A framework for selecting a coherent accounting approach for urban GHG inventories: Application to the waste management sector in Montreal

Main Presenter:    Arianne Provost-Savard 

Co-Authors:   Annie Levasseur                                               

A majority of the world population lives in cities [1], suggesting that focusing on urban territories for GHG emissions mitigation may significantly contribute to reducing GHG emissions. Different approaches are used for city-level GHG accounting. The production-based approach, aiming to identify all emission sources on a defined territory [2], is the most frequently used by cities [3], but has been criticized for causing carbon leakage [4]. The consumption-based approach accounts for the GHG emissions embedded in the life cycle of products and services consumed within a defined territory [3]. A third approach, less commonly used in the urban GHG accounting, but widely adopted among LCA practitioners, is the consequential approach, aiming to identify the variations in GHG emissions resulting from decisions [5]. The application of these accounting methods should serve the overarching goal of reducing global GHG emissions, as this remains the key challenge posed by climate change.

The differentiated characteristics of these approaches lead to variable methodological compatibilities with different study objectives. However, existing studies on urban GHG accounting rarely explain the choice of the accounting method with respect to its compatibility with the specific objectives pursued, nor justify how the combination of the selected accounting methodology and the specific objective(s) of the study serve global GHG emissions reduction.

The main objective of this study is to provide a framework for selecting GHG accounting approaches that are compatible with the specific objective(s) of urban GHG accounting studies, and to specify how the results of these accounting approach – specific objective combinations should be interpreted regarding global GHG emissions reduction.

A review of possible specific objectives pursued by urban GHG accounting studies was conducted, resulting in three types of specific objectives: (1) assessing the state of GHG emissions; (2) evaluating which actions to take to reduce GHG emissions; (3) tracking progress towards GHG emissions reduction. The methodological compatibility of the three accounting approaches with each of these goal types was assessed and the relevance of each accounting approach – specific objective combination for global GHG emissions reduction was analyzed.

A case study was performed as part of the Montreal (Canada) Carbon Map project for the application of the framework for accounting GHG emissions from the waste sector.

This framework provides a practical tool that guides practitioners in selecting a GHG accounting method that is internally coherent with the specific objectives pursued and supports global GHG emissions reduction.

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