Greenhouse gas emissions by the United States
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The United States is historically the world's largest greenhouse gas emitter, though it was overtaken by China in 2007. The United States and Kazakhstan have not ratified the Kyoto Protocol. While the US Federal government has has opted against Kyoto type policies, various state, local, and regional governments have attempted some Kyoto Protocol goals on a local basis. For example, the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI),[1] is a state-level emissions capping and trading program, which was founded on January 18, 2007 and is comprised of eight Northeastern US states.
The U.S. State Department is offering a nation-level perspective by releasing the Fourth US Climate Action Report (USCAR) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, that includes measures to address climate change. The report shows that the country is on track to achieve President Bush's goal of reducing greenhouse gas intensity (the amount of GHG emissions per unit of gross domestic product) by 18 percent from 2002 to 2012. Over that same period, actual GHG emissions are projected to increase by 11 percent. The report estimates that in 2006, U.S. GHG emissions decreased 1.5 percent from 2005 to 7,075.6 teragrams of carbon dioxide equivalent. This represents an increase of 15.1 percent from the 1990 levels of 6146.7 teragrams (or 0.9 percent annual increase), and an increase of 1.4 percent from the 2000 levels of 6978.4 teragrams. By 2012, GHG emissions are projected to increase to more than 7,709 teragrams of carbon dioxide equivalent, which will be 26 percent above 1990 levels.
Those opposing Kyoto such as the Heritage Foundation note that, "Kyoto protocals are proving to be a failure. Most of the major parties that have pledged to reduce their emissions - name Western Europe, plus Canada and Japan - are not on track to meet their reduction goals."[2] Many environmental groups criticize the choice to energy intensity, rather than reduce total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. "Without legally binding targets for reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, the Sydney declaration is irrelevant and meaningless in addressing climate change," Greenpeace climate and energy campaigner Abigail Jabines has said [3] .
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[edit] 2007
U.S. carbon dioxide emissions raised from energy use by 1.6% in 2007, according to preliminary estimates by DOE's Energy Information Administration (EIA). Electricity generation increased by 2.5%, and carbon dioxide emissions from the power sector increased even more, at 3%, indicating that U.S. utilities shifted towards energy sources that emitted more carbon. That shift was partially caused by a 40 billion kilowatt-hour decrease in hydropower production and small use of solar power, causing a greater reliance on fossil fuels (natural gas and coal). Carbon dioxide emissions from power plants fueled with natural gas increased by 10.5%, while coal-burning power plants increased their emissions by 1.8%. [4]
[edit] Strategy and Measures to address climate change
The U.S. strategy integrates actions to address climate change (including actions to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions) into a broader agenda that promotes energy security, pollution reduction, and sustainable economic development.
[edit] Near-term measures
[edit] Energy: residential and Commercial Sectors
- Energy Star
- Commercial Building Integration [5]and Residential Building Integration (Build America).[6]
- Weatherization Assistance Program [7]
- State Energy Program [8]
[edit] Energy: Industrial Sector
- Energy Star for industry.
- Industrial Technologies Program (ITP) [9].
[edit] Energy: Supply
- Wind Energy [10]
- Solar Energy [11]
- Geothermal Energy [12]
- Biofuels: [13]
- Distributed Energy [14]
- Clean Energy Initiative, consists of:
- Green Power Partnership [15]
- Combined Heat and Power (CHP) [16]
- Carbon Sequestration Program [17]
[edit] Transportation
69 % of petroleum in the USA is for transportation. 81% of that is highway transportation.[18]
Most energy-efficient mass transit use in the United States occurs in one region; about one in every three users of mass transit in the country and two-thirds of the nation's rail riders live in New York City or its suburbs.[19] New York saves half of all the oil saved by mass transit nationwide.[20]
- CAFE:
- The Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) program requires automobile manufacturers to meet average fuel economy standards for the light-duty vehicle fleet sold in the United States . The passenger car standard has been set by statute at 11.7 kilometers per liter(kpl or km/l) (27.5 miles per gallon (mpg)), but can be amended through rulemaking. In 2003, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) raised the standard for minivans, pickup trucks, sport utility vehicles (SUVs), and other light trucks from 8.8 kpl (20.7 mpg) to 8.9 kpl (21.0 mpg) for 2005, 9.2 kpl (21.6 mpg) for 2006, and 9.4 kpl (22.2 mpg) for 2007. The action more than doubles the increase in the standard that occurred between 1986 and 2001, a period of more than 15 years. It is predicted that this activity might save approximately 412 trillion Btus (3.6 billion gallons) of gasoline over the life of model year 2005–07 light-truck fleets and is projected to result in emission reductions of 42 Tg of CO 2 Eq. in 2012 for all light trucks after model year 2005.
- In March 2006, NHTSA issued a new rule for light trucks covering model years 2008–11. The new rule raises required light-truck fuel economy to 24 mpg by model year 2011 and will save nearly 1,259 trillion Btus (11 billion gallons) of gasoline (73 Tg of CO 2 Eq.) over the life of the affected vehicles. The new rule includes an innovative reform that varies fuel economy standards according to the size of the vehicle. The regulation has also been extended for the first time to large passenger vans and SUVs.
- SmartWay
- Reneweable Fuel Standard:
- Under the Energy Policy Act of 2005, EPA is responsible for promulgating regulations to ensure that gasoline sold in the United States contains a specific volume of renewable fuel. This national Renewable Fuel Standard will increase the volume of renewable fuel that is blended into gasoline, starting with calendar year 2006. The standard is intended to double the amount of renewable fuel usage by 2012.
- FreedomCAR and Fuel Partnership and Vehicle Technologies Program :
- The program [21]works jointly with DOE's hydrogen, fuel cell, and infrastructure R&D efforts and the efforts to develop improved technology for hybrid electric vehicle, which include the hybrid electric components (such as batteries and electric motors) .
- The U.S. government uses six “criteria pollutants” as indicators of air quality: ozone, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxides, particulate matter, and lead and does not include carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases.
- Aviation yields GHG emissions that have the potential to influence global climate. In the United States , aviation makes up about 3 percent of the national GHG inventory and about 12 percent of transportation emissions. Currently, measuring and tracking fuel efficiency from aircraft operations provide the data for assessing the improvements in aircraft and engine technology, operational procedures, and the airspace transportation system that reduce aviation's contribution to CO 2 emissions. DOT has a goal to improve aviation fuel efficiency per revenue plane-mile by 1 percent per year through 2009. In the near term, new technologies to improve air traffic management will help reduce fuel burn and, thus, emissions. In the long term, new engines and aircraft will feature more efficient components and aircraft aerodynamics, enhanced engine cycles, and reduced weight, thereby improving fuel efficiency.
- Biomass and Biorefinery Systems Program [24]
[edit] Industry: Non-CO2 GHGs
- The United States is one of the first nations to develop and implement a national strategy to control emissions of high-GWP gases. The strategy is a combination of industry partnerships and regulatory mechanisms to minimize atmospheric releases of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs), and sulfur hexafluoride (SF6)—which are potent GHGs that contribute to global warming—while ensuring a safe, rapid, and cost-effective transition away from chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), halons, and other ozone-depleting substances across multiple industry sectors.
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- Environmental Stewardship —The objective of this initiative is to limit emissions of HFCs, PFCs, and SF6 in three industrial applications: semiconductor production,49 electric power distribution,50 and magnesium production.
- HFC-23 —To reduce HFC-23 emissions from the manufacture of the ozone-depleting substance HCFC-22.
- Voluntary Aluminum Industry Partnership —To reduce CF4 and C2F6 .
- Significant New Alternatives Program (SNAP)- To phase down the use of ozone-depleting substances (ODSs), such as CFCs and HCFCs. SNAP has initiated programs with different industry sectors to monitor and minimize emissions of global-warming gases, such as HFCs and PFCs used as substitutes for ozone-depleting chemicals.
- Mobile Air Conditioning Climate Protection Partnership —
[edit] Agriculture
- Environmental Quality Incentives Program
- Conservation Reserve Program
- Conservation Security Program
- AgSTAR
- Renewable Energy Systems and Energy Efficiency Improvements Program
[edit] Forestry
- Health Forest Initiative
- Forest Land Enhancement Program
[edit] Waste Management
- Landfill Methane Outreach Program
- Stringent Landfill Rule:
- Promulgated under the Clean Air Act in March 1996, the New Source Performance Standards and Emissions Guidelines (“Landfill Rule”) require large landfills to capture and combust their landfill gas emissions. The implementation of the rule began at the state level in 1998. Recent data on the rule's impact indicate that increasing its stringency has significantly increased the number of landfills that must collect and combust their landfill gas. EPA estimates that methane reductions in 2002 were 9 Tg CO2 Eq.,[clarify] and reductions for 2012 may remain about the same.
- WasteWise to encourage recycling and source reduction.
- Federal Woody Biomass Working Group
[edit] Cross-Sectorial
- Climate VISION
- Voluntary Reporting of Greenhouse Gases Under 1605(b):
- Authorized under Section 1605(b) of the Energy Policy Act of 1992, this voluntary program provides a means for utilities, industries, and other entities to establish a public record of their emissions and the results of voluntary measures to reduce, avoid, or sequester GHG emissions
- Climate Leaders
- Clean Energy-Environment State Partnership Program
- Federal Energy Management Program
[edit] Nonfederal Policies and Measures
[edit] State Initiatives
[edit] Regional Initiatives
- West Coast Governors' Global Warming Initiative
- Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative
- Western Governors' Association Clean and Diversified Energy Initiative
- Powering the Plains
- Carbon Sequestration Regional Partnerships
- U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement
- National Governors Association (NGA)´s Securing a Clean Energy Future. [27]
- NGA has announced plans to expand statewide regulations on GHG emissions and clean energy initiatives. In a news conference on September 12, Governors Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota and Kathleen Sebelius of Kansas unveiled a task force they will lead along with six other governors to promote renewable energy, conservation, and a reduction in GHG emissions through statewide policies. The US Department of Energy will provide $610,000 in support for this initiative.
- As chairman of NGA, Governor Tim Pawlenty (R-MN) said that on energy issues, "We have a federal government that doesn't seem to want to move as fast or as bold as many would like.” With states creating their own emissions standards, Pawlenty said, there will be a push for the federal government to come up with a nationwide energy policy to address global warming. If enough states act to reduce GHG emissions, "it becomes a de facto national policy," he said. [28]
[edit] Climate Action Plans
- California: Issued April 2006.
- Connecticut: Issued February 2005
- Massachusetts: Issued May 2004
- New Mexico : Issued December 2006
- Oregon : Issued December 2004
[edit] Lead by Example Programs
- New Hampshire's Building Energy Conservation Initiative
- New Jersey's Green Power Purchasing Program
[edit] Local Initiatives
- Cities for Climate Protection Campaign
- Heat Island Reduction Initiative
[edit] Private-Sector and NGO Initiatives
- Climate Savers
- Ceres' Investor Network On Climate Risk
- Green Power Market Development Group
- Chicago Climate Exchange
- Business Environmental Leadership Council
- PowerSwitch!
- Climate RESOLVE
[edit] Long-Term Measures
- Carbon Sequestration Regional Partnerships
- Nuclear:
- Generation IV Nuclear Energy Systems Initiative
- Nuclear Hydrogen Initiative
- Advanced Fuel Cycle Initiative
- Global Nuclear Energy Partnership
- Clean Automotive Technology
- Hydrogen Technology
- and High-Temperature Superconductivity
[edit] International Measures
USA is one of the few countries that has not signed the Kyoto Protocol.
[edit] Criticism
The British climate envoy in the meeting of the world's top 16 polluters, John Ashton, said the US seemed isolated on the issue of fighting climate change [29]:
| “ | The argument that we can do this through voluntary approaches is now pretty much discredited internationally | ” |
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—John Ashton, Meeting of the world's top 16 polluters |
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[edit] See also
- The Climate Registry
- Emission standard
- National Governors Association
- Kyoto Protocol
- List of countries by carbon dioxide emissions
[edit] References
- ^ Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. Retrieved on 2006-11-07.
- ^ Lieberman, Ben and Brett D. Shaefer (September 24, 2007).Major Economies Meeting on Energy Security and Climate Change: A Badly Needed Alternative to the Kyoto Protocol. Heritage Foundation web memo 1636. Retrieved on November 14, 2007.
- ^ http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/6984723.stm , http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/08/AR2007090800273.html
- ^ EIA - Emissions of Greenhouse Gases in the U.S. 2006-Carbon Dioxide Emissions
- ^ DOE: High Performance Buildings
- ^ Building Technologies Program: Building America
- ^ http://www.eere.energy.gov/watherization
- ^ EERE: State Energy Program Home Page
- ^ Industrial Technologies Program: BestPractices
- ^ Wind and Hydropower Technologies Program: Wind Energy Research
- ^ http://www.eere.energy.gov/energysources/solar.htm
- ^ EERE: Geothermal Technologies Program Home Page
- ^ EERE: Biomass Program Home Page
- ^ OE: Distributed Energy Program Home Page
- ^ Environmental Protection Agency
- ^ Environmental Protection Agency
- ^ DOE - Fossil Energy: DOE's Carbon Sequestration Research Program
- ^ PickupTruck.Com: Is An Electric Heavy Duty Pickup In Your Future? Ian Wright Says Yes
- ^ Metropolitan Transportation Authority. "The MTA Network". Retrieved on 2006-05-17.
- ^ A Better Way to Go: Meeting America's 21st Century Transportation Challenges with Modern Public Transit (PDF). U.S. Public Interest Research Group (March 2008). Retrieved on 2008-04-23.
- ^ EERE: Vehicle Technologies Program Home Page
- ^ EERE: Clean Cities Home Page
- ^ Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) Improvement Program - Environment - FHWA
- ^ EERE: Biomass Program Home Page
- ^ US EPA - Methane
- ^
- ^ National Governors Association
- ^ http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/12/AR2007091201651.html?tid=informbox , http://www.nga.org/portal/site/nga/menuitem.6c9a8a9ebc6ae07eee28aca9501010a0/?vgnextoid=d950239df46f4110VgnVCM1000001a01010aRCRD
- ^ BBC NEWS | Americas | Bush climate plans spark debate
[edit] External links
- Fourth U.S. Climate Action Report to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.
- http://www.eere.energy.gov/news/enn.cfm#energy
- U. S. Emissions Data and total carbon dioxide emissions from the consumption and flaring of fossil fuels data (Energy Information Administration).
- EPA Economic analysis:
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