward the goals established under Executive Order.
This Carbonfund calculator helps users measures fleet emissions based on the types of vehicles used and the miles driven.
These calculation tools and guidance are tailored specifically for service sector (banks, hospitals, etc.) and office-based organizations that have mainly indirect emissions arising from business operations and are not necessarily directly produced on-site. Included are tools and guidance for: transport or mobile sources; combined heat and power (CHP) plants; and employee commuting.
The EPA's greenhouse gas tool lets users see large facilities that emit greenhouse gases in the United States. Users can view emissions in their state or create a custom search.
This calculator translates rather difficult to understand statements such as "a metric ton of carbon dioxide: into more commonplace terms, such as "is equivalent to avoiding the carbon dioxide emissions of X number of cars annually." This equivalency calculator may be useful in communicating a greenhouse gas reduction strategy, reduction targets, or other initiatives aimed at reducing GHG emissions.
These tools are a part of EPA's Climate Leaders program and target low emitting businesses. Examples of low emitting businesses may include a service-industry company with 1,000 branch offices, a company with one small manufacturing plant, an owner of a single office building, a company that leases office space, or a branch of state or federal government.
The GSA Carbon Footprint Tool is a free user friendly online tool available for federal agencies to compile their annual comprehensive GHG inventory as required by Executive Order 13514 and track progress towards achieving GHG reduction goals. The Tool offers many benefits including bottom-up calculations, pre-population of aggregate data, an enterprise dashboard, and a carbon profile map. In addition, the Tool provides both manual and batch data import capabilities, it has an intuitive user interface with embedded guidance for novice users, and it provides a Commuter Survey Tool which can capture and analyze Scope 3 Employee Commuter data. To obtain a demo account or to request a free training, go to www.carbonfootprint.gsa.gov.
This wiki is a materials management toolkit of: climate protection actions, example climate action plans, new approaches to GHG inventories, measurement tools, and links to additional resources.
This emission modeling system estimates emissions for on-road and nonroad mobile sources, cover a broad range of pollutants, and allows multiple scale analysis.
This tool helps determine the GHG and energy benefits of current waste disposal practices. Users enter data on the amount of various waste materials they landfill, recycle, and incinerate, and the tool calculates how that waste disposal scenario compares with one in which all waste is landfilled. The tool reports the benefits in terms of GHGs and other air emissions, energy use, quantity of oil and gas consumed, waterborne wastes, and other metrics. Results are also displayed according to economic sector and life-cycle stage, and automatically-generated charts and graphs provide an illustrated view of the results.
The calculator generates estimates of the environmental benefits of a study area, based on the tonnages of materials that are source reduced, reused, recycled, landfilled, or incinerated (includes waste-to-energy). The Calculator is based on per ton figures of the estimated energy use and emissions from several lifecycle analysis studies. The estimates are average figures based on "typical" facilities and operating characteristics existing in the United States. Factors that are not included in this Calculator are landfill gas recovery and generation of electricity by waste-to-energy. The Calculator incorporates U.S. EPA's most recent WARM Calculator, as well as, facts and figures for the U.S. Department of Energy, Steel Recycling Institute, Glass Packaging Institute, and U.S. Climate Technology Cooperation Gateway, to name a few.
This Carbonfund calculator helps users measures office emissions based on utility bills, number of employees, or office space.
This calculator considers an individual's energy use, waste stream, and purchasing patterns to measure both the Global Acres required to support an individual's office-related activity and the CO2 emissions that result.
A free, desktop computer application which estimates the technology cost for automobile manufacturers to achieve variable fleet-wide levels of vehicle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
This Carbonfund calculator helps users measure paper use emissions based on the type and amount of paper used.
This EPA online calculator can be used to get a rough "ballpark" estimate of personal or family's greenhouse gas emissions and explore the impact of taking various actions to reduce emissions.
The ReCon Tool was developed to assist companies and individuals in estimating the life-cycle GHG and energy impacts of purchasing or manufacturing certain materials; it also calculates the GHG and energy benefits of increasing the recycled content of specific materials. The ReCon Tool was last updated August, 2006.
This Carbonfund calculator helps users measure emissions from shipping based on the method of shipment, weight of shipped items, and distance shipped.
This new series provides critical information on changing climate; changes that are taking place now, and taking place in your hometown, city or state. Each week the website will feature content for a new state, and continue adding stories on existing states.
This tool (TTX Tool) introduces users to the potential impacts of climate change on the water sector within the context of an all-hazards approach to emergency preparedness and response. The 15 scenarios in the tool include natural hazards, man-made incidents, and potential climate change impacts. Five climate change-related scenarios provide an opportunity for utilities to consider and implement long-term planning measures in order to mitigate the potential impacts of climate change. To request copies of the TTX Tool, please email ttxtool@epa.gov with your mailing address and number of copies.
WARM was developed to assist solid waste managers in determining the GHG impacts of their waste management practices. WARM compares GHG and energy impacts of landfilling, recycling, incineration, composting, and source reduction. WARM was last updated August 2010.
Directories/Catalogs/Newsletters
A newsletter produced quarterly by the International Energy Agency (IEA) Greenhouse Gas R&D Programme (IEA GHG). The newsletter aims to provide general information on new developments in the field of greenhouse gas abatement and mitigation.
Libraries/Repositories
This website serves as a hub for recent climate-related work at the Academies. It highlights climate studies that have been produced by committees of leading scientists and other experts convened by the Board on Atmospheric Sciences and Climate and numerous other entities within the National Research Council. At this site, you will find brief summaries, booklets, videos, and other resources related to these reports. You will also find information about significant ongoing climate activities across the Academies.
Sponsored by the U.S. DOT, the clearinghouse is designed as a one-stop source of information on transportation and climate change issues. It includes information on greenhouse gas (GHG) inventories, analytic methods and tools, GHG reduction strategies, potential impacts of climate change on transportation infrastructure, and approaches for integrating climate change considerations into transportation decision making.
ENERGY STAR connects users with a broad range of tools and resources to help them implement a successful energy management strategy, including the reduction of greenhouse gases. Examples of tools in the library include: guidance on energy management, improving building performance, and assessing energy efficiency.
The publications and tools on this page are compiled from across the State and Local Climate and Energy Web site for quick access. Descriptions of the resources, suggestions for their use, and additional case studies and links to other resources can be found on the topic pages of the Web site.
This site provides information about measuring greenhouse gas emissions from transportation, the contribution of transportation sources to total emissions of greenhouse gases, and solutions for reducing emissions from transportation.
A library of WCI documents and materials.
Organizations/Programs
A voluntary effort jointly sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the U.S. Department of Energy. The program encourages the use of methane recovery (biogas) technologies at the confined animal feeding operations that manage manure as liquids or slurries.
ACCO was founded in August 2008 and incorporated in Washington, DC in January 2009 as a 501(c)(6) non-profit corporation. ACCO's mission is advance the knowledge and skills of those dedicated to developing and directing climate change strategies in the public and private sectors, and to establish a flexible and robust forum for collaboration between climate change officers.
The Registry is a private non-profit organization originally formed by the State of California. The California Registry serves as a voluntary greenhouse gas (GHG) registry to protect and promote early actions to reduce GHG emissions by organizations.
A multi-agency, planning and coordination entity that assists the government in carrying out the President's National Climate Change Technology Initiative. It is managed by the Department of Energy and organized around five technology areas for which working groups have been established. EPA participates in all of the working groups and chairs the group focused on reducing emissions of non-CO2 greenhouse gases.
This program provides parks with the tools and resources to address climate change. Member parks around the country are leading the way in the effort to protect our Nation's natural and cultural resources to ensure their preservation for future generations.
A nonprofit collaboration among North American states, provinces, territories and Native Sovereign Nations that sets consistent and transparent standards to calculate, verify and publicly report greenhouse gas emissions into a single registry.
a voluntary program to reduce the environmental impact of power generation by promoting the use of CHP. CHP is an efficient, clean and reliable approach to generating power and thermal energy from a single fuel source. The Partnership works closely with energy users, the CHP industry, state and local governments and other stakeholders to support the development of new projects and promote their energy, environmental and economic benefits.
A joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy helping us all save money and protect the environment through energy efficient products and practices. With the help of ENERGY STAR enough energy was saved in 2008 alone to avoid greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those from 29 million cars -- all while saving $19 billion on their utility bills.
An EPA industry-government partnership that works with companies to develop comprehensive climate change strategies. Partner companies commit to reducing their impact on the global environment by completing a corporate-wide inventory of their greenhouse gas emissions based on a quality management system, setting aggressive reduction goals, and annually reporting their progress to EPA.
This FEMP program area provides information on the basics of GHGs, a review of Federal requirements, guidance, contacts, and technical assistance and training.
The GHG Institute is a non-profit organization founded in 2007 to build the GHG management infrastructure of the future, with a focus on training and supporting a global community of qualified professionals to work on GHG measurement, accounting, auditing and management.
Developed by NASA, this site presents the vitals signs for the planet. Vital Signs include measurements of arctic sea ice, carbon dioxide, sea level, global temperature, and the size of the ozone hole. The site also discusses evidence, causes, effects, and solutions to climate change.
GSA's CPES BPA helps agencies achieve their energy, greenhouse gas, and water conservation goals using a streamlined acquisition process.
The IPCC is a scientific intergovernmental body set up by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). It was established to provide the decision-makers and others interested in climate change with an objective source of information about climate change. The IPCC doesn't conduct any research nor does it monitor climate related data or parameters. Its role is to assess on a comprehensive, objective, open and transparent basis the latest scientific, technical and socio-economic literature produced worldwide relevant to the understanding of the risk of human-induced climate change, its observed and projected impacts and options for adaptation and mitigation.
This is a flexible, voluntary partnership between EPA and the oil and natural gas industry. Through the Program, EPA works with companies that produce, process, and transmit and distribute natural gas to identify and promote the implementation of cost-effective technologies and practices to reduce emissions of methane, a potent greenhouse gas.
A network of organizations working with the National Climate Assessment (NCA) to engage producers and users of climate assessment information across the United States.
The center provides analysis and resources on climate change science, technology, policy, markets, and initiatives through an extensive website.
This is a collaborative effort between EPA and the electric power industry to identify and implement cost-effective solutions to reduce sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) emissions.
USGCRP coordinates and integrates federal research on changes in the global environment and their implications for society. Thirteen federal departments and agencies participate in the USGCRP. The site provides access to up-to-date research and publications concerning global warming as well as regional and sector climate information.
An EPA-led partnership of western cities and states that are developing and sharing ways to integrate lifecycle materials management policies and practices into climate actions.
The WCI is a collaboration of independent jurisdictions who commit to work together to identify, evaluate, and implement policies to tackle climate change at a regional level.
WRI is an environmental think tank that goes beyond research to find practical ways to protect the earth and improve people's lives. AS one of their four programmatic goals, WRI seeks to " Protect the global climate system from further harm due to emissions of greenhouse gases and help humanity and the natural world adapt to unavoidable climate change."
Lessons Learned
 
Agency Guidance
Section 8 of EO 13514, Federal Leadership in Environmental, Energy and Economic Performance required each Federal agency to develop, implement, and annually update an integrated Strategic Sustainability Performance Plan. The initial plan was submitted to CEQ by 2 June 2010. This plan prioritizes agency actions for achieving environmental, economic, and energy goals detailed in EO 13514.
This guidance was revised 4 June 2012. This guidance establishes requirements for Federal agencies in calculating and reporting GHG emissions associated with agency operations. This Guidance is accompanied by a separate Technical Support Document for Federal GHG Accounting and Reporting (TSD), which provides detailed information on inventory reporting requirements and calculation methodologies. Federal agencies are required to use this Guidance when reporting GHG emissions under E.O. 13514. The Guidance is not designed for quantifying the reductions from individual GHG mitigation projects, nor does it include strategies for reducing GHG emissions.
This FEMP guidance provides and overview of the basic of greenhouse gases, the goals and requirements for agency GHG management, ongoing guidance activities conducted by FEMP and common protocols for calculating greenhouse gas inventories. Also addressed are FEMP services, technical assistance, and training available to help Federal agencies calculate and manage their greenhouse gas emissions. Lastly, the site includes FEMP and U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) national laboratory contacts related to Federal greenhouse gas.
This fleet guidance document issued by DOE's FEMP in April 2010 is organized around a cyclical fleet management framework--plan, collect, strategize, and implement. This framework is provided as a tool for agency fleet managers to select optimal petroleum reduction strategies for each fleet location, based on an evaluation of site-specific characteristics, including availability of alternative fuel, fleet size, fleet optimization and fleet vehicle composition. This document focuses on the first stage of this process--planning. The accompanying handbook will assist agencies in the collect, strategize, and implement process stages (NOTE: The final version of the accompanying handbook is not available as of April 15, 2010).
Awards
EPA's Climate Protection Awards are presented to companies, NGOs, and individuals each year to recognize exceptional leadership, outstanding innovation, personal dedication, and technical achievements in protecting the Earth's climate.
EPA has partnered with The Climate Registry (The Registry), the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions (C2ES), and the Association of Climate Change Officers (ACCO) to incentivize, recognize, and highlight actions that go beyond business as usual in the management and reduction of GHG emissions both in internal operations and throughout the supply chain. The awards recognize corporate, organizational, and individual leadership in addressing climate change and reducing carbon pollution.
The ENERGY STAR CHP Award recognizes projects that require at least 5 percent less fuel than state-of-the-art separate heat and power generation.
Case Studies
Released October 2011, this is a report outlining the federal government's progress in expanding and strengthening U.S. capacity to better understand, prepare for, and respond to extreme events and other climate change impacts. The report provides an update on actions in key areas of federal adaptation, including: building resilience in local communities, safeguarding critical natural resources such as freshwater, and providing accessible climate information and tools to help decision-makers manage climate risks.
Issued April 18, 2008, this document summarizes the results of DOE research concerning biofuels and greenhouse gases.
This GAO report, issued 7 October 2009, includes several case studies and examples of how federal, local, state and even international governments can effectively move forward to protect coastlines, infrastructure, and citizens from rising sea levels, intensifying storms, droughts, and other impacts from global warming. The report number is GAO-10-113.
This EPA report helps readers interpret a set of important indicators to better understand climate change. The report presents 24 indicators, each describing trends related to the causes and effects of climate change. EPA will use these indicators to collect data and generate analyses.
This report, dated March 2011, presents a series of case studies describing the approaches currently being taken by four water utilities in the United States to assess their vulnerability to climate change. The case studies illustrate different approaches that reflect specific local needs and conditions, existing vulnerabilities, local partnerships, and available information about climate change. Information from these case studies will be useful to water utilities and other members of the water resources community to inform the development of strategies for understanding and responding to climate change. This report was prepared by the National Center for Environmental Assessment's Global Climate Research Staff in the Office of Research and Development.
Issued by EPA, this 2011 document is subtitled "A Guide to Developing and Implementing Greenhouse Gas Reduction Programs" and is a part of the Local Government Climate and Energy Strategy Series. This guide describes how local governments can lead by example and achieve multiple benefits by improving the energy efficiency of their new, existing, and renovated facilities and their day-to-day operations. It is designed to be used by facility managers, energy and environment staff, other local government agencies, and mayors and city councils.
The publications and tools on this page are compiled from across the State and Local Climate and Energy Web site for quick access. Descriptions of the resources, suggestions for their use, and additional case studies and links to other resources can be found on the topic pages of the Web site.
Published by the U.S. Global Change Research Program in 2009, the report summarizes the science and the impacts of climate change on the United States, now and in the future. It focuses on climate change impacts in different regions of the U.S. and on various aspects of society and the economy such as energy, water, agriculture, and health. It's also a report written in plain language, with the goal of better informing public and private decision making at all levels.
Through the ICORE project, the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center (ISTC) provides technical assistance to water and wastewater treatment facilities and businesses to reduce water and energy consumption; wastewater generation; and carbon emissions. This presentation focuses on the first two years of ICORE, covering activities, obstacles, and achievements, as well as example(s) of technologies and case studies relevant to the project.
May 21, 2010, this document was prepared to assist Federal agencies in implementing Executive Order 13514, Federal Leadership in Environmental, Energy, and Economic Performance. This document outlines the recommended steps for cost-effective creation of a bicycle-friendly environment for employees at and visitors to Federal facilities, thereby reducing the emission of greenhouse gases (GHG). This document was developed by the Office of the Federal Environmental Executive with assistance from the Inter-Agency Task Force on Bicycling and Active Transportation.
This compilation presents best practices and lessons learned that are taken from the CRE annual progress report for 2010.
This report, dated 2007 from the World Resources Institute (WRI), examines the feasibility of achieving significant emissions reductions from the proliferation of biofuels and concludes that biofuels are not a complete, nor even the primary, solution to our transport fuel needs.
This report, dated March 2011, provides information on the effectiveness of travel efficiency measures for reducing criteria and greenhouse gas emissions at the national scale. The report describes an approach that uses regionally derived travel model data and other travel activity information, and sketch-planning analysis to estimate potential emission reductions from urban areas of varying size and characteristics. The results are applied to other urban areas in the U.S. of similar characteristic to estimate national emission reductions.
Developed by the Canadian Institute for Research on Public Policy, this article outlines Canadian successes in reducing greenhouse gases.
EPA has established several voluntary programs to provide technical assistance to companies wishing to reduce their waste and GHG emissions. A sampling of innovative GHG partnerships forged through WasteWise and other voluntary programs is presented below.
The primary goals of this report are to document the weather and climate events of the year and place them into accurate historical perspective, and to provide information on the state, trends, and variability of the climate system s many variables and phenomena. This is the 22nd annual edition of the State of the Climate series which started as NOAA s Climate Assessment.
Published March 19, 2008, this European Environment Agency report outlines six successful examples of greenhouse gas reduction in the road transport sector.
This report provides information on the costs and benefits of green infrastructure solutions for bolstering local adaptation to climate change.
This document, dated March 2011, provides information on transportation control measures that have been implemented across the country for a variety of purposes, including reducing criteria pollutants and greenhouse gases. The document describes the rocesses used to develop and implement the strategies and, where available, their effectiveness.
This April 2010 Department of Commerce report analyzes energy-related CO2 emissions and intensities for 349 industries, the government, and households for the 1998 to 2006 period. This report shows how energy efficiency has changed over the past decade across industry sectors, indicating that some areas of the economy have shown substantial decreases in their CO2 emissions while others have made less progress. The methodology of the report provides a way to measure changes in energy efficiency over time as policies change.
This booklet, based on the National Research Council report, "Climate Stabilization Targets: Emissions, Concentrations, and Impacts Over Decades to Millennia (2011)", outlines the scientific information that makes it clear that emission reductions today matter in determining impacts that will be experienced over the next few decades and into the coming centuries and millennia. The booklet explains how policy choices can be informed by recent advances in climate science that show the relationships among increasing carbon dioxide, global warming, related physical changes, and resulting impacts.
Collaboration Tools
Sponsored by P2Rx, this is a Wiki addressing the following areas: GHG environmental impact, GHG best practices, GHG terminology, GHG gas calculators/resources, and references.
Inventories
Prepared annually by EPA, the national greenhouse gas inventory report presents estimates of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions and sinks beginning with the year 1990. This report also discusses the methods and data used to calculate the emission estimates.
This report presents WRI's CO2 inventory for specific calendar years. Reports are available for 2003 and forward. It details emission sources included and excluded from the inventory, describes how emissions data were collected and calculated, summarizes how emissions have changed over time, and describes WRI's GHG management activities.
Training, Presentations, and Briefings
Projects can reduce or avoid GHG emissions that cause climate change. These actions can reduce the overall emissions of an organization to create tradable creates to offsets emissions in order to become carbon neutral. This training course covers basics of GHG accounting for projects.
This course covers the basics of GHG accounting for organizations. The course materials are based on the WRI/WBCSD GHG Protocol Corporate Standard while referring to ISO 14064.
October 2012-July 2013 This is a 10-month pilot online course offered by the Fish & Wildlife Service that will be offered beginning in early October 2012. This online course is designed to cover the fundamentals of climate science, provide tools & resources for climate adaptation, & increase climate literacy & communication through online lectures, webinars, & discussions. Participation in the 10 month course is available as either "registered for credit" or as a "drop-in" participant. Registered course participants will receive a Certificate of Completion from the U.S. FWS National Conservation Training Center & can receive CEUs offered through The Wildlife Society. The course will be offered as webinar series with additional reading & resources posted on the online class webpage, Moodle. Course participants are expected to complete all 10-months in order to receive the minimum credit hours. All webinars will be recorded & posted online for those who cannot attend the live webinar. Each session will open with a 45-minute lecture via webinar by a leading scientist/manager in a specified topic. The lecture will be followed by an additional 30-45 minute discussion via the conference line. Course participants are expected to also participate in an online discussion board to receive full credit. Course participants will also have the option to develop a final written report to present during July 2013 session for additional credit. No tuition or registration for course.
The U.S. FWS is offering this course designed to guide conservation and resource management practitioners through two essential elements in the design of climate adaptation plans and provide guidance in identifying which species or habitats are likely to be most strongly affected by projected changes. Vulnerability assessments are a critical tool in undertaking any climate change planning or implementation.
The U.S. EPA, in partnership with six other federal agencies (National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NASA, U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management), developed this toolkit to aid educators in teaching how climate change is affecting our nation's wildlife and public lands, and how everyone can become "climate stewards." This kit is designed for classroom teachers and informal educators in parks, refuges, forest lands, nature centers, zoos, aquariums, science centers, etc. The new case studies and activities have been reviewed by scientists and educators in all 7 agencies involved in the creation of the kit.
Presentation given by Gary Clow, Geology and Environmental Change Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey, during the 2010 DOI Conference on the Environment in April 2010.
October 1, 2012 - November 30, 2012 Offered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, this is a pilot 8-week online course that provides participants with the skills to address climate change impacts in making decisions about natural resource management. This course highlights principles from Informing Decisions in a Changing Climate, a 2009 National Research Council report. Videos show techniques in structured decision making and adaptive management, and discuss how climate change affects each step in the processes. Participants work in teams on actual decision problems. As the teams use similar techniques on their different decision problems, participants observe multiple examples of on the ground application. Instructors work with teams to build expertise in climate change impacts and decision analysis. Teams develop a final report and presentation on their decision problem. This course is developed in partnership with staff from USGS. There is no tuition or registration fee associated with this course.
FEMP offers webinars, classroom training, and on-demand training addressing issues such as lighting, energy efficient products, fleet management, renewable energy, greenhouse gases, and water efficiency.
Federal Greenhouse Gas Accounting and Reporting is no-cost training that provides an update on new greenhouse gas (GHG) regulatory requirements, as well as strategies, models, and technology tools to measure GHG emissions.
EPA Powerpoint presentation providing an overview of the mandatory reporting rule.
Presented at the June 2009 Federal Environmental Symposium - East. Several top-down GHG inventory approaches have been developed within the Federal community. Bottom-up GHG inventory efforts are also emerging at Federal facilities. Together, they ultimately can produce more robust and comprehensive institutional GHG management.
This course will train experts in GHG accounting for energy efficiency projects.
The objective of the course is to provide an understanding of the current status of accounting approaches for forest and other land use projects and to go through a process of how GHG accounting for forest and other land use projects is done.
This course provides comprehensive and detailed guidance on developing forest GHG inventories.
This course will train experts in preparing inventories and emission reduction projects for landfill gas methane sites.
This course provides training to individuals who wish to be involved in the implementation of clean development mechanism (CDM) projects in the technical area TA1.2: Energy generation from renewable energy sources. The course focuses on hydropower and wind energy projects.
In 2007, the Forest Service was the first federal land management agency to join the EPA Climate Leaders program. As part of this affiliation, the Forest Service spent a year developing a greenhouse gas emissions inventory for the six National Forests in the Greater Yellowstone Area, which is one of the largest intact ecosystems in the continental U.S. This inventory, which focuses on anthropogenic emissions from the agency's operations, is the first of its kind in the nation. This was presented at the June 2009 Federal Environmental Symposium – East.
This course includes: an overview of existing GHG verification approaches; a step by step process for planning, executing, and completing a GHG verification; and reference case studies.
The Greenhouse Gas and Sustainability Data Report Demonstration provides a step-by-step guide on completing the Greenhouse Gas and Sustainability Data Report for inventory and reporting Federal agency greenhouse gas emissions across scopes 1, 2, and 3.
Demo presentation by Jennifer Hazelman and Sandra Ladds, GSA, and Mile Corrigan and Matthew Holtry, Noblis, August 2, 2011.
This course provides a comprehensive overview of carbon markets, from their origins in global efforts to address climate change to the details of regional emissions trading programs. The lessons in this course will provide you with a general knowledge of climate change policy and the effects of treating GHG as a tradable commodity.
This course provides a comprehensive overview of the basics of climate change.
This training provides an overview of definitions, baseline measurements, and other requirements outlined by the new executive order.
Presentation given during the 2010 DOI Conference on the Environment in April 2010.
This webinar provides an overview of the National Climatic Data Center's monthly climate reports for the USA and the globe. The reports provide a monthly snapshot into the state of the climate system and some of the relevant datasets and analytical approaches.
Presented by the EPA's Watershed Academy, this module is based on EPA's National Water Program Strategy: Response to Climate Change.
Presentation given during the 2010 DOI Conference on the Environment in April 2010.
Presented at the June 2009 Federal Environmental Symposium – East. This presentation will explore the process of quantifying greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and calculating the carbon footprint and ecological footprint of a large, industrial government facility. Skills and tools to complete your own calculation will be introduced to a user model developed by Sandia National Laboratories to calculate the carbon and ecological footprint of their facility.
The Pew Center convened a workshop addressing the use of cost-benefit analysis in determining climate change costs. A major focus of the workshop was the inadequacy of traditional analytical tools, such as CBA, for guiding policy decisions about non-incremental changes in economy-wide greenhouse gas emissions. Many participants recommended a risk-management approach that views climate stabilization as insurance against uncertain but intolerable outcomes. The workshop report contains an extended summary of 17 presentations and the full text of nine background papers by experts in climate science and economics.
Conferences and Events
November 2012
April 2013
04/02 - National Adaptation Forum New Item (Until 04/04)
 
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Last Updated: July 02, 2012