History

In 1994, the U.S. EPA, in conjunction with the U.S. DOE, launched a pilot program, known as ClimateWise, a voluntary initiative aimed at encouraging efficient energy consumption and emission reduction among industry as a method of increasing corporate assets. Under the administration of James Haven, North Carolina became nationally recognized as the leader in the reporting of GHG emissions for the U.S. Due to federal budget cuts, the pilot program ended in 2000, with no further support to the states. This funding was then contracted for North Carolina State University (NCSU) to continue with the current 25 reporting companies (a total of 43 facilities were reporting). Subsequently, to balance the State budget, the State elected to discontinue supporting the efforts established through the ClimateWise program. With no funding, on June 30, 2002 with the 43 facility reports only half completed, this left the company year-end reports in turmoil.

With the need for this program already established and major enhancements coming, the decision was made by the NC Climate Wise Director,James Haven, to continue the 43 reports. Each company pledged their support to continue through financial support. This reporting cycle was concluded in November 2002. At this time a new program was proposed at a DOE / VRGG workshop in Washington D.C., with the assistance of GWI's CEO, James Haven. The North Carolina program was transformed into a non-profit, 501C3, organization with the mission of improving energy efficiency and environmental performance of businesses. Then reporting the reductions of greenhouse gases to the DOE/EIA Voluntary Reporting of Greenhouse Gases Program (VRGG). Global Warming Initiatives was formed on January 6, 2003..

The reporting with the new VRGG program was to begin with the year end 2003 data. The development of this program is still under way, postponed each year due to politics, new conversion factors, unifying reporting of greenhouse gases between agencies in the US and Internationally, the 2008 elections and a new regime starting in 2009. With all of this and no Federal funding, it is now anticipated the VRGG program will be finalized and distributed to industries by the end of the first quarter of 2009.

Throughout all this time since 1995, Climate Wise/Global Warming Initiatives has been collecting, analyzing, and reporting industries total energy usage and ghg emissions. Some companies have put their programs on hold until the new VRGG is finalized but most have continued due to the great value of understanding where their emissions are coming from. Also, knowing where their energy efficiencies could be improved, thus saving them dollars.