Carbon profiling: an analysis of methods for establishing the local emissions baseline

Abstract

The prospect of state government driven carbon emission reduction targets brings with it the prospect of local target setting. Such targets will need to be based on good quality estimates of energy demand and greenhouse gas emissions along with viable assumptions about reduction potential at the local level. So there is a growing requirement for good quality emissions data at the level of local council areas. Energy and greenhouse gas emissions baseline data are generally available at the national level in most developed economies and methodologies have been established at an international level by IPCC. In Australia greenhouse gas inventories are established at federal and state levels. However, more locally it becomes difficult to establish emissions profiles. Cities for Climate Protection has produced emissions profiles for a large number of local council areas in Australia, but this analysis often does not reflect local characteristics and conditions since it is derived from higher level data sets. This paper examines a range of approaches which can be used to estimate local greenhouse gas emissions profiles. In particular it examines three alternative methods, using the City of Playford in South Australia and Manningham City Council in Victoria as examples. The aim is to test each of these approaches and compare the results in order to arrive at reliable emissions profiles which reflect local conditions. These can then be used as a basis for policy making and target setting with a higher degree of confidence in the likely outcomes than is presently possible.