In response to concerns about rising atmospheric greenhouse gases, the United States has undertaken voluntary efforts to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to meet U.S. commitments under the Framework Convention on Climate Change. The U.S. Voluntary Reporting of Greenhouse Gases Program was established by Section 1605(b) of the Energy Policy Act of 1992 to provide a means for organizations and individuals who have reduced their emissions to record their accomplishments.
Why Report?
There are a number of reasons to report including:
- To gain recognition for environmental stewardship.
- To inform the public debate about activities aimed at achieving reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.
- To establish a public record of emissions and reductions that may be referenced for future consideration.
- To demonstrate support for voluntary approaches to achieving environmental policy goals.
- To contribute to information exchanges on the most effective ways to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases.
- To demonstrate progress toward meeting commitments to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases made under voluntary programs.
Who Can Report?
Anyone can report. You can report as: an individual, head of household, organization, small business, or large corporation. We recommend reports be submitted to the U.S. Voluntary Reporting of Greenhouse Gases Program. Past reporters to this program include:
- Utilities such as Niagara Mohawk, Houston Lighting and Power, and New England Electric Systems
- Manufacturers such as General Motors, Johnson & Johnson, and Alcan Ingot
- Coal producers such as Consol and Peabody
- Chemical companies like Dow and DuPont
- Information technology innovators like IBM
- Trade associations reporting on behalf of their members like the Integrated Waste Services Association.
What Types of Information Can I Report?
You can report any activity that reduces emissions of greenhouse gases or increases carbon fixation or sequestration. Some examples of what you can report include:
- Baseline emissions for 1987-1990 and subsequent years.
- Emission reductions from 1991 onwards.
- Projects such as:
- Operation of more efficient vehicles,
- Replacing lighting fixtures or appliances with more efficient ones,
- Fuel switching,
- Recovering methane from landfills,
- Forest preservation and tree planting,
- Carpooling
- Recycling
- Future Commitments to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases, undertaken through local or national voluntary reduction programs.
On Which Greenhouse Gases Can I Report?
Most voluntary reporting programs, including the U.S. Voluntary Reporting of Greenhouse Gases Program, accept information on:
- Carbon Dioxide,
- Methane,
- Nitrous Oxide,
- Halogenated substances, including many refrigerants (such as CFCs and HCFCs) and
- Other radiatively enhancing gases, including nitrogen oxides (NOx), nonmethane volatile organic compounds (NMVOCs), and carbon monoxide (CO).
How Is the Information Collected?
To allow flexibility, the U.S. Voluntary Reporting of Greenhouse Gases Program offers two reporting forms:
- Form EIA-1605, or the long form, allows you to give a detailed account of emissions, emission reductions, and carbon sequestration for an entire entity (for example your entire corporation, plant, or household) or for specific projects.
- Form EIA-1605EZ, or the short form, allows you to provide a brief synopsis of emission reductions or sequestration achieved by individual projects.
Electronic Reporting
Both Form EIA-1065 and Form EIA-1605EZ can be downloaded from, and submitted to, the Energy Information Administration via the Internet. Forms are also available on CD-ROM or diskette and may be submitted on diskette via U.S. mail or by e-mail.
How Will the Information Be Used?
The information collected through the Voluntary Reporting of Greenhouse Gases Program is made available through a public use database. Public access to the data supports educational exchanges, informs public policy development, and encourages public recognition of your initiatives to reduce greenhouse gases. The database preserves, and makes publicly available, data on your emissions, emission reductions, and sequestration achievements.