Carbon Dioxide Emissions Predictions

The following graph shows Williams' past greenhouse gas emissions (black line) with two scenarios predicted for the future. The red line is a prediction of Williams' emissions if behaviors and patterns of the past fifteen years continue unchanged. It assumes that the building area on campus and energy use per square foot continue to grow as they have over the past fifteen years. (Go here to see a graph of Williams' past building area and energy per square foot growth.) The blue line prediction assumes that building area remains constant after all planned building projects are completed in 2012. It also assumes an annual decrease in energy use per square foot of 3.5%.

The upper dotted line is the emission level first suggested as a goal for 2010 by the Williams Climate Initiative: 10% below 2005 levels. The lower dotted line is 1991 emissions levels, the earliest year that Williams has the records necessary for emissions calculations. The Kyoto Protocol, for comparison, calls for developed countries to reduce their emissions to 5% below 1990 levels by 2008-2012.