Voluntary greenhouse gas reductions need better monitoring: GAO

Washington (Platts)--25May2006

The US Energy Department and Environmental Protection Agency need to do a
better job monitoring the performance of companies participating in voluntary
programs to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the Government Accountability
Office said in a report released Thursday.

Without such improvements, "It will be difficult to evaluate the merits
of these voluntary programs," as opposed to government-mandated reductions,
the agency said.

"Given the potential gravity of the climate change problem, programs such
as Climate Leaders and Climate VISION will need to be especially robust and
involve a substantial portion of the economy if they are going to achieve the
desired result," GAO said. "Because DOE does not have a system for tracking
how long participants take to complete key program steps -- and neither agency
has established written policies for taking action against entities not
progressing as expected -- it will be difficult for the agencies to ensure
that all participants are meeting expectations, and hence that the programs
are contributing to meeting the president's emissions intensity reduction
goal."

Of the 38 out of 74 firms participating in EPA's Climate Leaders
program that established emissions reductions goals as of November 2005, 19
committed to reduce their total greenhouse gas emissions; 18 committed to
reduce their emissions intensity (emissions per unit of output); and one firm
committed to reduce total emissions and emission intensity, the report said.

Fourteen of the 15 trade groups participating in EPA's Climate VISION
program established an emissions-related goal in collaboration with DOE or
another federal agency before joining the EPA program. The goals vary from
improving emissions intensity or reducing emissions of specific greenhouse
gases to improving energy efficiency.

--Gerald Karey, gerry_karey@platts.com

For similar news, take a trial to Emissions Daily
at http://www.platts.com/Request%20More%20Information/


 

Copyright © 2005 - Platts

Please visit:  www.platts.com

Their coverage of energy matters is extensive!!.