Climate change

report on project activity.

Table 1-2

Summary of Actions to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions

(Million Metric Tons of Carbon Equivalent)

Action

Number Action Title 1993 Action

Plan Estimate Revised Estimate*

2000 2000 2005 2010 2020

Residential & Commercial Sector Actions 26.9 10.3 29.4 53.0 78.4

1 Rebuild America 2.0 1.6 3.0 6.3 7.1

1 & 2 Expanded Green Lights and Energy Star Buildings 3.6 3.4 8.5 16.3 30.2

3 State Revolving Fund for Public Buildings 1.1 Terminated

4 Cost-Shared Demonstrations of Emerging Technologies

5 Operation and Maintenance Training for Commercial Building Facility

Managers and Operators 3.8 0.0 0.5 1.0 1.0

6 Energy Star® Products 5.0 4.3 12.9 19.4 24.9

7 Residential Appliance Standards 6.8 0.2 1.8 3.7 3.8

8 and 11 Energy Partnerships for Affordable Housing

9 Cool Communities 4.4 0.6 1.9 4.3 7.7

10 Update State Building Codes

New Construction of Energy­Efficient Commercial and Industrial Buildings Not included 0.1 0.4 1.1 2.6

New Superwindow Collaborative Not included 0.0 0.1 0.4 1.3

New Expand Markets for Next­Generation Lighting Products Not included 0.2 0.4 0.7 0.9

New Fuel Cells Initiative Not included 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.4

Industrial Sector Actions 19.0 4.8 8.2 11.5 16.7

12 Motor Challenge 8.8 1.8 3.9 5.8 7.5

13 Industrial Golden Carrot Programs 2.9 Merged into Motor Challenge (#12)

14 Accelerate the Adoption of Energy­Efficient Process Technologies Terminated

15 Industrial Assessment Centers 0.5 CCAP Component Terminated

16 Waste Minimization** 4.2 2.1 3.6 5.0 8.4

17 Improve Efficiency of Fertilizer Nitrogen Use*** 2.7 0.8 0.8 0.9 1.1

18 Reduce the Use of Pesticides Terminated

Transportation Sector Actions 8.1 5.3 11.5 15.5 22.1

19 Cash Value of Parking

20 Innovative Transportation Strategies 6.6 4.6 8.4 10.9 17.0

21 Telecommuting Program

22 Fuel Economy Labels for Tires 1.5 0.7 3.2 4.8 5.3

Energy Supply Actions 10.8 1.3 3.7 7.0 18.9

23 Increase Natural Gas Share of Energy Use Through Federal Regulatory Reform 2.2 Terminated

24 Promote Seasonal Gas Use for Control of Nitrogen Oxides 2.8 0.5 0.0 0.0 0.0

25 High­Efficiency Gas Technologies 0.6 Terminated

26 Renewable­Energy Commercialization 0.8 0.3 2.9 5.6 16.4

27 Expand Utility Integrated Resource Planning 1.4 Terminated

28 Profitable Hydroelectric Efficiency Upgrades 2.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

29 Energy­Efficient Distribution Transformer Standards

30 Energy Star Distribution Transformers 0.8 0.5 0.8 1.4 2.8

31 Transmission Pricing Reform 0.8 Terminated

New Green Power Network Not Included 0.0 Not quantified

Land-Use Change & Forestry Actions+ 10.0 2.4 3.3 4.2 5.1

43 Reduce Depletion of Nonindustrial 4.0 Terminated

Private Forests

44 Accelerate Tree Planting in 0.5 0.4 1.3 2.2 3.1

Nonindustrial Private Forests

16 Waste Minimization** 4.2 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0

9 Expand Cool Communities 0.5 Not quantified

Methane Actions 16.3 15.5 19.0 23.4 24.2

32 Expand Natural Gas STAR 3.0 3.4 3.8 4.2 4.3

33 Increase Stringency of Landfill Rule 4.2 6.3 7.7 9.1 5.9

34 Landfill Methane Outreach Program 1.1 1.9 2.2 2.9 4.3

35 Coalbed Methane Outreach Program 2.2 2.6 2.9 3.2 4.0

36 RD&D for Coal Mine Methane 1.5 Terminated

37 RD&D for Landfill Methane 1.0 Terminated

38 AgSTAR Program 1.5 0.3 0.8 1.8 3.2

39 Ruminant Livestock Efficiency Program 1.8 1.0 1.6 2.2 2.5

Actions to Address Other Greenhouse Gases 16.3 25.4 40.4 45.8 54.5

17 Improve Efficiency of Fertilizer Nitrogen Use*** 4.5 5.3 5.3 5.3 5.3

40 Significant New Alternatives Program 5.0 6.4 19.6 23.1 29.8

41 HFC­23 Partnerships 5.0 5.0 5.0 5.0 5.0

42 Voluntary Aluminum Industrial Partnership 1.8 2.2 2.4 2.4 2.4

New Environmental Stewardship Initiative Not included 6.5 8.1 10.0 12.0

Foundation Actions++ 11.3 10.7 9.5 12.3

Climate Wise Not estimated 1.8 2.7 3.7 4.5

Climate Challenge+++ Not estimated 7.6 5.0 1.6 1.5

State and Local Outreach Programs Not estimated 1.9 3.0 4.2 6.3

Total GHG Emission Reductions

108.6 76.0 128.3 169.3 229.5

From CCAP Programs

Notes: Several of the Climate Change Action Plan (CCAP) programs are part of larger federal efforts. These programs include Actions 2, 4, 6, 7, 15, 16, 27, 32, and 33. Only the CCAP portions of these programs are included in this table. Also, numbers may not add precisely due to interactive effects and rounding.

* There is uncertainty in any attempt to project future emission levels and program impacts, and this uncertainty becomes greater with longer forecast periods. The results of this evaluation of CCAP represent a best estimate. They are also based on the assumption that programs will continue to be funded at current funding levels.

** Includes Waste Wise, NICE3, and USDA's Expansion of Recycling Technology. Energy savings and sequestration are scored separately.

*** Energy savings and N2O savings are scored separately.

+ Additional forestry initiatives by electric utilities are included in Climate Challenge, a Foundation Program.

++ Foundation action partners provide additional reductions in almost all sectors and gases. These values only represent incremental savings not accounted for in other actions or baseline activities.

+++ For the Climate Challenge program, there is considerable uncertainty at this time in quantifying impacts beyond the year 2000, largely because partners' Climate Challenge plans do not currently extend beyond 2000.Given that participation levels are growing and that most utilities appear to be meeting or expanding upon their commitments to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, it is reasonable to expect that the Climate Challenge program will deliver more significant reductions.

Research and Systematic Observation

The U.S. government has dedicated significant resources to research on global climate change. U.S. research efforts (some of which include the private sector) are divided into several general categories, including prediction of climate change, impacts and adaptation, mitigation and new technologies, and socioeconomic analysis and assessment. In addition, U.S. scientists actively coordinate with research and capacity-building efforts in other countries.

The principal vehicle for undertaking climate change research at the federal level is the United States Global Change Research Program. The multiagency program was funded in fiscal year 1997 at approximately $1.8 billion. A significant portion of the Research Program's activities is targeted at improving capabilities to predict climate change, including the human-induced contribution to climate change, and its implications for society and the environment. The United States also is committed to continuing programs in research and observation, with the aim of developing the information base required to improve predictions of climate change and its repercussions, as well as the ability to reduce emissions while sustaining food production, ecosystems, and economic development.

Extensive efforts also are being made to understand the consequences of climate change, regional impacts, and the potential for adaptation. Another area being explored by researchers is the development of technologies that would enable the United States to supply energy, food, water, ecosystem services, and a healthy environment to U.S. citizens, while simultaneously reducing greenhouse gas emissions. These efforts have been divided into short- and longer-term projects involving the private sector, as well as government-sponsored research.

Perhaps most notable in the international component of the research effort is U.S. participation in IPCC work. U.S. scientists participated in the preparation and review of nearly all of the more than 100 chapters of the over 2,000-page report. Researchers also participated in the collection and analysis of the underlying data through programs as varied as the World Climate Research Program, the Human Dimensions of Global Environmental Change Program, the International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme and an impressive array of bilateral scientific and technical work.

The Future

Overall, the conclusions to be drawn from this report can be summarized in three parts:

• Climate change is a clearly defined problem and is well recognized at the highest levels in the U.S. government. Senior officials (from the President to heads of cabinet agencies and departments) have taken a strong stand in favor of