Tracking Seattle's Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Overview
Seattle releases an analysis of our climate pollution, called a greenhouse gas inventory, every two years. The inventory tracks emissions over three key sectors: transportation, buildings, and waste.
A downloadable version of our most recent report is here. Interpretation support is available upon request.
For full-screen data visualizations, click here.
2024 Update
The 2024 findings show core emissions decreased approximately 6% from 2022. The buildings sector experienced an emissions decline, while transportation remained the largest emissions source and was relatively flat. Population increased 4% and economic activity rose 11% during that same period.
- Transportation (56% of core emissions): 1% increase in GHG emissions.
- Seattleites are driving substantially less than they did in 2022, with a 10% reduction in vehicle miles traveled. Transit ridership has continued to recover post-pandemic, with Metro reporting strong growth in weekday bus ridership and Link light-rail ridership increasing nearly 6.3 million boardings. Electric vehicles increased from 5.6% to 7.6% of miles driven. Emissions from increased freight activity mostly offset these positive shifts.
- Seattleites are driving substantially less than they did in 2022, with a 10% reduction in vehicle miles traveled. Transit ridership has continued to recover post-pandemic, with Metro reporting strong growth in weekday bus ridership and Link light-rail ridership increasing nearly 6.3 million boardings. Electric vehicles increased from 5.6% to 7.6% of miles driven. Emissions from increased freight activity mostly offset these positive shifts.
- Buildings (41% of core emissions): 14% decrease in GHG emissions.
- Residential building emissions decreased 24% and commercial emissions declined 18% from 2022, largely as a result of a spike in fossil gas consumption in 2022. Milder weather partially contributed to lower energy use in 2024, with about 6% fewer heating degree days and 17% fewer cooling degree days. Fossil gas continues to produce a majority of building emissions, despite electricity supplying more than half of total building energy use in 2024.
- Residential building emissions decreased 24% and commercial emissions declined 18% from 2022, largely as a result of a spike in fossil gas consumption in 2022. Milder weather partially contributed to lower energy use in 2024, with about 6% fewer heating degree days and 17% fewer cooling degree days. Fossil gas continues to produce a majority of building emissions, despite electricity supplying more than half of total building energy use in 2024.
- Waste (3% of core emissions): 7% increase in GHG emissions.
- The increase was driven primarily by higher amounts of commercial waste, as well as changes in types of materials discarded. Residential and self-haul waste emissions remained comparatively stable.
Overall, emissions have declined 18% from the 2008 baseline, while population increased 32% and regional economic activity nearly doubled at 94%. Since then, about 83% of new homes were built in compact, walkable, transit-connected neighborhoods, and driving per resident has fallen 28%.