COLORADO GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS AND SINKS
INVENTORY: SUMMARY

LU

CN

o
o

CO Greenhouse Gas Emissions,
1990 and 2000

Energy Industrial Agriculture Land Use Waste
Processes

Sector

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment draft report entitled DRAFT
Colorado Greenhouse Gas Inventory and Reference Case Projections 1990-2020, provides a
detailed inventory of sources and sinks of greenhouse gases in Colorado.1

In 1990, Colorado emitted greenhouse gases in the amount of 52.1 million metric tons
carbon dioxide equivalent (MMTC02E). In 2000, greenhouse gas emissions increased to 74.8
MMTC02E an overall increase of 44% from 1990 to 2000. Emissions from waste, energy use,
and agriculture all increased (by 60 percent, 26 percent, and 10 percent, respectively).
Emissions from industrial processes increased from 0.8 MMTC02E to 2.1 MMTC02E, 176
percent. Land Use (comprising forestry and land use) accounted for a sink, which remained
constant at -33.8 MMTC02E and offset 30 percent of Colorado's gross emissions.

1 Historical GHG emission estimates (1990 through 2004) were estimated using a set of generally-
accepted principles and guidelines for state greenhouse gas emission estimates, with adjustments to
provide Colorado-specific data and inputs when it was possible to do so. Emissions from 2006 to 2020
were developed based on a compilation of various existing projections of electricity generation, fuel use,
and other GHG-emitting activities, along with a set of transparent assumptions.

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1990

C02
(MMTCOzE)

ch4

(MMTC02E)

n2o

(MMTC02E)

HFCs, PFCs,

and SF6
(MMTC02E)

Total
(MMTCOzE)

Energy

*

*

*

*

74.4

Industrial Processes

*

*

*

*

0.8

Agriculture

*

*

*

*

8.7

Land Use

*

*

*

*

-33.8

Waste

*

*

*

*

2.0

Net Emissions

*

*

*

*

52.1

2000

C02
(MMTCOzE)

ch4

(MMTCOzE)

NzO
(MMTCOzE)

HFCs, PFCs,

and SF6
(MMTCOzE)

Total
(MMTCOzE)

Energy

*

*

*

*

93.7

Industrial Processes

*

*

*

*

2.1

Agriculture

*

*

*

*

9.6

Land Use

*

*

*

*

-33.8

Waste

*

*

*

*

3.2

Net Emissions

*

*

*

*

74.8

Note: Totals may differ from the sum of the sources due to independent rounding. All emissions are
reported in million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (MMTC02E).

* The Colorado state Inventory did not include emissions by gas; only aggregated totals by category were
presented.

The majority of Colorado's emissions came from with the burning of fossil fuels, primarily
for the production of electricity (55 percent in 2000) and transportation (34 percent in 2000).
Residential, commercial, and industrial fossil fuel use accounted for 27 percent of 2000
emissions, while the fossil fuel industry accounted for 12 percent.

Per capita gross emissions in Colorado were 26 MTC02E per capita in both 1990 and in
2000, slightly higher than the national average of 25 MTC02E in both 1990 and 2000.

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