GHG Emissions and Intensity by Chemical Manufacturing Subsector (2006)

WRI and Standard & Poor’s examined the possible credit implications of the policy scenarios for 13 of the most greenhouse gas-intensive chemicals manufacturing subsectors.

WRI and Standard & Poor’s analysis covers 13 chemicals subsectors as defined by the government’s North American Industry Classification System (NAICS). These subsectors make up less than half ($332 billion) of the $724 billion U.S. chemicals industry’s value of shipments in 2007, but contributed to more than 90% of the chemicals industry’s overall direct GHG emissions in 2006. Standard & Poor’s and WRI chose these subsectors because they exhibited relatively high GHG intensity per unit of product compared with that of the entire chemicals industry and, thus, are most vulnerable to policies aiming to reduce GHGs.