Physical flow accounts: Energy use and greenhouse gas emissions, 2013
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Released: 2015-07-29
Physical flows by industry and households
Total energy use by industries and households in Canada increased 2.1% in 2013, following a 0.2% gain the previous year. Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions rose 1.9% in 2013 following a 1.0% gain in 2012.
These changes took place as economic growth, as measured by gross domestic product, was 2.0% in 2012 and 2.1% in 2013.
Households continued to be the largest energy users in 2013, accounting for 23.7% of national energy use, up from 23.3% in 2012. Conversely, households were responsible for 19.4% of national GHG emissions, since a large portion of household energy use is electricity, which does not directly contribute to household GHG emissions.
Energy use in the utilities and construction industries declined for the third consecutive year, falling from 13.2% of national energy use in 2012 to 12.6% in 2013.
The growth trend for GHG emissions in the mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction industries continued, as they remained the largest source of GHG emissions in 2013, accounting for 21.5% of the national total. These industries are more prominent in terms of GHG emissions than in energy use because of fugitive emissions from oil and gas extraction. The agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting industries (accounting for 11.2% of national GHG emissions) are similarly pushed higher by the contribution of emissions from crop and animal production.
In other services and public administration, GHG emissions rose by 5.0% despite a decrease in energy use. The decline in energy use was related to lower electricity consumption, which was offset by the increased use of fossil fuels.
Note to readers
Statistics Canada's Physical flow accounts record the annual flows of natural resources, products and residuals between the Canadian economy and the environment. Data are presented to reflect the activities of industries, households and governments, and follow the classification system used in Statistics Canada's Input-output accounts. These data are available at the national level only.
Preliminary data for 2012 and 2013 from the Physical flow accounts are now available for energy use and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Data for 2009, 2010 and 2011 on energy use and GHG emissions were updated with revised source data.
Energy use and GHG emissions intensities per industry for 2009 to 2011 were revised to reflect the updates to energy use and GHG emissions data.
A revised table for 2009 to 2011 on energy use and GHG emissions by final demand category is now available, again to reflect the updates to energy use and GHG emissions data.
Environment Canada is responsible for producing Canada's National Inventory Report on Greenhouse Gas Sources and Sinks. This inventory fulfills Canada's reporting obligations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), and is the official benchmark for GHG emissions in Canada. The reporting requirements of the UNFCCC differ from the methodological guidelines of the United Nations System of Environmental – Economic Accounting used to create the Greenhouse gas account described here. For more information on these differences, consult the survey page.
Contact information
For more information, or to enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact us (toll-free 1-800-263-1136; 514-283-8300; infostats@statcan.gc.ca) or Media Relations (613-951-4636; statcan.mediahotline-ligneinfomedias.statcan@canada.ca).
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