ENVIRONMENTAL DIMENSION ENV1: Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from energy production and use, per capita and per unit of GDP Brief Definition Emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs) from
energy production and use, per capita and per unit
of gross domestic product (GDP), including carbon
dioxide (CO
2
), methane (CH
4
) and nitrous oxide
(N
2
O)
Units Annual GHG emissions in tonnes, per capita or per
US dollar. Emissions of CH
4
and N
2
O are to be
converted to CO
2
equivalents using the 100-year
global warming potentials (GWPs) provided in the
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
(IPCC) Second Assessment Report (1995)
Alternative Definitions Total GHG emissions from energy production and
use. GHG emissions from energy-related activities
per unit of energy and electricity produced
Agenda 21 Chapter 9: Protection of the atmosphere
POLICY RELEVANCE (a) Purpose: This indicator measures the total, the per capita and the per unit of GDP
emissions of the three main GHGs from energy production and use that have a direct
impact on climate change. (b) Relevance to Sustainable Development: During the 20
th
century, the Earth’s
average surface temperature rose by around 0.6°C, and evidence is growing that most
of this warming is attributable to increasing concentrations of GHGs in the
atmosphere. The amount of CO
2
, for example, has increased by more than 30% since
preindustrial times and is currently increasing at an unprecedented rate of about 0.4%
per year, mainly due to the combustion of fossil fuels and deforestation. The
concentrations of CH
4
and N
2
O are increasing as well due to energy, agricultural,
industrial and other activities. The concentrations of nitrogen monoxide (NO),
nitrogen dioxide (NO
2
), carbon monoxide (CO) and non-methane volatile organic
compounds (NMVOCs) are also increasing as a result of anthropogenic activity.
Although these gases are not themselves GHGs, they affect atmospheric chemistry,
leading to an increase in tropospheric ozone, which is a GHG.
The resulting effect is predicted to lead to more extreme weather events than in the
past, with some areas experiencing increased storms and rainfall, and others suffering
drought. How fast and where this change will happen is still uncertain, but the
consequences may be serious, especially in developing countries, which are the least
able to prepare for and deal with the effects of extreme weather conditions such as
floods, landslides, droughts, etc.
