Level 1: Module 2
Sources of Emissions in Clark County
Our atmosphere is overloaded with greenhouse gas emissions, which is causing our climate to change. Decreasing these emissions rapidly and aggressively is our best chance to prevent the worst impacts of climate change.
In 2022, Clark County conducted an inventory of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to better understand how activities in communities across the County contribute to climate change. This study found that the Southern Nevada region was responsible for 26,301,115 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (MTCO2e) in 2022. This is equal to about 11.3 MTCO2e per person.
Each community has unique circumstances, but it often helps to compare GHG emissions to those from other communities of similar size, population, and climate. Below are 2022 GHG emission inventories from similar communities to Clark County:
- Denver, Colorado: 44 million MTCO2e
- The Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) in central Texas: 24.3 million MTCO2e
- The Indianapolis, IN metro area: 33.7 million MTCO2e
So where do Clark County's emissions come from?
The main sources of greenhouse gas emissions in Clark County come from the fuel and electricity we need to light and power our homes, the gasoline we burn in our vehicles, the methane from our decomposing trash, and the energy it takes to pump, transport, and treat water:
- Buildings & Energy: 40.2% of County-wide GHG emissions come from electricity and natural gas use in buildings and industry. As temperatures get hotter, demand for cooling goes up, increasing energy use.
- Transportation: 49.5% of County-wide GHG emissions come from transportation. When we burn fossil fuels to power our vehicles, greenhouse gases are emitted into the atmosphere causing air pollution and contributing to climate change. With Clark County's growing population, traffic will continue to increase, especially if residents continue driving alone. More cars on the road means more pollution, congestion, and health impacts. Across Clark County, there were over 18.5 billion vehicle miles traveled in 2022. Strung end-to-end, this is the equivalent of roughly 11 round trip journeys to Saturn!
- Solid Waste: 8.4% of Community-wide GHG emissions come from waste. Although we may not see our trash again after we throw it away, the impacts of our waste are long-lasting. When waste—particularly organic waste such as food scraps—decomposes in a landfill, it produces methane, a greenhouse gas that is more potent and stays in the atmosphere longer than carbon dioxide. In 2022, waste generation in Clark County was enough to fill The Sphere 13 times, slightly more than once per month!
- Water & Wastewater: Pumping, treating, and distributing water consumes energy, which in turn increases greenhouse gas emissions. Wastewater treatment also requires energy, making it even more important to conserve water use.