(Justmeans.com / CSR News) - Agency Emissions to be Revealed for the First Time

For the first time, we are likely to see the size of federal agency emissions as each agency is forced to take stock of its overall energy use and conservation. President Obama's executive order, number 13514, places considerable emphasis on the carbon emissions of each department and calls for a plan to reduce the same.

Agency Emissions to be Revealed for the First Time

Federal agencies are being forced to take account of their energy usage and carbon emissions as Pres. Obama issues them an executive order.

For the first time, we are likely to see the size of federal agency emissions as each agency is forced to take stock of its overall energy use and conservation. President Obama's executive order, number 13514, places considerable emphasis on the carbon emissions of each department and calls for a plan to reduce the same.

The US government is known to be the largest polluter in the country and individual agency emissions have never come under such detailed scrutiny as they must now face due to this new executive order. It is true to say that agencies do not comprehend the scale of their emission issues, as they have never been forced to account for their own greenhouse gas inventories before.

While the House of Representatives may have passed their own climate related Act during early 2009, it is not clear whether the Senate will act anytime soon regarding their own version. This has caused environmental advocates around the world to sharply criticize the US for recalcitrance. Obama's executive order goes some way to appease the critics, as agency emissions account for a very considerable part of the country's overall footprint.

Obama has said that the government must lead by example and he has clearly come out in favor of reducing reliance on traditional forms of energy and helping to initiate climate change. Rather than setting a given standard, he has asked each chief to assume the scale of agency emissions and to determine their own percentage reduction goal. Agencies must now understand their position and report back soon.

The federal government now faces challenges which are surely to be assumed by other organizations in the years ahead. Each organization must be aware of its entire operation, how each of its assets uses energy and consequently pollutes the environment. Such a comprehensive analysis is a challenge and must be conducted down to a micro-level, if it is to be effective.

Obama has set a 10 year plan and will be looking for agency emissions to be reduced by a considerable margin during that time. In order to stand behind a stated goal, agency management must first undertake a full-scale analysis, backed up by tailor-made solutions. The goal of sustainability may only be achieved through full disclosure.

There are hundreds of individual agencies, organizations and departments affected by Obama's executive order. Some agencies focus directly on environmental issues, but the vast majority may be largely unaware of the need for sustainability. It is true to say that each and every one of them will be experts on this subject in short order!

While calling for agency emissions to be reduced and existing systems and assets to be optimized for efficiency, the executive order also calls for a majority of new projects and buildings to be sustainable, to ensure that future growth is contained.

Agency Emissions are Likely to Be Considerable

Agency emissions, executive order, carbon footprint, sustainability

While it has always been the subject of some speculation, federal agency emissions will now be released for all to see as Pres. Obama's executive order dictates. The order, as recently released, is meant to force each agency to take account for and to control its own energy use and subsequent carbon emissions.

Agency Emissions are Likely to Be Considerable

Federal agencies are being told to calculate their energy usage and carbon emissions as Obama issues them a direct order.

While it has always been the subject of some speculation, federal agency emissions will now be released for all to see as Pres. Obama's executive order dictates. The order, as recently released, is meant to force each agency to take account for and to control its own energy use and subsequent carbon emissions.

It is no secret that the federal government is the largest consumer of energy and thus a significant emitter of carbon emissions, but the government has never been required to detail the scale of this problem. As such, individual agencies do not know how to gather the information, let alone how to come up with a plan to curtail. They must now reveal greenhouse gas inventories and report back to the executive branch with the findings.

Critics from around the world have pointed to the United States as being a poor advocate for climate change. While the House of Representatives has passed its own version of a climate protection Act, the Senate is dragging its heels and is unlikely to move any time soon. This has all given fuel to the critics who look to Pres. Obama for more leadership. In response, his executive order has satisfied some of the opposition, as its repercussions will no doubt impact a sizable amount of the country's overall carbon emissions.

As Obama has said quite clearly that he is a supporter of containment, it could be argued that his executive order was to be expected. However, rather than setting the overall goal, the chief executive has asked each agency chief to determine its own problem and to suggest a percentage reduction package. This puts considerable pressure on each agency to analyze and determine.

As it becomes clear that inaction is not acceptable, the problems surrounding federal agency emissions are likely to be duplicated amongst all organizations in the next few years. A complete lifecycle analysis is necessary to determine exactly how each asset contributes to the organizational flow, its overall energy use and consequent emission liability.

Within the next 10 years, agency emissions must be reduced by a yet to be stated, but surely considerable margin. To become sustainable, a goal must be measured against an established baseline and it will be necessary for each agency to adopt specific systems and solutions to help them understand this first.

Although some federal agencies focus on environmental issues, the vast majority of agencies, organizations and departments affected by the executive order may be largely unaware of the need for overall sustainability.

Obama's executive order does not only cover direct agency emissions, it also calls for them to be more accountable for all resource usage, water consumption, waste production and for a plan to be put in place to ensure that all federal buildings, yet to be constructed, are fully sustainable.

Scale of Agency Emissions Soon to be Revealed

Agency emissions, executive order, carbon footprint, sustainability

It only seems fair, if individual organizations are to be asked to reveal the size of their carbon footprint, that the federal government should be as well. This concept is now likely to become reality, as Pres. Obama's latest executive order calls for each department within the government to assess its position and reveal its agency emissions for the first time.

Scale of Agency Emissions Soon to be Revealed

Federal agencies have to determine their energy usage and greenhouse gas emissions as the President issues them a direct order.

It only seems fair, if individual organizations are to be asked to reveal the size of their carbon footprint, that the federal government should be as well. This concept is now likely to become reality, as Pres. Obama's latest executive order calls for each department within the government to assess its position and reveal its agency emissions for the first time.

The federal government is by far the largest user of energy and consequently the largest emitter of greenhouse gases in the United States. It may be surprising that individual agency emissions have never been closely detailed, yet it is true that each agency is largely unaware of the scale of its own problem. The executive branch expects them to determine these details in short order and come up with a plan for the future.

Despite its position as a world leader, the United States has never been known for taking the lead in any matters related to climate change. There is some activity within the halls of legislature, as the House of Representatives has even passed its own version of a climate related Act. However, the Senate is not known for moving quickly and it remains to be seen whether they will help move the situation forward or not. Pres. Obama took his own lead by issuing the executive order, knowing that it would by itself have a significant effect on the country's position due to the size of the government itself.

With containment as the ultimate goal, Obama expects each agency chief to come up with a suggestion related to their own interpretation of the problem. The trouble is that each agency has yet to determine its own baseline and until it does so it will be unable to establish what must be a realistic projection and target for the years ahead.

Major legislation is very likely as we try and get around the problem of environmental damage. The order covering federal agency emissions is likely to be only the start of large initiatives to move forward. Every organization must look at its operation from start to finish, to see how each of its assets relies on energy. Discovery will be followed by optimization, efficiency and significant plans for improvements.

Obama has dictated that agency emissions must be reduced by a yet to be determined amount over the next 10 years. There is no doubt that agencies will need to establish systems and solutions to help them become sustainable if they are to have any chance of conforming to the terms of the order.

Several major US agencies are responsible for issues related to climate change and environmental damage, but the majority of agencies and departments will no doubt have to take a crash course on energy reduction and sustainability.

While direct agency emissions will be at the center of Obama's executive order, all federal departments must now become more accountable for their resource usage, waste production and general efficiency.