Dismukes Presents Draft GHG Inventory to Climate Initiatives Task Force

On July 29, Center for Energy Studies Executive Director and CC&E Professor David Dismukes presented a draft of the updated greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory report to a committee of scientists advising Governor John Bel Edwards' Climate Initiatives Task Force. The report will serve as a starting point to develop strategies for meeting the governor’s emission reduction goals.

The inventory surveys and provides quantitative estimates of GHG emissions by economic sector using methodologies and modeling established by the Environmental Protection Agency and following guidelines set by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

 

The preliminary findings show:

• 65% of Louisiana’s 2018 GHG emissions come from the industrial sector (138 million metric tons out of 213 million metric tons), half of which are concentrated in the chemical and refining sectors.
• Aggregate industrial GHG emissions have been growing around 1.0% to 1.5% per year over the last seven years. Emissions at the top 20 industrial locations have been growing around 3.5 percent per year. 
• Louisiana’s top industrial GHG emission source is the CF Industries plant (~8 million metric tons per year) followed by the ExxonMobil refinery (~6 million metric tons per year).
• Prior to 2008, industrial GHG emissions hovered around 120 million tons per year. Plant expansions appear to have driven this steady state level up to 135 to 140 million metric tons (12.5% to ~17%). 

Dismukes is set to deliver the final version of the report in September.