Item A: Sustainability Commission Recommendations

Home Browse Search

future selection of GHG reduction strategies. Many approaches considered in other communities are focused on their source of electrical energy, and may not be the best measures for Eugene. Over half of the community’s current GHG emissions are related to the use of gasoline (41% of total emissions) and diesel fuel (11%). The next largest source of GHG emissions is from the use of natural gas, which accounts for 37% of total emissions. Electrical energy contributes 11% of community-wide GHG emissions. Remaining GHG sources are less than 1% of the total. Combined residential, commercial and industrial transportation activities within Eugene create over half of total community emissions. Residential activities are the next largest source of GHG emissions at 22% of total emissions, due primarily to the use of natural gas as a source for heating and water heating. Commercial activities account for 17% of total GHG emissions, again related primarily to the use of natural gas. Industrial activities contribute only 10% of the community’s GHG emissions, again related to natural gas usage in industrial processes and space heating. Understanding the overall mix of Eugene’s greenhouse gas emissions provides information on the relative importance of different activities as sources of greenhouse gas emissions. Knowing the specific sources and activities related to GHG emissions in the community will establish a basis for selecting emissions reduction strategies. 3. Methodology Overview Eugene’s community-wide inventory followed the protocol developed by ICLEI and the authors of the Clean Air and Climate Protection (CACP) software. Data was gathered from five sectors that produce the majority of community-level emissions: residential energy, commercial energy, industrial energy, transportation and waste. Utility level energy data and community wide figures for transportation and solid waste disposal were collected from numerous sources (see Appendix 1). Where necessary, data was either projected back in time (a method called backcasting) or estimated using the best available information. The CACP software converts all data to the equivalent value in CO2 (eCO2) in order to compile the information. The focus of the inventory of community greenhouse gas emissions is on activities that directly produce greenhouse gas emissions, or on the direct consumption of energy. It is these types of local activities that can most effectively be addressed by community-level emissions reductions strategies, and progress toward reduction targets most directly measured. As a result, the methodology used for this inventory does not currently include energy embedded in consumer goods from outside the community, nor does it include the potential for capture and storage of carbon by living plants (called biomass sequestration). In the transportation sector, through- trips, such as on I-5, and local trips without an origin or destination in Eugene are also not included in the inventory. Two small emissions sources, wood burning and fuel oil, were included because of significant issues with particulate pollution and significant change in use, respectively. 2