GREENHOUSE GASES (GHGs)

GHGs are gases that absorb heat in the atmosphere causing greenhouse effect or global warming
resulting to climate change. Like inside a greenhouse with screen or glass roof, the heat will be trapped
like a blanket warming the air, the air in the troposphere (air layer of the atmosphere) increase in
temperature causing faster evaporation causing heavier rains, and stronger winds caused by mixing of
more mass of hot and cold air. These conditions will also result to changes in the other weather
parameters resulting to extreme weather events (typhoons, thunderstorms, etc.).

THREE MAJOR GHGs AND THEIR SOURCES

From the BGCs, GHGs are products of the processes from human activities such as industries,
agriculture, urbanization, deforestation, mining, among others.

These are the carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) diffused into the
atmosphere through burning/respiration, anaerobic decomposition, and denitrification, respectively.

GLOBAL WARMING POTENTIAL (GWP)

GWP is the capacity/ability of a molecule of GHG to absorb heat. The higher the heat absorbing capacity,
the higher is the GWP.

Different GHGs differ in their GWPs:

GHG GWP
CO2 1
CH4 21
N2O 310

The base/reference is the CO2 which is 1. Thus, a molecule of CH4 is 21x higher heat absorbing capacity
than a molecule of CO2, and N2O molecule is 310x heat absorbing capacity than CO2 molecule. From the
BGCs, CO2 can be absorbed by plants while N2O can undergo N fixation by bacteria and lightning, thus
removing them from the air in the atmosphere. However, CH4 could not be absorbed by plants and
other living organisms or converted to other compounds, thus, it is the most alarming among these
three major GHGs.

Carbon Dioxide Equivalent (CO2e) – the total GHG emissions from mixtures containing the three major
GHGs.

CO2 = 1xCO2

CH4 = 21xCO2

N2O = 310xCO2
Example:

Compute the Total GHG Emissions of the mixture of 1 ton CO2, 10 kg CH4, and 5 kg N2O

Solution:

1 ton CO2 = 1,000 kg CO2e

10 kg CH4 = 10 kg x 21 = 210 kg CO2e

5 kg N2O = 5 kg x 310 = 1,550 kg CO2e

Total GHG Emissions = 2,760 kg CO2e

GHGs ACCOUNTING AND INVENTORY

The Paris Agreement commits every country to reduce their GHGs emission to contribute to the goal of
limiting global warming to 1.5oC.

Carbon Footprint

The total amount of greenhouse gases (GHG) produced to directly and indirectly support human
activities, usually expressed in equivalent tons of carbon dioxide (CO2e).
GHG Accounting

Greenhouse gas accounting is a method to calculate the amount of GHG emissions (or removals) of any
activity in a given timescale.

What is GHG Inventory?

It is a quantified list of greenhouse gas (GHG) emission and sources.

Purpose of GHG Inventory

● You cannot manage what you do not measure.

● GHG inventory is an important first step to manage your GHG emissions.
● In order to determine reduction, baseline information on the current GHG emissions from
anthropogenic activities is needed.

GHG Emission Calculation

Activity Data X Emission Factor = GHG Emissions

1. Activity Data quantifies a GHG emitting activity in units that help calculate the emissions generated.

Examples of activity data:

● Stationary and Mobile Fuel Combustion: Cubic meters (m3), kiloliters (kl) or gigajoules (GJ), Litres (l)
or kiloliters of liquid fuel combusted in stationary or mobile combustion;
● Purchased Electricity: Kilowatt hours (kWh) or megawatt hours (MWh) of electricity consumed for
energy
● Kilometers(km) travelled by a transport vehicle
● Waste: Waste Characterization Analysis Study (WACS), volume of waste

2. Emission Factors are calculated ratios relating GHG emissions to a proxy measure of activity at an
emission source.

Examples of emission factors:

● Kilograms (kg) of CO2 per GJ of natural gas combusted
● Kilograms (kg) of CO2 per kiloliters of diesel combusted
● Kilograms (kg) of CO2 per air km travelled
● Kilograms (kg) of CO2 per kWh of electricity consumed
● Kilograms (kg) of CH4 emitted per ha of land cultivated
● Kilograms (kg) of CO2 sequestered per ha of forest
Quantification of Road Transport

Quantification of road transport can be based on two independent sets of data:

1. Fuel Consumption - Appropriate for CO2 (In practice fuel sales data are prevalently used).
2. Distance travelled by vehicles - Appropriate for CH4 and N2O (By vehicle type and road type).

If both fuel and km data are available, it is important to check that they are consistent (after validation).

Sample GHG Computations:

A. CO2 Emissions from Fuel Use

Activity Data X Emission Factor = GHG Emissions

Annual Fuel Sales: 20,000 liters of gasoline

20000 L X 2.30 kg CO2/L = 46,000 kg CO2/year

B. CO2 Emissions from purchased electricity

Activity Data: kWh consumed

Data Sources:
✔ ELECTRICITY BILL or

✔ Peso Payments to Utility company

Annual Electricity Consumption: 2,000,000 kWh

Emission Factor = 0.6032 kg CO2/kWh

2,000,000 kWh/yr x 0.6032 kg CO2/kWh = 1,206,400 kg CO2 or 1,206 tCO2/yr

C. CH4 Emissions from Fuel Use

Annual Fuel Sales: 20,000 liters of gasoline

20,000 L X 0.00067kg CH4/L = 13.4 kg CH4/year

13.4 kg CH4/year X 21kg CO2e = 281 kg CO2e/year

kg CH4

D. N2O Emissions from Fuel Use

Annual Fuel Sales: 20,000 liters of gasoline

20000 L X 0.00021kg N2O/L = 4.2 kg N2O/year

4.2 kg N2O/year X 310kg CO2e= 1,320 kg CO2e/year

kg N2O

Activity: