The Use of Landfill Methane as a Greenhouse Gas Credit Generator in the Voluntary Greenhouse Gas Reduction Programs in the United States

摘要

The debate on global warming continues with evidence seeming to be more convincing to the politicians that carbon dioxide reductions will be necessary in the near future. The rest of the worlds will be operating under Kyoto this year (2003), if Russia ratifies Kyoto in august as has been rumored. The Bush Administration has begun a program to use voluntary reductions in place of mandatory reductions sought by Kyoto. Landfill methane is man made and is available as a greenhouse gas credit. The presentation will describe the ability of municipal solid waste landfills to generate significant quantities of greenhouse gas emission credits for use as offsets to new power generation plants being considered for the US. The paper will discuss the efforts of the States and Congress to set up emission reductions. The paper will also discuss the role of landfill methane in the voluntary programs currently operating such as the Chicago Climate Exchange and The USEPA Climate Leaders program. The paper will be updated prior to the conference to take into account political actions that have taken place in Congress and the world since November 2003 that will affect Global warming.