Greenhouse gases rising in Asian countries
Greenhouse gases rising in Asian countries
By Oliver Teves
MANILA, Philippines (AP): Emissions of greenhouse gases in developing Asian countries will skyrocket to three to five times their 1990 levels by 2020 if no counter-measures are taken, experts said.
Twelve developing countries in Asia account for 90 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions in the region but only 15 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, according to scientists at a regional conference hosted by the Asian Development Bank.
Scientists say greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide, may cause global warming - melting glaciers, causing oceans to rise, and altering traditional weather patterns around the world.
Kazi Jalal, chief of the Manila-based bank's office of environment and social development, said the rapid increase in the emissions is due to rising use of fossil fuels, specially coal, for electricity and transportation.
Jalal said greenhouse gas emissions from the energy sector are projected to account for 80 percent of total greenhouse gas emissions by 2020.
"But even with such projected increase, this group of countries would still be far smaller emitters of greenhouse gas on a per-capita basis" compared to industrial countries, he said.
The countries that participated in the conference were Bangladesh, Myanmar, China, India, Indonesia, Mongolia, Pakistan, Philippines, South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam. The UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific presented a study on greenhouse gases in North Korea.
The primary sources of greenhouse gas emissions in the region are production and use of fossil fuels, wet rice agriculture, livestock raising, solid waste disposal, deforestation and land- clearing activities that are rapidly increasing in Asia, scientists said.
Bindu Lohani, manager of the bank's environment division, said if abatement measures are implemented, the rate of increase could be reduced by 20 percent to 30 percent.
Such measures include improvement in efficiency of energy conversion and use; wider use of renewable energy sources such as hydropower, wind and solar energy; less energy-intensive mass transport systems; protection and conservation of natural forests; reforestation; dry rice agriculture; livestock feed and waste management; and recovery and use of methane from landfills.
The conference on the Asia Least-Cost Greenhouse Gas Abatement Strategy Project, or Algas, also prepared participants for negotiations in an international meeting on climate change to be held in Kyoto, Japan, next month.
Jalal said the project has helped the 12 countries fulfill their commitments to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change to make an inventory of greenhouse gases, develop abatement strategies and identify specific projects to reduce emissions.
A participant from Bangladesh said although the 12 Asian countries are not obliged to take action under a proposed protocol to be negotiated in Kyoto on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, "they are nevertheless taking action as good citizens of this planet."
Suphaint Piamphongsant, a participant from Thailand, said the Group of 77, to which the 12 Asian countries belong, has a "strong position" not to make additional commitments at the Kyoto conference.