MAY 2005 ISSUE
Alberta Harmonizes GHG Reporting
With National Program
November 2004, Alberta’s large greenhouse gas emitters became the first in the country required to report their GHG emissions.
These include the province’s cement facilities, large gas plants, coal-fired electricity facilities and other large facilities that release more than 100,000 tonnes of GHG emissions annually. They must report their emissions under the Alberta’s Specified Gas Reporting Regulation and associated standard.
Alberta’s reporting program was developed following two years of consultation with industry and other stakeholders, and builds on voluntary reporting undertaken by the majority of Alberta’s large emitters since the mid-1990s.
The results are in from Alberta’s first reporting cycle, with 101 Alberta facilities reporting on their 2003 emissions of carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide. These emissions represent about 103 megatonnes of CO2-equivalent, or about 74 per cent of Alberta’s total industry emissions.
On June 1, 2005 — the final date for Canada’s large emitters to submit their 2004 data — Alberta’s reporting system will be harmonized with the new national reporting system. The national reporting system will provide Canadian industry with a single-window reporting system, with all emissions data reported through an electronic reporting form managed by Statistics Canada.
In the meantime, Alberta Environment is reviewing the results from its 2004 reporting cycle and will apply the knowledge gained to future reviews of the national reporting system. Details of the Alberta program are contained in the Climate Change and Emissions Management Act, the Specified Gas Reporting Regulation and the companion Specified Gas Reporting Standard.
MORE INFORMATION:
Documents available at www.gov.ab.ca/env/air/EMR/ghgreporting.html
Contact: Bob Savage, Alberta Environment (780) 644-4918, Robert.Savage@gov.ab.ca