GHG Calculation Tools Review for Municipal Governments

Climate change is a global and crucial concern that requires raising awareness about greenhouse gas (GHG) emission management. Municipalities are recognized as playing a substantial role in achieving GHG emission reduction targets. Thus, municipalities should take on a major role in GHG emission reductions to mitigate the effects of global climate change. To achieve this goal, quantifying the amount of GHG generated by municipal activities is an important first step. This is accomplished by establishing a clear and comprehensive GHG inventory.

Moreover, assuming that we can only control what is measured, more and more municipalities undertake actions to inventory the GHG emissions of their assets. Once the GHG emissions inventory is completed, building managers can quantify the potential for reducing GHG emissions and thus make informed decisions about future investments to optimize their building operations.

A variety of approaches and tools has been developed to establish GHG inventories. In this context, this assignment consisted of identifying a GHG quantification or inventory tool that will accelerate municipal climate actions aligned with local and net zero targets by 2050.

Econoler supported the FCM in a scan and needs assessment of GHG calculation tools for municipal governments in Canada. To do so, Econoler carried out the following tasks:

• Examine and summarize existing GHG quantification tools across Canada, which can be used by municipalities to monitor their climate action work and help them comply with reporting requirements;
• Conduct a detailed evaluation of the inventoried GHG quantification tools and compare the differences and overlaps between the tools;
• Interview several stakeholders involved in municipal GHG reporting to investigate the time it takes to complete a GHG inventory using the various GHG quantification tools and develop a chart that details the time it takes municipalities to use each tool;
• Develop a list of the most relevant municipally targeted mandatory and voluntary climate reporting programs available to Canadian municipalities.

Ultimately, the results if this study will help the FCM in supporting municipalities to efficiently carry out GHG inventories and help them more rapidly progress from the inventory stage to the implementation stage to reach their GHG emission reduction targets.