This report updates New Jersey’s estimated total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions as reported in New Jersey’s Statewide Greenhouse Gas Emission Inventory, last issued November 2012 for year 2009, with emissions estimates for 2010, 2011, and 2012. This report, which will hereafter be referred to as the 2012 inventory, also discusses aspects regarding progress towards achieving the 2020 and 2050 greenhouse gas limits established by New Jersey’s Global Warming Response Act (GWRA) (see N.J.S.A. 26:2C-43).

As stated in the GWRA, the 2020 limit is a quantity equal to the 1990 emissions total (baseline), which has been estimated to be 125.6 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (MMTCO2e) and the 2050 limit is a quantity 80 percent less than the 2006 emissions. The 2006 emission has been estimated to be 127.0 MMTCO2e, so the 2050 limit is 25.4 MMTCO2e.

New Jersey’s first GHG inventory pursuant to the GWRA was finalized in November 2008 and included 1990 estimated emissions, estimated emissions for 2004 and projections out to 2020.3 The first biennial report was completed in November 2009 and included estimated greenhouse gas emissions for 2005 through 2007.4 The second biennial report was completed in May 2011 and included estimated greenhouse gas emissions for 2008.