Emissions
of methane (CH4)
CC-2
Climate
Change
Pressure
1 Indicator
definition and unit of measurement
Total
anthropogenic methane (CH
4)
emissions from the sectors energy, industrial processes, solvent and other
product use, agriculture, land use change and forestry, and waste (as defined
by IPCC
[4]).
Natural emissions are not accounted for in this indicator. The unit of
measurement is tonnes CH
4
per year.
2 Placement
in the framework
5EAP:
Chapter
5: The themes and targets of the programme, section 5.1: Climate change.
Agenda
21:
Chapter
9: Protection of the atmosphere, section 2: Conservation and management of
resources for development.
International
conventions and agreements:
UNFCCC
(New York, 1992).
Ranking:
Core
ranking:
2
(78%)
Policy
Relevance:
2
(3.3)
Analytical
Soundness:
2
(3.4)
Responsiveness:
5
(2.7)
Most
appropriate related state indicator:
Atmospheric
CH
4
concentrations, global temperature.
3 Significance
Purpose:
CH4
is a powerful greenhouse gas whose levels have already doubled. The main
purpose of this indicator is to monitor total anthropogenic CH
4
emissions.
Relevance:
Although
total CH
4
emissions are relatively small compared with total CO
2
emissions, the radiative forcing capacity of CH
4
is relatively large. The Global Warming Potential for CH
4
amounts to 21 assuming a 100 year time horizon
[5]. See
also item 3. Relevance of the Methodology sheet for CO
2.
Linkages
to other pressure indicators:
The
indicator is linked to the indicators of other greenhouse gases. Furthermore,
the indicator is linked with those in the area of Ozone Depletion. CH
4
emissions are believed to affect stratospheric ozone depletion, see item 3.
Linkages to other pressure indicators of the methodology sheet for CH
4
in the Ozone Depletion section (OD-8).
Moreover,
ozone is also a greenhouse gas, and therefore changes in stratospheric ozone
should be considered in assessing climate change.
Targets:
The
current target for industrialised countries is to aim at returning emissions to
1990 levels in the year 2000. Current commitments of EU Member States add up to
a 10% reduction of CO
2,
CH
4
and N
2O
emissions
[6]
by 2010 (reference year 1990). The EU target for VOCs (note that this includes
methane) amounts to a 10% reduction of man-made emissions in 1996 and a 30%
reduction (1990 level) in 1999.
4 Methodological
description and underlying definitions
Underlying
definitions and concepts:
The
main sources of CH
4
are agriculture (mainly flooded rice paddies and livestock), waste dumps, coal
mining and natural gas production and transportation. CH
4
is besides a direct greenhouse gas also a precursor of tropospheric ozone and
stratospheric water vapour.
Measurement
methods:
The
1996 “Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories” have been
formally adopted by the IPCC as the international method to estimate emissions.
Limitations
of the indicator:
None.
Data is available in standardised formats and using internationally agreed
methodologies.
Alternative
definitions:
An
aggregated indicator for CO
2,
CH
4,
and N
2O
emissions based on their Global Warming Potential.
[4]
Intergovernmental
Panel on Climate Change
[5]
Including
indirect effects of tropospheric ozone production and stratospheric water
vapour production. IPCC second assessment report, 1996.
[6]
Weighted
total, using Global Warming Potentials with a 100 year time-horizon.
