Development of a simplified method for estimating greenhouse gas emissions at the local level

Canadian cities are vibrant centres of economic and social activity. They also have measurable environmental impact, in particular for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Several initiatives, notably the Partners for Climate Protection program, encourage municipalities to reduce their GHG emissions impact. Tracking these emissions in a consistent, comparable and cost-effective way remains a challenge for municipalities. This thesis project has demonstrated the development of a simplified method for estimating greenhouse gas emissions for a municipality or regional district. Using emissions estimates calculated at a national and provincial scale, and a disaggregation methodology, GHG emissions estimates for the Greater Vancouver Regional District (GVRD) were derived. These emissions estimates were then compared with independently derived estimates calculated by GVRD staff for their year 2000 GHG inventory. Several areas of reasonable comparison were found, allowing a preliminary simplified method to be proposed.