Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory

Hillsborough Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Inventory Report

Recently elevated concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere have a destabilizing, warming effect on the global climate. According to NASA scientists, the 1990s were the warmest decade of the century, and the first decade of the 21st century is well on track to be another record-breaker. The rising levels of greenhouse gases increase the severity and rate of storms and drought, decrease snow pack, and disrupt ecosystems, agricultural systems and water supplies. Increased sea levels cause significant environmental and ecosystem disturbances and can cause major population displacement and economic upheaval.¹

The town joined the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives’ (ICLEI) “Cities for Climate Protection” to work collaboratively to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Through this collaboration, the town completed a greenhouse gas inventory which provides an analysis of the transportation, residential, municipal, and solid waste sectors and their GHG emissions. Armed with this information, the Sustainable Hillsborough Task Force identified and prioritized GHG emissions-reducing programs and policies and formalized them in the town’s Climate Action Plan.

Calculate your greenhouse gas emissions and learn what you can do to reduce your “Carbon Footprint.”

¹Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Third Assessment Report: "Climate Change - The Scientific Basis."