climate change, land, materials and products: new reports from epa and the product policy institute...
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Climate change, land, materials and products: new reports from EPA and the Product Policy Institute
GRRN Recycling and Zero Waste ConferenceOctober 19, 2009
Joshuah K. Stolaroff,former AAAS Science and Technology Policy Fellow,
OSWER Center for Program Analysis, EPAcontact at [email protected]
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Introduction
There is broad, global agreement that the climate is changing and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions must be reduced.
Administration target: 83% by 2050
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How will the cuts be achieved?
cap and tradeappliance energy
efficiency standards
renewable electricity mandates
carbon capture and storage (CCS)
incentives
building energy use codes
corporate average fuel economy (CAFE)
standardsemissions control
technology mandates
materials management?land management?
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Materials management
design for environment
green design
industrial ecology
sustainable consumption
energy efficiency
Prevention-oriented approaches…
… tend to reduce emissions at low cost and with environmental co-benefits (compared to end-of-pipe controls),
but are harder to understand and quantify.
Land management
smart growth
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U.S. GHG Emissions (2006): Economic Sectors View
Source: U.S. Inventory of GHG Emissions and Sinks: 1990-2006. U.S. EPA, 2008. Excludes U.S. territories.
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U.S. GHG Emissions (2006): Economic Sectors View
helpful for framing end-of-pipe and sector-wide mitigation strategies.
This view shows the point where GHG’s are emitted.
Indicates that by controlling emissions from transportation and electric power, the majority of emissions are addressed.
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This figure reflects the same GHG emissions data shown in Figure 1, using a systems-based approach, as described in Appendix A. Emissions from U.S. Territories are not included in this figure.
U.S. GHG Emissions (2006): Systems View
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Figure 2Systems-Based View of U.S. GHG Emissions (2006)
This figure reflects the same GHG emissions data shown in Figure 1, using a systems-based approach, as described in Appendix A. Emissions from U.S. Territories are not included in this figure.
U.S. GHG Emissions (2006): Systems View
This view organizes emissions by systems, where we define a “system” as all the parts of the economy working to fulfill a particular need.
helpful for framing prevention-oriented mitigation strategies that reduce emissions system-wide.
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U.S. GHG Emissions (2006): Systems View
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Technical Potential Reductions from Materials Management
150 MMTCO2e/yrCapture for electricity generation all landfill methane
66-113 MMTCO2e/yrCombust MSW remaining with 50% recycling rate
70-120 MMTCO2e/yrCombust for electricity generation all currently landfilled MSW
Energy Recovery/Disposal
20 MMTCO2e/yrCompost all food scraps
300 MMTCO2e/yrIncrease national MSW recycling and composting rate from 32.5% to 100%
150 MMTCO2e/yrRecycle all construction materials
Reuse/Recycling
25 MMTCO2e/yrExtend the life of personal computers by 50%
20–70 MMTCO2e/yrReduce use of non-packaging paper products by 50%
40-105 MMTCO2e/yrReduce packaging use by 50%
Source reduction
Note: Total U.S. 2006 Emissions = 7054 MMTCO2e
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42% of US greenhouse gas emissions are associated with materials management.
16-20% of US greenhouse gas emissions, plus the 13% land sink are influenced by land management.
Including impacts from international trade increases the share from materials/products.
Many materials and land management strategies have comparable mitigation potential to better-known options.
Systems/life-cycle thinking are necessary to evaluate and apply materials and land management options.
Consumption-based accounting puts more opportunities on the table to reduce emissions
Materials and land management strategies have co-benefits for communities and are under state & local influence.
Materials and land management should be included in the response to climate change.
Summary