Greenhouse gas emissions have declined, report shows

Greenhouse gas emissions in the region declined two per cent to 15 million tonnes over a five-year period, according to Metro Vancouver’s 2018 Caring for the Air report.

The annual report states that heating and cooling of buildings, including residential and commercial, are major contributors to regional greenhouse gas emissions.

From 2010 to 2015, emissions from buildings decreased by more than 10 per cent, thanks to reduced natural gas consumption, partly due to improved efficiency of equipment.

Those improvements were offset by emissions from industrial sources, in large part the cement and petroleum sectors. Vehicle traffic emissions also increased due to growth in the region’s population and economy.

The report notes that a “business-as-usual” forecast projects that regional greenhouse gas emissions will decrease by about one per cent by 2035.

Emissions from cars and trucks are projected to fall by about 35 per cent, due to emission regulations, but this is offset by increases in emissions from buildings and industry.

An aggressive trend toward electric vehicles could result in a “significant drop” in greenhouse gas emissions, as much as 27 per cent by 2035, according to one forecast scenario.

In 2015, vehicles were responsible for 31 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions, compared with 26 per cent from buildings; 17 per cent industry; eight per cent non-road engines; seven per cent air, marine and rail; five per cent heavy-duty vehicles; and three per cent each for agriculture and waste.

The lower Fraser Valley airshed reaches as far as the Fraser Valley Regional District, Whatcom County in Washington state, Vancouver Island, Howe Sound and the Sunshine Coast. Metro operates a network of 29 monitoring stations from Horseshoe Bay to Hope, measuring more than 10 pollutants.

New sensor technology has also led to the development of low-cost air-quality monitors, allowing individuals to collect their own data.