Climate Change 1: Colombia GHG Emissions

In 2010 Colombia presented its second National Communication of Climate Change to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, UNFCCC. Besides other issues, the Report contains the last (2004) National Greenhouse Gas Inventory.

Colombia contributes with the 0.37% (180,010 Gg) of the total worldwide emissions of greenhouses gases (49 GT). The per capita amount emitted is below the global average and very far below values recorded by Europe, North America, and Western Asia.

Carbon dioxide (CO2) represents the 50% of the total greenhouses gas emissions, flowed by methane (CH4) with the 30% and nitrous oxide (N2O) with the 19%. The remaining 1% corresponds to other gases, which are not in the Montreal Protocol, such as HFCs, CFCs, and halocarbons, sulphur hexafluoride. . Those gases are cause by air conditioners, refrigeration and spry cans, and the can cause the ozone hole.

Colombia has a sectoral distribution in which the agriculture activities emit 38% of the total GHG, energy 37% (including transport), land use change and forestry 14%, solid waste 4% and industrial process 5%. It is important to point out that 52% of the total emissions are related to the agricultural (rural) sector in general. Damages on the ecosystems, deforestation, and extensive farming are the main causes for this.

Regarding to the energy sector, transport and energy industries are the main activities that contributes with emissions (both share 56%).

This inventory was an important tool not only to identify opportunities to effectively reduce emissions, but mainly to address the Climate Change policies and plans towards specific productive sectors.

Source:

Ministerio de Medio Ambiente, Vivienda y Desarrollo Territorial: “Segunda Comunicación Nacional ante la Conveción Marco de las Naciones Unidas sobre Cambio Climático”. IDEAM. República de Colombia, 2010.

2 comentarios / 28 Jan 2012 por Diana Patricia Sanchez Barajas
IMSD /

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