Consumption-based Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory for Oregon  

Oregon residents and businesses contribute to emissions of greenhouse gases in many ways. For many years, Oregon has conducted an “inventory” of emissions. Like other states, Oregon has focused primarily on emissions that occur in-state. But that focus only tells part of the story of how Oregon contributes to climate change. As a result of purchasing goods and services, Oregonians contribute to emissions around the world. Until now, the contribution of Oregonians to these out-of-state emissions has not been well understood.

A new inventory study commissioned by DEQ supplements the traditional inventory approach. It estimates the emissions – both in-state and elsewhere - associated with consumption by Oregon residents, businesses and governments. More than half of these consumption-based emissions occur in other states or nations.

Together with the traditional inventory of in-state emissions, the consumption-based emissions inventory tells a more complete story of how Oregon contributes to climate change and, by extension, opportunities to reduce emissions.

Reports

Summary Report

• Consumption-Based Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory for Oregon-2005: Summary Report
  This report, prepared for DEQ by the Stockholm Environment Institute, US Center, introduces and summarizes the consumption-based greenhouse gas inventory for Oregon based on 2005 data.

Technical Reports

• Consumption-Based Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory for Oregon-2005: Technical Report
  This technical report, also prepared for DEQ by the Stockholm Environment Institute, US Center, explains in detail the methodology and results of the consumption-based emissions inventory (CBEI) model.
• Supplemental Technical Report: Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Emissions Intensities for Consumption of Materials, Services, Fuels and Electricity
  A report by DEQ that further analyzes results of the consumption-based emissions inventory model in order to answer four supplemental questions, primarily about the emissions and emissions intensities of materials (products) relative to services, fuels and electricity. This report supplements the Technical Report.
• Supplemental Technical Report: Treatment of Greenhouse Gas Reductions from Recycling and Composting in Oregon’s Consumption-Based Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory
  Waste recycling (and composting of some wastes) reduces greenhouse gas emissions when viewed from a life-cycle perspective. Since 2004, DEQ has estimated the life-cycle GHG reductions associated with recycling and composting in Oregon. A separate project (CBEI, or consumption-based emissions inventory) estimates greenhouse gas emissions associated with consumption in 2005. This report attempts to reconcile these two efforts by examining how they compare in their treatment of life-cycle emissions and emissions reductions associated with recycling and composting.
• Greenhouse Gas Emissions Associated with Purchasing of Goods and Services by the City of Eugene, Oregon: Development of an Oregon-specific Estimation Method and Comparison to EIO-LCA.net
  This report applies Oregon’s consumption-based greenhouse gas emissions inventory model to municipal purchasing data from the City of Eugene, in order to help city staff understand the carbon footprint of purchases and prioritize low-carbon purchasing efforts.

Questions and Answers

• Answers to common questions about the consumption-based emissions inventory.

Other Resources

• Answering the Oregon Challenge: Climate Change
  DEQ's climate change main Web page
• Climate Change in Oregon
  Oregon Department of Energy’s climate change Web portal
• Keep Oregon Cool
  Oregon Global Warming Commission
• Calculate your household’s carbon footprint
• Materials Management Approaches for State and Local Climate Protection
  An informational toolkit for state and local governments, produced by the West Coast Climate and Materials Management Forum
• DEQ’s Waste Prevention Strategy
  Understanding the environmental – including climate-related – impacts of materials is one element of DEQ’s strategy to reduce environmental impacts through waste prevention
• Materials, Waste and Global Warming
  Additional resources on the emissions reduction potential of waste prevention and recycling

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