LSU releases 2021 Greenhouse Gas Inventory report

In the new Louisiana 2021 Greenhouse Gas Inventory, LSU Center for Energy Studies (CES) Executive Director and Professor David E. Dismukes provides quantitative estimates of the state’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by economic sector.

The report, an update of the state GHG inventory conducted by CES in 1997 and 2010, was requested by the Louisiana Governor’s Office of Coastal Activities and will serve as a key data tool for the governor’s Climate Initiatives Task Force (CTF) as it considers the implications that climate change and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions have for the Louisiana economy and environment.

For the report, Dismukes uses methodologies and modeling established by the Environmental Protection Agency and follows guidelines set by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. The “cross-sectional” analysis, or snapshot, in time identifies where each major Louisiana economic sector stands in terms of its GHG emissions. Dismukes describes the inventory estimation process as a “top-down” analysis, as it estimates emissions across broad economic sectors and activities.

Throughout the investigative process, Dismukes worked with the Office of the Governor, various stakeholders, and the CTF Scientific Advisory Group to identify and estimate carbon emission sources and sinks in Louisiana. The report provides estimates of GHG emissions by activity type, economic sector, and GHG pollutant type, and estimates all three across a broad time period, 2000-2018.   

Major findings include:

• Louisiana has a relatively high level of greenhouse gas emissions for its population size and GDP. The state’s share of total U.S. GHG emissions has hovered around 4.1 percent to 4.2 percent (1990-2018).
• U.S. and Louisiana total GHG emissions that arise from the combustion of fossil fuels have been decreasing since 2000.
• The trend in GHG emissions from the residential and commercial sectors of the Louisiana economy has been relatively consistent since 2000, with the combustion of fossil fuels as the main source.
• Louisiana’s transport-related GHG emission trends have decreased since 2000, likely due to increased vehicle fuel efficiencies, as well as an increase in alternative-fueled vehicles.
• Louisiana’s industrial GHG emissions have steadily increased since 2000, due to the expansion of industrial activity in the state during the past few years.
• The GHG emission trends from Louisiana’s power generation have seen the most improvement of any sector, particularly after 2010.
• Land use, particularly increasing forest area, can serve as a “sink” for sequestering Louisiana’s carbon emissions. Louisiana’s large forested lands, particularly in the northern part of the state, provide considerable negative emission resources.
• CO2 and methane (CH4) are the two largest pollutants produced by the oil and gas industry. Methane-related emissions have decreased as a result of decreased activity in that sector.
• Over 92 percent of all Louisiana GHG emissions (as of 2018) are CO2, with methane accounting for 4.3 percent, and N2O accounting for 2.13 percent.
• While U.S. GHG emissions are heavily concentrated in power generation and transportation, Louisiana’s are highly concentrated in industry; therefore, decarbonization of industry must be the predominate focus of attention for Louisiana policy makers in meeting the state’s future GHG emission goals.