Per the requirements of the The Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (Climate Act), the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) must compile and issue an annual report detailing statewide greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. In this article we will provide information about this report, the process behind it, and a link to download the 2021 NYS GHG report.
The Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act & Greenhouse Gas Emissions
The Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (Climate Act), signed into law in 2019, mandates specific emissions reductions targets, alongside renewable energy deployment targets, as part of the most ambitious climate legislation in the United States. The emissions requirements outlined in the Climate Act include:
- Limiting New York State greenhouse gas emissions to 60% of 1990 levels by 2030 and 15% by 2050.
- Achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions across the New York State economy.
The Annual New York State Greenhouse Gas Emissions Report 2021
As part of the Climate Act, the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is required to issue an annual report on NYS greenhouse gas emissions, pursuant to Section 75-0105 of the Environmental Conservation Law. The 2021 iteration of the report covers the years 1990 through 2019. You can download the report here, or find further information about each section of the report on the DEC website. You will also find supplemental information about the analyses behind the report by following this link.
The Process Behind the Annual New York State GHG Report
As mandated by the Climate Act, the DEC issues an annual report on statewide GHG emissions. This yearly report, compiled in alignment with the latest guidelines from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, covers all state sources from 1990 through to 2 years before the current year (e.g. 1990 through 2019 for the 2021 report) and includes the relative contribution to the statewide total of each type of GHG and each source. The statewide GHG emissions detailed in the report must include emissions produced within the state from anthropogenic sources, as well as emissions outside of the state associated with imported electricity and the extraction & transmission of imported fossil fuels. It is also required that emissions are expressed in terms of tons of carbon dioxide equivalents using a 20-year Global Warming Potential. Due to the State goal of net zero emissions, the report also includes information on emission removals from anthropogenic sources.
How the NYS GHG Report is Compiled
Typically, the DEC report follows the annual spring release of datasets from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Additionally, 3 public hearings took place in 2021 regarding the methodology, analysis, structure, and scope of the report. Further public hearings may be held periodically. The DEC also accepts feedback at any point during the year through the channels listed below. Make sure to include “Annual Report” in the subject line of the email if sending feedback.
- Mailing Address: Greg Mumby, NYS DEC Office of Climate Change, 625 Broadway, Albany, NY 12233-1550
- Email: climate.regs@dec.ny.gov
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Sources:
https://www.dec.ny.gov/energy/99223.html
https://www.dec.ny.gov/65.html
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