B.C. Community Energy and Emissions Inventory (CEEI) Initiative
The province of B.C. has committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions at least 33% from 2007 levels by 2020. It is estimated that local governments have control or influence over approximately 45% or more of these emissions.
The 2007 CEEI Reports represent high level estimated community energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions from on-road transportation, buildings, solid waste and land-use change (deforestation at regional district scale only). Additional sectors and detail will be explored in subsequent years.
About CEEI Reports
- The Community Energy and Emissions Inventory (CEEI) reports are the first of their kind in North America and they meet the local government Climate Action Charter commitment to measure and report on their community's greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions profile.
- The reports are not local government operations or Carbon Neutral Reports (e.g. civic buildings and fleets) (see www.toolkit.bc.ca). They can, however, help local governments to meet the Green Communities legislative requirement to establish greenhouse gas targets, policies and actions in official community plans or regional growth strategies.
- CEEI reports will include secondary indicators to expand the inventory story and to support the government’s emerging Green Communities Performance Reporting Program.
- Like all inventory systems, the B.C. government’s CEEI reports are live documents that will continue to improve. They are designed to create a solid foundation on which local governments will be able to build.
Initiatives in Canada, the US and elsewhere are underway to establish standards for local government inventorying, including both local government operations and community-wide. The anticipated CEEI approach going forward will be for periodic CEEI Reports, with updates to the base year (2007) inventories.
Feedback from local governments on CEEI documents is important. This will ensure that a permanent CEEI solution will be supported and provide a foundation for community actions on climate change.
Community inventories can be valuable tools to help local governments plan for, target and implement effective GHG and energy management strategies, while strengthening broader sustainability planning at the local level.
If supported by the province, UBCM and local governments, the CEEI initiative will become a permanent cost-effective, provincially-hosted, community-based energy and emissions inventory data warehouse and reporting system.
The CEEI working group members represent a multi-agency collaboration from the relevant provincial ministries, UBCM and local governments, crown agencies, utilities, non-government organizations and consultants.
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