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U.S. National Black Carbon and Methane Emissions a Report to the Arctic Council

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U.S. National Black Carbon and Methane Emissions a Report to the Arctic Council U.S. NATIONAL BLACK CARBON AND METHANE EMISSIONS A REPORT TO THE ARCTIC COUNCIL AUGUST 2015 U.S. NATIONAL BLACK CARBON AND METHANE EMISSIONS A REPORT TO THE ARCTIC COUNCIL AUGUST 2015 TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY. 1 ABOUT THIS REPORT. 1 SUMMARY OF CURRENT BLACK CARBON EMISSIONS AND FUTURE PROJECTIONS . 2 SUMMARY OF CURRENT METHANE EMISSIONS AND FUTURE PROJECTIONS. 4 SUMMARY OF NATIONAL MITIGATION ACTIONS BY POLLUTANT AND SECTOR . 6 BLACK CARBON . .6 METHANE . 11 HIGHLIGHTS OF BEST PRACTICES AND LESSONS LEARNED FOR KEY SECTORS . .16 TRANSPORT/MOBILE . 16 OPEN BIOMASS BURNING (INCLUDING WILDFIRES) . 16 RESIDENTIAL/DOMESTIC . .17 OIL & NATURAL GAS. .17 OTHER . 17 PROJECTS RELEVANT FOR THE ARCTIC. .18 ARCTIC AIR QUALITY IMPACT ASSESSMENT MODELING. 18 BLACK CARBON DEPOSITION ON U.S. SNOW PACK . .18 EMISSIONS AND TRANSPORT FROM AGRICULTURAL BURNING AND FOREST FIRES . .18 MEASUREMENT OF BLACK CARBON AND METHANE IN THE ARCTIC. .18 MEASUREMENT OF MARITIME BLACK CARBON EMISSIONS AND DIESEL FUEL ALTERNATIVES. .18 REDUCTION OF BLACK CARBON IN THE RUSSIAN ARCTIC. .19 VALDAY CLUSTER UPGRADE FOR BLACK CARBON REDUCTION IN THE REPUBLIC OF KARELIA, RUSSIAN FEDERATION. 19 AVIATION CLIMATE CHANGE RESEARCH INITIATIVE. .20 TRACKING SOURCES OF BLACK CARBON IN THE ARCTIC . 20 OTHER INFORMATION. .20 APPENDIX 1: U.S. BLACK CARBON EMISSIONS . .22 APPENDIX 2: U.S. METHANE EMISSIONS (MMT CO2E), 1990–2013 . 24 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY U.S. black carbon emissions are declining and additional reductions are expected, largely through strategies to reduce the emissions from mobile diesel engines that account for roughly 40 percent of the U.S. total. A number of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) control strategies have proven successful in reducing black carbon emissions from mobile sources. The two principal strategies include: (1) emissions standards for new vehicles and engines, with emissions reductions occurring as the vehicle and engine fleet turns over, and (2) controls or strategies that reduce emissions from existing in-use engines, such as diesel retrofits. It is important to note that these strategies are complementary, and can be employed simultaneously. Mitigation opportunities are more limited in other sectors such as open burning (which accounts for 39 percent), either due to the low level of remaining controllable emissions or the lack of effective black carbon controls, particularly when considering co-emissions of organic carbon and other cooling particles. Regulations and other activities that reduce emissions of fine particulate matter (of which black carbon is a component), however, may achieve additional reductions of black carbon. Reductions in black carbon, particularly north of the 40th parallel, can help to mitigate warming in the Arctic specifically by reducing deposition on snow and ice and will also lead to potentially significant health benefits. For methane, a combination of voluntary and regulatory measures are reducing emissions from several sectors, most notably the oil and natural gas sector and municipal landfills (which respectively accounted for about 29 percent and 18 percent of total U.S. methane emissions in 2013). In March 2014, the United States issued “A Strategy to Reduce Methane Emissions” to achieve further reductions. This Strategy highlights both new and existing programs aimed at reducing domestic and international methane emissions through incentive-based programs. It also promotes research and development efforts to improve methane emissions measurement and to advance methane reduction technologies. The strategy focuses on key sectors including landfills, coal mines, agriculture, and oil and natural gas and highlights examples of technologies and industry-led best practices that are helping cut methane emissions. In January 2015, the United States announced a goal of reducing methane emissions from the oil and natural gas sector by 40–45 percent from 2012 levels by 2025, together with a strategy for achieving such reductions. Reducing methane emissions from the other major source, agriculture (approximately 37 percent of 2013 emissions), is generally more challenging though some opportunities do exist, particularly with regard to manure management. Regardless of where emitted, methane contributes to the elevated concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Accordingly, mitigation measures implemented throughout the United States will help reduce the pace of warming in the Arctic and around the globe. ABOUT THIS REPORT Under the Enhanced Black Carbon and Methane Emissions Arctic Council Framework for Action,1 the eight Arctic Nations— including the United States—agreed to develop biennial national reports that summarize their emissions of black carbon and methane. These reports, based respectively on prior submissions under the Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, are requested also to include emission- reduction actions, highlights of best practices and lessons learned, and projects relevant for the Arctic, with other information as relevant. The United States submits this document to the Secretariat of the Arctic Council pursuant to these provisions of the Framework. 1 https://oaarchive.arctic-council.org/handle/11374/610. The eight Arctic states, which together comprise the Arctic Council, are: Canada, Den- mark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden, and the United States. U.S. NATIONAL BLACK CARBON AND METHANE EMISSIONS Figure 1. U.S. Black Carbon Emissions in 2011 (0.51 million metric tons) Source: U.S. EPA 2011 National Emission Inventory Modeling Platform (2011v6.1) SUMMARY OF CURRENT BLACK CARBON EMISSIONS AND FUTURE PROJECTIONS In March 2015, the United States (U.S.) submitted emission Monitoring and Assessment Program working group’s 2011 inventory data, including data for black carbon, under the report entitled The Impact of Black Carbon on Arctic Climate5 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution (recommendation 10.2), found there is not enough known (CLRTAP).2 Black carbon accounts for approximately 11 about the emissions and effects of black carbon from flaring percent of U.S. fine particle emissions.3 As shown in Figure 1, and that better inventories, analysis, and studies are needed. mobile sources and open burning contribute the majority of Figure 2 shows projected black carbon emissions by sector U.S. black carbon emissions. Detailed emission information in 2011, 2018, and 2025. U.S. black carbon emissions have can be found in the appendix to this report. been declining and additional reductions are expected, largely Globally, the largest black carbon emission sources in Arctic through strategies to reduce emissions of fine particulate nations are forest burning and wildfires, and on‐road diesel matter (PM2.5) from mobile diesel engines. Key strategies vehicles, followed by residential burning, off‐road diesel and include: (1) more stringent emissions standards for new stationary diesel engines, agricultural burning, and industrial vehicles and engines, with emissions reductions occurring combustion. Gas flaring may currently be a significant as the vehicle and engine fleet are replaced with new models, source as well, with a significant share occurring at high and (2) controls or strategies that reduce emissions from latitudes. The Arctic Council Task Force on Short-lived existing in-use engines, such as diesel retrofits. It is important Climate Forcers4 (2013 recommendation 9) and the Arctic to note that these strategies are complementary, and can be employed simultaneously.6 2 The U.S. CLRTAP submission can be accessed at: http://www.ceip. Other U.S. source categories have more limited mitigation at/ms/ceip_home1/ceip_home/status_reporting/2015_submissions/ potential either due to the low level of remaining controllable 3 Source: U.S. EPA 2011 National Emission Inventory Modeling Platform v6. Fine particles (PM2.5), which are 2.5 micrometers in diameter or smaller, are produced from all types of combustion, 5 http://www.amap.no/documents/doc/the-impact-of-black-carbon- including motor vehicles, power plants, residential wood burning, on-arctic-climate/746 forest fires, agricultural burning, and some industrial processes. 6 Please note that more detailed information can be found in the U.S. Black carbon is a component of PM2.5. Environmental Protection Agency’s 2012 Report to Congress on 4 http://www.arctic-council.org/index.php/en/document-archive/cate- Black Carbon: http://www.epa.gov/blackcarbon/2012report/fullre- gory/447-slcf-tf port.pdf 2 U.S. NATIONAL BLACK CARBON AND METHANE EMISSIONS A REPORT TO THE ARCTIC COUNCIL Figure 2. Projected Changes in U.S. Black Carbon Emissions by sector: 2011, 2018, and 2025. Source: U.S. EPA 2011 National Emission Inventory Modeling Platform (2011v6.1) Note: The inventory projections are based on the National Emission Inventory Modeling Platform (2011v6.1), while the CLRTAP inventory was based on the previous modeling platform (2011v6). Slight differences between these platforms will result in small variations in emission values, but do not substantially change the conclusions presented. No data are displayed for open biomass burning because future projections are not made for this sector. emissions (e.g., stationary industrial and energy sources) 40th parallel were responsible for approximately 38 percent or the lack of effective black carbon controls, particularly of U.S. black carbon emissions. Table 1 shows the estimated when considering co-emissions
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