City of Seattle Footprint

OSE conducts two types of greenhouse gas inventories to track and measure our progress on reducing emissions: a community inventory that measures the entire city's emissions; and, a municipal operations ("corporate") inventory that measures the City of Seattle's emissions from its own operations. For more information on the City's footprint and methodology, please contact Tracy Morgenstern.

Community Inventory

OSE conducts a community greenhouse gas inventory (GHG) every three years; our last inventory is from 2008. In 2013 we will conduct an inventory of 2012 emissions. The inventory measures the GHGs produced by Seattle’s main emission sectors: transportation, buildings, and industry, and is our primary method of gauging progress toward Seattle’s near-term and long-term goals of reducing climate pollution.

Our 2008 citywide emissions were 7% below 1990 levels, and if emissions stay at the same level by 2012, we will achieve our goal to meet the US Mayors Climate Protection Agreement. Holding emissions to 2008 levels will be challenging as our city continues to grow in population and bounces back from the economic downturn.

Municipal Operations Inventory

OSE began tracking emissions produced by City operations in 2005, and completed inventories for 2008/2009 and 2010 emissions. Providing services to 600,000 Seattle residents leaves a pretty big carbon footprint. The inventory measures emissions from operation of Seattle’s municipal buildings and fleets, landfills, employee air travel, commutes, and solid waste, and from electricity purchased through contracts to supplement the City’s hydropower.

Municipal Operations Climate Action Workplan

In 2013, the Office of Sustainability & Environment will be updating the Seattle Climate Action Plan (CAP). The goal of the plan is ambitious: to be carbon neutral (defined as zero net emissions) by 2050. In addition to working with a wide variety of community and business stakeholders to develop the CAP, the Office of Sustainability & Environment has worked internally with other City departments to develop the Municipal Operations Climate Action Plan. This workplan focuses on City operations only and provides an avenue for staff and the public to track our progress in helping achieve community-wide climate protection goals.

Graph for icon by Hilary Papendick.