ANR Climate Action Office Releases Annual Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory for Vermont

Press Release
For Immediate Release - July 18, 2025

Media Contacts:
Stephanie Brackin, [email protected], 802-261-0606
Jane Lazorchak, [email protected], 802-505-0561

ANR Climate Action Office Releases Annual Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory for Vermont

MONTPELIER - The Agency of Natural Resources' (ANR) Climate Action Office (CAO) has released the latest Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory and Forecast (GHG Inventory), the state's official measure for evaluating progress towards the emissions reduction requirements of the Global Warming Solutions Act. The report covers emissions from 1990 through 2022. As with previous years, there is a natural delay in completing the inventory while national datasets are updated and reviewed to ensure accuracy.

In 2022, transportation and heating fuel used in buildings remained Vermont's largest sources of greenhouse gas emissions - consistent with previous inventories. Vermont's total emissions fell modestly as compared to 2021, as both transportation and heating fuel use declined slightly.

Total and Sector-Based Vermont Greenhouse Gas Emissions (1990 - 2022)

Vermont is one of 23 states that creates its own state emissions inventory, which it has produced since 2007. Vermont collaborates with other states for consistency in emissions accounting. ANR uses emissions data and tools developed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) supplemented with local data to lend further accuracy.

Every year, ANR refines the data used in the GHG Inventory, incorporating updates provided by EPA about historical data. The updates also reflect current scientific research about how much different fuel types contributes to global warming. These improvements make the GHG Inventory more accurate, but they also affect Vermont's emissions reduction targets. Since the Global Warming Solutions Act requirements are set as percentages of baseline emissions from 1990 and 2005 rather than fixed number (i.e., emissions must be reduced 26% below 2005 levels by January 1, 2025), any change to those baseline years automatically adjusts the requirements. As a result, this update resulted in a lightly lower 2025 target, while the 2030 and 2050 targets increased slightly.

Beyond tracking Vermont's past emissions, the GHG Inventory also projects the state's future emissions over the next 5 and 10 years. These forecasts assume that current policy, programs, technologies, and consumer behavior continue on their present trajectory.

To better understand Vermont's climate impact, ANR also conducts a Life Cycle Analysis. The Life Cycle Analysis reflects the cumulative emissions generated throughout an energy source's journey. Specifically, whereas the GHG Inventory only counts the emissions released when a gallon of fossil fuel is burned, the Life Cycle Analysis also accounts for the emissions from drilling for oil, refining it into gasoline, and shipping it to local gas stations. Now in its second year, this analysis works alongside the Greenhouse Gas Inventory to give policymakers a more complete understanding of Vermont's climate footprint, helping inform decisions about the state's energy future.

ANR updates the GHG Inventory annually in July.

Learn more about Climate Change in Vermont and Vermont's Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory .

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