RMI’s new report Emissions Out the Gate: State of the Refining and Petrochemical Industries provides an overview of the US and global refining and petrochemical industries, their current emissions and forecasted growth, and projected emissions out to 2050. Emissions Out the Gate was developed through our partnership with Bloomberg.

In the United States alone, the refining and petrochemical industries emit as much climate-warming pollution every year as 100 coal-fired power plants. Despite the industries’ significant climate impacts, data on their emissions is woefully inadequate. Until recently, refining and petrochemical estimates relied almost exclusively on companies’ self-reported data.

This report is a big step forward in providing an independent methodology for modeling emissions. Emissions numbers from companies can now be checked against these estimates, and the global coverage of the emissions estimates provides insight into regions that may not report regularly. The report also establishes a framework that can be improved over time as more measured data becomes available.

Emissions Out the Gate will help industry leaders, policymakers, and communities understand the emissions associated with refining and petrochemical production so they can prioritize next steps based on transparent, trustworthy knowledge of current and projected climate impacts.