Skip to Content
U.S. Department of Energy Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

Greenhouse Gas Guidance and Reporting

Federal agencies are required to inventory and manage their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to meet Federal goals and mitigate climate change.

Federal Guidance

Executive Order (E.O.) 13514 requires Federal agencies to inventory and manage greenhouse gas emissions.

The White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) recently released the new Federal Greenhouse Gas Accounting and Reporting Guidance and its associated Technical Support Document (TSD).

Accounting and Reporting Resources

The FedCenter Greenhouse Gas Inventory Reporting Website features additional information, training, and tools to assist agencies with completing comprehensive GHG inventory reporting requirements under E.O. 13514, including:

  • FEMP and CEQ Reporting Resources: Core documents of Federal GHG reporting under E.O. 13514.

  • Checklist: Step-by-step introduction to the essentials of GHG accounting for Federal agencies, including participant roles.

  • Inventory Management Plan: Customizable inventory management plan template that details methods used by Federal agencies. Quickly define roles and responsibilities, data management approaches, data elements, training, archiving, updating, and verification.

  • Data Requirements: Customizable GHG inventory data requirements document that provides the details needed to collect agency emissions data.

  • Frequently Asked Questions: Answers to take some of the mystery out of GHG inventories.

  • Commuter Surveys: Employee surveys to collect data needed to estimate annual Scope 3 GHG emissions associated with employee commuting.

  • Airline and Rental Car Travel Emissions: Resources to help agencies compute business air travel and rental car GHG emissions, including a default survey.

  • News and News Sources: Latest development in GHG reporting and mitigation from sources throughout the world.

Hierarchy of Greenhouse Gas Accounting

All Federal agencies play an important role in developing Federal greenhouse gas requirements, guidance, and plans for reducing emissions. The figure below outlines key agency roles in GHG mitigation across the Federal sector.

Chart of key agency roles across Federal greenhouse gas management. The first bar shows that the CEQ is responsible for GHG policies and regulations. The second bar shows that the EPA and all Federal agencies are responsible for developing a public sector GHG protocol. The third bar shows that CEQ, DOE, DOD, DOI, EPA, and GSA are responsible for Federal GHG guidance. The fourth bar shows that all Federal agencies are responsible for agency GHG plans. The fifth bar shows that all Federal agencies are responsible for creating GHG inventories.

Key agency roles in GHG regulations, protocols, guidance, planning, and implementation.