Mayor Menino's 2007 executive order on climate action requires the City to report annually on its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. In January 2008, the City released a report containing inventories for municipal emissions for fiscal years (FY) 2000 and 2005 and for community emissions in calendar year 2005. The December 2008 report includes the municipal GHG inventory for FY2006 and revised inventories for FY2000 and FY2005. Revisions were required because of changes in the recommended protocol for conducting inventories and for changes in GHG emission factors. (The community inventory will also require revision.)

In FY2006, municipal operations accounted for the emission of about 199,000 tons of equivalent carbon dioxide (eCO2), after adjustment for carbon offsets. This is 11,000 tons less than the FY2005 figure. About half of the change comes from reduced energy consumption by the Boston Public Schools; the other half comes primarily from increased purchases of Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) for electricity. In FY2000, the earliest year for which the City has a reliable inventory, emissions were 203,000 tons.

FY2006 Boston Municipal Greenhouse Gas Inventory, Revised FY2000 and FY2005 Inventories (December 2008)

Original 2005 Boston Greenhouse Gas Inventories (January 2008; includes FY2000 municipal inventory)