Features

Study Shows City Has Cut Greenhouse Gas Emissions By MATTHEW ARTZ

Tuesday September 13, 2005

Berkeley announced Monday that it has reduced emissions of greenhouse gases from city operations by 14 percent since 2002.  

By contrast, the Kyoto Protocol requires nations to reduce greenhouse gases by 7 percent between 1990 and 2010. 

The analysis, performed by auditors for the Chicago Climate Exchange, found that in 2004 the city emitted 2,066 fewer metric tons of carbon than in 2002—the equivalent of planting 52,000 trees or removing 450 cars from the road.  

“We pride ourselves on being leaders in the environment; now we have the data to prove it,” said Mayor Tom Bates at a Monday press conference. Bates added that programs to reduce carbon emissions had saved the city $370,000 in lower energy bills. 

Since 1998, Berkeley has reduced carbon emissions from city vehicles by 48 percent and from heating and cooling city buildings by 16 percent. At the same time, the city has seen carbon emissions rise 5 percent for electricity use. Bates attributed the increase to opening the renovated public library and the new city offices at 1947 Milvia St. Both buildings, he said, needed to be made more energy efficient. 

Another source of concern for the city is its program to power its fleet with 100 percent biodiesel, a derivative of soybean oil. The program was the biggest contributor to the reduction in carbon emissions from city vehicles, but earlier this year, Berkeley returned to using mostly regular diesel after a bad batch of the fuel damaged truck engines. 

Although city staff had proposed using a fuel blend with 50 percent biodiesel, Mayor Bates Monday pledged the city intended to return to 100 percent biodiesel after supply issues were resolved. 

The greenhouse gas emissions study was done as part of Berkeley’s entrance into the Exchange, which consists of more than 100 members, including corporations and government entities. Berkeley is the fourth city to join; the other cities are Chicago, Boulder, Colo., and Oakland. 

The exchange binds its members—which include Bayer Corp., Amtrak and the American Coal Ash Association—to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 1 percent every year from its base study year. Members that fail to meet requirements must buy credits from those that have achieved or surpassed their goals. 

Although the biodiesel issue could result in higher carbon emissions this year, since Berkeley has already reduced greenhouse gases 14 percent since 2002, Cisco De Vries, chief of staff to Mayor Bates, said the city doesn’t have to worry about being made to buy credits on the Chicago Climate Control Exchange in upcoming years.