Inventory of Asian Greenhouse Gas Emission and Sinks in 1990

Abstract

This paper presents a synthesis of preliminary national'inventory assessments prepared by Bangladesh. China. Mongolia. the Philippines, and Thailand through the assistance of the U. S. Country Studies Program and other organizations. Emissions of carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide. oxides of nitrogen. and carbon monoxide from various sources in each cc~untrya re compared and examined in the context of demographic and economic characteristics. The energy secror is the largest source of carbon dioxide emissions in all five countries, except the Philippines. where the forestry and land-use change sector is the largest carbon dioxide source. Forestry and land-"se change is the second most important source of carbon dioxide in Thailand, while in Fangladesh, China, and Mongolia, the sector acts as a carbon sink. Agriculture, particr~larlyr ice cultivation and livestock digestion, is the largest source of methane in all five countries. Only three countries-Mongolia, the Philip- ?ines, and Thailand-+ported emissions of nitrous oxide. nitrogen oxides, and carbon monoxide. which result prima5ly from fossil fuel and biofuel combustion and biomass burning associated with land convenicn. Comparison of national inventory estimates to other published estimates of counw-level emissions indicated quite close agreement for the fossil energy and industry sectors, and wide divergence for the land-use change :eqd forestry sector and for rice culf.ivation.