Municipalities
Carbon Accounting for Small Municipalities: Getting Started
A step-by-step guide for smaller cities and towns starting their first greenhouse gas inventory — where to find data and how to build a repeatable process.
You do not need a large sustainability department or a six-figure consulting budget. Many small municipalities (under 50,000 inhabitants) have successfully created their first GHG inventory with a small team and existing data sources.
Start with BASIC
The GPC offers BASIC and BASIC+. Start with BASIC — it covers Scope 1 and 2 from the three most important sectors (stationary energy, transportation, waste) while keeping data collection manageable.
Where to Find Data
Stationary Energy
- Municipal buildings: your own utility bills
- Community buildings: aggregated data from grid operators
- District heating: data from your heating provider
Transportation
- Municipal fleet: fuel purchase records
- Community transport: national per-capita statistics
Waste
- Waste volumes from your waste management provider
- Wastewater throughput from your treatment plant
The 80/20 Rule
Buildings and transport typically account for 80–90% of emissions. Prioritize these sectors.
Building a Repeatable Process
- Document every data source
- Build relationships with data providers
- Create a data collection calendar
- Use a structured platform instead of spreadsheets