Contractors for the federal government that do not track their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions could risk losing their contracts, according to a report in the Federal Times about new rules by the General Services Administration (GSA).

The new rules are a part of the GSA's response to an executive order by the Obama administration issued in October which directed federal agencies to find ways to reduce their GHG emissions. Potentially, the new rules could have far-reaching consequences through the entire economy, not just government contractors.

As the country's single largest buyer, the government has a significant amount of leverage among suppliers across a wide spectrum of sectors, according to the report. The effect is similar to what happened when Wal-Mart announced plans to begin tracking emissions through its supply chain, though on a much larger scale.

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