# Presentation: 877767

## Revising DOE’s Voluntary Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program

- U.S Environmental Protection Agency
- 5th State and Local Climate Change Partners Program
- November 20-22, 2002

## President’s Climate Change Initiative – February 14, 2002

- Set GHG Intensity Goal (18% improvement in 2012):
- Directed improvements in voluntary GHG registry;
- Challenged businesses to take action;
- Supported tax incentives for clean energy.

##  GHG Registry Improvements

- Directed the Secretary of Energy, in consultation with the Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of Agriculture, and the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, to propose improvements to the current voluntary emissions reduction registration program under section 1605(b) of the 1992 Energy Policy Act within 120 days.  These improvements will enhance measurement accuracy, reliability, and verifiability, working with and taking into account emerging domestic and international approaches.
- Directed the Secretary of Energy to recommend reforms to ensure that businesses and individuals that register reductions are not penalized under a future climate policy and to give transferable credits to companies that can show real emissions reductions.
- Directed the Secretary of Agriculture, in consultation with the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy, to develop accounting rules and guidelines for crediting sequestration projects, taking into account emerging domestic and international approaches.

## What is the Voluntary Greenhouse Gas Registry?

**Created by Energy Policy Act of 1992**** **
**Managed by EIA**** **
**Records results of voluntary measures to reduce, avoid, or sequester greenhouse gas emission**** **
**During 2000, total of 222 U.S. companies and other organizations filed reports**
**Reporting guidelines are flexible, designed to encourage participation **

## Process for Improving Voluntary Greenhouse Gas Reporting

**Set Goal: **
**Revised Guidelines in place by January, 2004.**** **
**Achieving Goal: **
**Set up interagency coordination process (CEQ; EPA; USDA; DOC)**
**Created Website (**_[http://www.pi.energy.](http://www.pi.energy.gov/enhancingGHGregistry)__[gov](http://www.pi.energy.gov/enhancingGHGregistry)__[/](http://www.pi.energy.gov/enhancingGHGregistry)__[enhancingGHGregistry](http://www.pi.energy.gov/enhancingGHGregistry)_**).**
**Meet with stakeholders**
**Issued Notice of Inquiry **
**Sent President 10 recommendations for improvements**
**Hosting 4 public workshops.**
**Public review of proposed guidelines.**

## Revising 1605(b):  Workshops

**4 Regional “General” Workshops: **
**Cover major 1605(b) issues **
**DC:  November 18-19**
**Chicago: December 5-6**
**San Francisco: December 9-10**
**Houston: December 12-13**
**Agricultural/Forestry meetings**
**USDA lead**
**Meet with State-level Registries**

## Emissions Reporting: Improving Accuracy, Reliability, and Verifiability

**Operational Boundaries and Related Issues **

**Organizational and Geographic Boundaries**

**Measurement and Accounting Methods **

## Emissions Reduction: Characterizing and Measuring

**Characteristics of **
**creditable reductions**

**Tracking and transferring **
**reductions**

## Verifying Emissions and Reductions

**Types and Frequency**
** ****of Verification**

**Verification Methods**

**Approving/Certifying**
** ****Verifiers**

**Confidentiality  **
**Issues**

## Managing the Registry

**Certifying real **
**reductions**

**Tracking and **
**transferring **
**reductions**

**Confidentiality  **
**Issues**

**Prior Year Reports**