A greenhouse gas emissions inventory for Pennsylvania

Journal Article · Mon Aug 01 04:00:00 EDT 2005 · Journal of the Air and Waste Management Association

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1080/10473289.2005.10464714· OSTI ID:20647743

Rose, Adam; Neff, Rob; Yarnal, Brent; Greenberg, Howard ^[1]

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1. Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA (US). Department of Geography and Center for Integrated Regional Assessment

The Pennsylvania greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions inventory presented in this paper provides detailed estimates of emissions and their sources for the six major categories of GHGs. The inventory was compiled using the current U.S. Environment Protection Agency methodology, which applies emissions factors to socioeconomic data, such as fossil energy use, vehicle miles traveled, and industrial production. The paper also contains an assessment of the methodology and suggestions for improving accounting with respect to process, sectoral, and geographic considerations. The study found that Pennsylvania emitted 77.4 million metric tons carbon equivalent of GHGs in 1990 and that this total increased by 3% to 79.8 million metric tons carbon equivalent by 1999. Despite this increase, however, the state's percentage contribution to the United States total declined during the decade. Pennsylvania's carbon dioxide (CO{sub 2}) emissions from fossil fuels represented 92.4% of 1990 totals and declined to 90.5% in 1999. Electricity generation was the largest single source of CO{sub 2} emissions, being responsible for 38% of fossil fuel CO{sub 2} emissions in 1990 and 40% of the total in 1999. Transportation emissions accounted for the largest increases in emissions between 1990 and 1999, whereas industrial emissions accounted for the largest decrease. The overall trend indicates that Pennsylvania has been able to weaken the relationship between GHG emissions and economic growth. 27 refs., 3 figs., 12 tabs.

• OSTI ID: 20647743
• Journal Information: Journal of the Air and Waste Management Association, Journal Name: Journal of the Air and Waste Management Association Journal Issue: 8 Vol. 55; ISSN JAWAEB; ISSN 1047-3289
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
CARBON DIOXIDE
ELECTRIC POWER
EMISSION
FOSSIL FUELS
FUEL CONSUMPTION
GREENHOUSE GASES
INDUSTRY
INVENTORIES
MEASURING METHODS
PENNSYLVANIA
POWER GENERATION
SECTORAL ANALYSIS
TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS
USA