Analysis and Report of Data

Analyzing and presenting the results of your inventory provides an important opportunity to move forward in the larger process of campus emissions reduction and climate action. A finished report informs all campus stakeholders—administration, students, faculty, the surrounding community—about the climate impact of the campus.

The Calculator can aid in the technical creation of the report, automatically creating many graphs and other tables that will help the user understand the institutional emissions profile. The trends and changes over time highlighted by the charts, tables and graphs can provide insight into emissions reductions opportunities and priorities.

Figure I.1.  Metric Ton Carbon Dioxide Equivalents Emitted: 1990 - 2003

This table, for example, taken from Middlebury College's Summary of Energy Consumption and Greenhouse Gas Emissions at Middlebury College, translates the data inputted and tabulated by the Calculator into an easy-to-digest form that allows comparison between years and emissions sources.

The analysis and summary of the inventory, usually integrated into a formal report such as Middlebury's Summary of Energy Consumption and Greenhouse Gas Emissions at Middlebury College or the University of New Hampshire (Durham Campus) Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory, creates the platform for education and action necessary for all further climate efforts—in other words, Steps 2-5 of this toolkit. It also allows for celebration of the work begun toward climate action (i.e. the inventory) and widespread buy-in and momentum for continued action. Releasing the report is an occasion for media attention, formal presentation of the findings to the larger community, and emphasis of this milestone as a crucial first step.