Bangladesh Emissions of Greenhouse Gases—Preliminary Findings

Abstract

This paper presents the inventory of greenhouse gas emissions and sinks for Bangladesh, with 1990 as the base year. The inventory consists of carbon dioxide emissions from energy consumption and forestry and land-use change, and methane emissions from flooded rice cultivation, livestock, and landfills. The energy sector, which includes fossil fuel combustion, has contributed emissions of 14,680 Gg CO₂, and land-use change emitted about 43,963 Gg CO₂. Reforestation has served as a carbon sink by sequestering some 45,173 Gg CO₂. Hence, net emissions of carbon dioxide in 1990 were 13,470 Gg CO₂. Carbon dioxide emissions from biomass burned to generate energy was not considered in the carbon budget, because the agricultural residues used were fully regenerated at the same rates. Methane emissions from flooded rice cultivation ranged between 257 Gg and 622 Gg, with a median of 439 Gg CH₄, while emissions from the livestock sector contributed about 453 Gg CH₄. From energy production, approximately 6.31 Gg CH₄ was emitted as a result of venting, flaring, transmission and distribution. Emissions from wastes contributed 76 Gg CH₄ from both landfilled wastes and wastewater generated in the major urban areas in Bangladesh. Hence, the total methane emissions in 1990 were estimated to be 974 Gg CH₄.