Policy Update: ICLEI USA draft framework for measuring and reporting community GHG emissions

Figures & data

Table 1.  Illustrating the overarching method and associated research publications that inform the basic reporting standards and additional multiple reporting approaches proposed in ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability USA’s draft framework document.

Overarching methodology and associated research	Distinguishing feature; relevance/utility	Proposed reporting approach in ICLEI-USA framework
Purely territorial GHG accounting using remote sensing and atmospheric monitoring (e.g., [11])	Does not relate fossil combustion to energy users (e.g., electricity generated in one location is often used elsewhere). Can be useful for verification of power plant or other reported emissions	N/A (communities agree that this approach does not inform energy use or policy development)
Transboundary infrastructure supply chain GHG emissions footprinting (e.g., [4–6,10]) Considers direct and embodied GHG emissions in transboundary infrastructures serving entire communities (all homes, businesses and industries within a city)	Better informs integrated infrastructure planning in cities, both across the spatial scale and multiple sectors Addresses supply chain vulnerability of community as a whole (all homes, businesses and industries within a city or town) Does not fully show impact of household consumption beyond major infrastructure imports	Basic reporting standard (purely territorial GHG, plus, at a minimum, includes transboundary electricity supply; details to be determined) More comprehensive community impact reporting may include more transboundary infrastructure sectors and supply chains; for example, airline travel and regional commuter travel and fuel supply chain for transportation. Local government focus reporting focuses in on a subset of infrastructures over which governments have operational control, which can vary by city
Consumption-based GHG emissions footprinting (e.g., [7,8]) Considers supply chain of infrastructures and all other goods and services that are consumed by a subset of the community (homes, government and business capital investment only). The operations of local businesses and industries that export goods/services elsewhere are not accounted for locally	Promotes changes in consumption and shifts toward greener supply chain among homes and governments in a community Does not address whole city/town planning where local businesses and industries that export goods elsewhere are also very important (i.e., cities plan infrastructure for all their homes, businesses and industries, together)	Consumption-based reporting

Gurney KR, Mendoza DL, Zhou Y et al. High resolution fossil fuel combustion CO2 emission fluxes for the United States. Environ. Sci. Technol.43(14),5535–5541 (2009).

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