Last reviewed on March 21, 2013

California Greenhouse Gas Emission Inventory

Main sources (electricity generation, transportation, manufacturing) and sinks (forestry) of carbon dioxide
Main sources and sinks of carbon dioxide

New Inventory Edition Available

bullet A new edition of California's greenhouse gas emission inventory was released March 21st, 2013. It includes emissions estimates for years 2000 to 2010, and is available for download on the GHG inventory data page.

Background

The Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Inventory provides estimates of the amount of GHGs emitted to and removed from the atmosphere by human activities within California. The Air Resources Board is responsible for maintaining and updating California's GHG Inventory per H&SC §39607.4.

The inventory includes estimates for carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), sulfur hexafluoride (SF6), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), and perfluorocarbons (PFCs), which are often referred to as the "six Kyoto gases", plus nitrogen trifluoride (NF3). The current GHG inventory covers years 2000 to 2010. The emission estimates are statewide estimates that rely primarily on state, regional or national data sources, rather than individual facility-specific emissions. However, 2009 and 2010 facility level data from the GHG Mandatory Reporting Program were used for compiling statewide emissions from electricity generation, refineries and cement plants.

As estimates are refined to include additional years and improved estimation methods, new editions of the inventory are released. GHG emissions for the years 1990 through 1999 are included in the archived 1990-2004 GHG inventory published in November 2007 (available in the archive section of this site), which provided the basis for developing the 1990 statewide emissions level and 2020 emissions limit required by AB 32.

The State's emission reduction program under the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (AB 32) utilizes the GHG inventory estimates. The difference between the 2020 emissions limit and the 2020 business-as-usual forecast is the amount of emission reductions that must be achieved by the State through measures detailed in the Scoping Plan.

For general questions regarding California's Greenhouse Gas Emission Inventory, please contact: Webster Tasat, Manager, Emission Inventory Analysis Section, Phone: (916) 323-4950

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