Twin Cities MSA Greenhouse Gas Inventory
Climate Pollution Reduction Grant Documentation
Executive summary
This project has been funded wholly or in part by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under assistance agreement 00E03476 to the Metropolitan Council. The contents of this document do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the EPA, nor does the EPA endorse trade names or recommend the use of commercial products mentioned in this document.
Note
This document will be updated continuously in preparation of the Metropolitan Council Comprehensive Climate Action Plan (CCAP). Please check back occasionally as we update modify and add new content.
In 2021, the Twin-Cities MSA generated 38.73 million metric tons CO2 equivalent (MMtCO2e) emissions from energy, transportation, and waste sectors. Energy was the largest contributor to GHG emissions (73.6%), followed by Transportation (22.6%), and Waste (3.8%). Carbon sequestration from natural systems offset 6.2% of total emissions.
Emissions by sector
The energy sector generated 28.49 MMtCO2e of emissions in the Twin Cities MSA in 2021. Most of the energy emissions are from electricity followed by natural gas. Other fuels (propane and kerosene) make up a small proportion of energy emissions in the metro.
The transportation sector generated 8.76 MMtCO2e of emissions in the Twin Cities MSA in 2021. This is a county-level, activity-based estimate that accounts for the total number of vehicle trips that originate in the county, terminate in the county, or both originate and terminate within the county for passenger and medium-duty commercial vehicles. Heavy-duty commercial vehicles are only accounted for trips that both originate and terminate within the county.
Emissions from waste is the smallest of the three sectors in the Twin Cities MSA. Waste generated 1.49 MMtCO2e of emissions in the Twin Cities MSA in 2021. Solid waste, including landfills, recycling, and organics, generates the largest share of emissions in the waste sector, with wastewater treatment comprising a smaller share of waste emissions.
Potential sequestration from natural systems totaled 2.39 MMtCO2e in the Twin Cities MSA in 2021. Urban forests and grasslands have high sequestration potential, though are expected to have lower stock potential, capping their potential carbon storage in the future.
About this document
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Acknowledgements
This document is the result of tremendous work across the Metropolitan Council. Individuals are noted by their name, title, contribution, and division.
Contributors
- Kenneth Smith, Principal Researcher, LIDAC, editing (CD)
- Laine McNamara, Business Systems Analyst III, editing (CD)
- Trevor Prater, Senior Engineer, wastewater (ES)