Washington region makes strides in reducing greenhouse gas emissions

Between 2005 and 2020, MWCOG’s data shows the region decreased its greenhouse gas emissions, a culprit in climate change, by 24%, thereby surpassing its 2020 goal, Maia Davis, COG senior environmental planner, told the leaders. She also noted that per capita emissions have decreased from 15 metric tons (mt) of CO2 equivalent (CO2e) per person to 9.5 mt of CO2e per person during that period.

She attributed the success to an increase in ownership of electric and hybrid vehicles, less reliance on natural gas for power generation, fewer emissions from buildings, and increased use of telework, meaning working from home.

“We have a cleaner grid, we have cleaner cars on the road, we have more efficient buildings, we have less [vehicles miles travelled] per person,” she said.

In the Washington region, Davis said, energy used in office buildings and for transportation account for 90% of greenhouse gas emissions, and their levels were used as key indicators to measure success.

Although electricity consumption increased by 10% in buildings during the 15-year period studied by MWCOG, data reveals that CO2 emissions from power consumption dropped from 1100 pounds per megawatt-hour to 650 or less by 2020. Although natural gas consumption for power generation dipped by 2% during this period, roof top solar systems increased from 500 to 51,000.

COG data also showed that greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector dropped between 2012 and 2020. Davis said these were measured in terms of “how clean are our cars and are we reducing VMT per person.”

Between the eight year period, electric and hybrid vehicle ownership including battery powered and plug-in varieties, rose from 72,000 to at least 172,000 in 2020, while charging stations to support these vehicles grew from 124 in 2012 to 1,200 in 2020.

While driving alone decreased by 15%, teleworking grew by 40%, the latter increase caused by the pandemic-induced lockdown. She acknowledged that the pandemic did reduce emissions in a few key sectors, notably transportation.

Going forward, Davis said, the region’s 50% greenhouse gas reduction goal by 2030 can be achieved through a focus on changing travel behavior and greater use of zero-emission vehicles as well as clean, zero-emitting buildings.

“Looking toward 2030, we are not talking about the low-hanging fruit anymore. We need to push toward the zeros--zero carbon or carbon neutral buildings, zero-emissions vehicles and zero waste,” Davis said.

The region’s success was lauded by White House Office of Science and Technology Assistant Director Gretchen Goldman, who prior to her appointment served as an adviser to COG when it was developing its strategies to reach this goal. Noting President Joe Biden’s goal of reaching a net-zero carbon economy by 2050, Goldman said, “we cannot meet national goals with that same level of commitment from local leaders like all of you.”