Print this pageEstimating GHG Emissions Using the Local Government Operations Protocol
Jim Newton, P.E., DEE
Course Outline
This eight hour course provides valuable information for those individuals who participate in the operations and management of governmental organizations and any other individual who is required to estimate GHG emissions. Completion of this course will provide the student the necessary information and testing to meet the continuing education requirements in order to renew their licenses. It was designed by an instructor who has developed and implemented numerous similar training courses.
This course includes a multiple-choice quiz at the end, which is designed to
enhance the understanding of the course materials. The test will cover only the first text.
Learning Objective
At the conclusion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Understand how to develop an GHG emissions inventory following recognized standards;
- Understand how to measure towards climate goals;
- Understand how local governments can combat climate change;
- Understand how to harmonize GHG inventories developed under multiple programs;
- Understand the benefits of a GHG inventory;
- Understand the background of the various organizations that created the document;
- Understand who the protocol targets;
- Understand how to identify emissions;
- Understand GHG accounting and reporting principles;
- Know the meaning of key terms;
- Understand inventory guidelines;
- Understand how to establish operational boundaries;
- Understand the difference between direct and indirect emissions;
- How to choose the appropriate calculation methodology;
- How to estimate emissions from stationary combustion devises;
- How to estimate emissions from electricity use;
- How to estimate emissions from steam and district heating operations;
- How to estimate emissions from cooling systems;
- How to estimate emissions from refrigerants and fire suppression equipment;
- How to estimate emissions from mobile combustion vehicles;
- How to estimate emissions from non-highway vehicles;
- How to estimate emissions from power generation facilities;
- How to estimate emissions from solid waste facilities;
- How to estimate emissions from wastewater treatment facilities;
- How to estimate emissions from other process and fugitive emission devices;
- How to report emissions; and
- Understand default emission factors.
Intended Audience
The intended audience for this course is any professional who is involved in the operation and management of a local government and any other individual who must estimate GHG emissions and establish a carbon footprint.
Benefit to Attendees
Attendees of this course will under stand how to estimate GHG emissions from a variety of local government operations and how to develop a carbon footprint inventory.
Course Introduction
In response to a scientific consensus linking greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from human activities to global climate change, many local governments are looking inwards to identify opportunities to reduce GHG emissions not only from their communities, but also from their own operations. Local governments can inventory the emissions from their operations in order to track their performance and ensure that their actions do reduce GHG emissions. This GHG inventory is often referred to as a carbon footprint and is the foundation of actions to address climate change. Complete, consistent and accurate measurement enables local governments to assess their risks and opportunities, track their progress, and create a strategy to reduce emissions in a quantifiable and transparent way.
This course is deigned to provide a standardized method for quantifying and reporting GHG emissions associated with their government operations.
This course is based upon the following document:
“Local Government Operations Protocol, Version 1.0, September 2008” developed by the California Air Resources Board, the California Climate Action Registry, ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability, and the Climate Registry
Also included as a text is the draft “International Local Government GHG Emissions Analysis Protocol” published by the ICLEI.
“Local Government Operations Protocol, Version 1.0, September 2008”
“International Local Government GHG Emissions Analysis Protocol”
Please click on the above underlined hypertext to view, download or print the document for your study. Because of the large file size, we recommend that you first save the file to your computer by right clicking the mouse and choosing "Save Target As ...", and then open the file in Adobe Acrobat Reader.
Course Summary
This course discusses how to estimate GHG emissions from a variety of operations often conducted by local governments and other organizations.
Related Links
For additional information related to this subject, please visit the following websites or web pages:
US Environmental Protection Agency
California Air Resources Board
California Climate Action Registry
Once you finish studying the above course content, you need to take a quiz to obtain the PDH credits.
DISCLAIMER: The materials contained in the online course are not intended as a representation or warranty on the part of PDH Center or any other person/organization named herein. The materials are for general information only. They are not a substitute for competent professional advice. Application of this information to a specific project should be reviewed by a registered architect and/or professional engineer/surveyor. Anyone making use of the information set forth herein does so at their own risk and assumes any and all resulting liability arising therefrom.
