A spatial analysis of residential greenhouse gas emissions in the Toronto Census Metropolitan Area

Residential greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the Toronto Census Metropolitan Area are spatially analyzed to determine the impact of urban form on emission-causing activities. The key finding is that over the entire region, emissions from private auto use are on par with those from fuel use for building heating. Once beyond the transit-intensive central core, private auto emissions surpass the emissions from building operations. Variation in total auto- and building-related emissions is quite significant between census tracts, ranging from 3.1 to 13.1 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalents per year. Of all tracts, the top ten in terms of GHG emission are located in the lower-density suburbs, and their high emissions were largely due to private auto use.