Title
2018 Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Climate Update
Description
This report provides the Transportation, Infrastructure and Innovation Subcommittee an update regarding the City's efforts toward achieving the Mayor and Council-adopted goals related to greenhouse gas emissions and climate adaptation. To measure progress, the City recently completed two reports: the City of Phoenix 2018 Local Government Operations Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory Report; and the 2018 Community-Scale Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory Report (Reports). These Reports are an update to the City's 2015 Local Government Operations Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory Report and 2016 Community-Scale Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory Report, and present a status of the City's progress toward meeting its current greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction targets of 40 percent by 2025 (City operations) and 30 percent by 2025 (community-wide), respectively.
THIS ITEM IS FOR INFORMATION ONLY.
Report
Summary
2018 Local Government Operations Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory
In 2016, the City Council adopted a goal to reduce GHG emissions from City operations to 40 percent below 2005 levels by the year 2025. Since 2012, the Office of Environmental Programs (OEP) has been authorized by Council to work with Arizona State University (ASU) via an intergovernmental agreement to calculate GHG emissions inventories and measure progress to the 2025 goal. The results show that in 2018, GHG emissions from City operations were 15.4 percent lower than 2005 levels.
The most significant GHG reduction programs included:
• Advanced methane capture systems at City-owned landfills
• Increased transition to alternative fuels
• Completed installation of energy-efficient streetlights and traffic signals
• Additional solar power projects
• Increased waste diversion rates, including construction of 27th Compost Facility
• Continued construction of PHX Sky Train
The decrease in emissions can also be attributed to efforts by Salt River Project (SRP) and Arizona Public Service (APS) to reduce GHG emissions by using alternative sources to produce power that have reduced the GHG intensity of the electricity the City purchases.
2018 Community-Scale Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory
A community-scale GHG emissions inventory was completed for 2018 as an update to the 2012 and 2016 inventories. The results show that in 2018, GHG emissions on a community-scale were 0.5 percent lower than 2012 levels. GHG emissions decreased during this period while the City’s population grew 12 percent and the metro area economy grew 26 percent. Per capita emissions fell from the 2012 baseline of 11.33 metric tons Carbon dioxide (MT CO2e) to 10.00 MT CO2e in 2018.
The community-scale inventories are conducted in three categories: stationary energy, transportation, and waste sectors. Since 2012, an increase of 12 percent of emissions in transportation was observed, due to an increase in gasoline consumption used for on-road transport. There was a 9 percent decrease in the stationary energy sector due to a less GHG-intensive electrical grid. The waste sector also saw a decrease of 17.6 percent in GHG emissions due to advanced methane capture systems and older landfills emitting less methane.
The actions that contribute to the reductions in GHG measured in these reports are part of an overall strategy to reduce GHG emissions in the city. In recognition of those actions and the Mayor and Council's adoption of ambitious goals to address climate change, this year the City of Phoenix was inducted to the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group (C40), a network of 96 cities around the world whose leaders are committed to action to mitigate climate change. City staff are currently working on a C40-compliant Climate Action Plan that will provide a higher level of detail and scope for further reducing GHG emissions. Staff from many City departments are involved in developing this updated plan. Staff expect to bring the completed plan to Council for approval in late 2020.
The reports prepared by the OEP in conjunction with Arizona State University Walton Sustainability Solutions Initiative are attached.
Department
Responsible Department
This item is submitted by Deputy City Manager Karen Peters and the Office of Environmental Programs.