The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released 2019 greenhouse gas (GHG) data collected under the EPA’s Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program (GHGRP). These data show that between 2018 and 2019 total reported GHG emissions from large facilities fell nearly 5%. These most recent data are consistent with the decade long trend in which total reported GHG emissions from large facilities decreased by more than 14% from 2011 to 2019. Notably, this downward trend in reported in GHG emissions has occurred even as the program began tracking more sources during this timeframe. With respect to power plant emissions specifically, GHG emissions from this sector decreased by 25% between 2011 and 2019.
This is the tenth year of data collection for most sectors under the GHGRP. As directed by Congress, EPA collects annual, facility-level emissions data from major industrial sources, including power plants, oil and gas production and refining, iron and steel mills, and landfills. GHGRP also collects activity data from upstream fossil fuel and industrial gas suppliers. More than 8,000 direct emitters and suppliers report GHG data to GHGRP.
Each year, EPA publishes the greenhouse gas data it collects in its online Facility Level Information on Greenhouse Gases Tool (FLIGHT). FLIGHT allows users to view reported data by region, industry, or specific greenhouse gas. Users can also download data-generated lists and view facility emissions in interactive maps, tables and charts. EPA will be holding an informational webinar to demonstrate this greenhouse gas data publication tool, including new features and a tutorial on common searches.
For more information, and to register for the webinar see: www.epa.gov/ghgreporting/
To view the new data directly in FLIGHT, see: https://ghgdata.epa.gov/ghgp/main.do