This page provides answers to frequently asked questions about greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

1. Since 1990, how have greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the Philippines changed?
2. What are the main greenhouse gases (GHG) and where do they come from?
3. What are the largest sources of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the Philippines?
4. What are greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the power sector?
5. What are greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the transportation sector?
6. How are individuals contributing to the build-up of greenhouse gases (GHG)?
7. How much carbon dioxide do humans contribute through breathing?

1. Since 1990, how have greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the Philippines changed?

The total carbon dioxide emissions of the Philippines since 1990 was at 43.9 megatonnes of CO2 (MtCO2) equivalent to 43,900,000 tonnes CO2 (1 tonne = 1,000kg and 1kg = 2.2lbs). As of 2004, the total carbon dioxide emissions was at 80.5 megatonnes of CO2 (MtCO2) or 80,500,000 tonnes CO2. That was an increase of 45% for the period of 14 years and the annual percentage change (% CO2) emissions from 1990 to 2004 was at 5.9%. With 1/3% (1.3%) of the world's population (The 2007 Census reports a total population of 88.57 million people as compared to 68.2 million in 1995). From these data, the carbon dioxide emission of an average Filipino was about 1.1 tonnes CO2 per year. Philippines accounts for 0.2% of global CO2 emissions in 1990 and 0.3% of global CO2 emissions in 2004. The CO2 emissions per capita from 1990 was 0.7 tonnes CO2 (tCO2) and 1.0 tonnes CO2 (tCO2) in 2004.

Source

2. What are the main greenhouse gases (GHG) and where do they come from?

Greenhouse gases include carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), a number of fluorinated gases, and water vapor (H2O). Some greenhouse gases occur naturally, such as water vapor and carbon dioxide, while others (such as chlorofluorocarbons) are produced only through human activities. Greenhouse gas inventories account for only those gases whose effects are well-understood (e.g., they include CO2, CH4, N2O, and fluorinated gases, and they include only anthropogenic (human-controlled) sources. Inventories exclude emissions from natural sources (e.g. water vapor).

Source: EPA Greenhouse Gas Emissions

3. What are the largest source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the Philippines?

In the Philippines, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) greenhouse gas (GHG) emission inventory records show that the energy sector is the biggest contributor to air pollution. The highest contribution to carbon dioxide emission comes from burning fossil fuel. On a national level, transportation is responsible for one-third of air pollutants. Another third comes from power generation, and the rest comes from industrial, commercial and residential sectors.

Source

Back to top

4. What are greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the power sector?

The process of generating electricity is the single largest source of emissions in the Philippines, representing 39 percent of emissions from all sources across the country in 2004. Electricity generation also accounted for the largest share of carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel combustion, approximately 41 percent in 2004. Electricity was consumed primarily by users in the residential, commercial, and industrial sectors for lighting, heating, electric motors, appliances, electronics, and air conditioning.

Source

5. What are greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the transportation sector?

In the Philippines, the transportation sector accounts for approximately 33 percent of total carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel combustion, the largest share of any end-use economic sector in 2004. Emissions from this sector increased by 29 percent from 1990 to 2004, representing an average annual increase of 1.8 percent. Over 60 percent of the emissions resulted from gasoline consumption for personal vehicle use. The remaining emissions came from other transportation activities, including the combustion of diesel fuel in heavy-duty vehicles and jet fuel in aircrafts.

Source

6. How are individuals contributing to the build-up of greenhouse gases (GHG)?

Many daily activities produce greenhouse gas emissions. Individuals can produce greenhouse gas emissions directly by driving a car or burning oil or gas for home heating. Individuals can also produce greenhouse gas emissions indirectly by using electricity generated from fossil fuels. In the Philippines, emissions per person vary depending on location, habits, and personal choices. For example, the types of fuel used to generate the electricity a person uses can lead to different levels of emissions. A power plant that burns coal emits more greenhouse gases per unit of electricity than a power plant that uses natural gas. How much a person drives, the vehicle's fuel efficiency, and the proportion of driving time spent idling in traffic also affect the level of emissions. In addition, a household’s reuse and recycling of materials can affect emissions by reducing the amount of methane-generating waste sent to landfills.

Source

Back to top

7. How much carbon dioxide do humans contribute through breathing?

The average person, through the natural process of breathing, produces approximately 2.3 pounds of carbon dioxide per day. The actual amount depends strongly on the person's activity level. However, this carbon dioxide is part of a natural closed-loop cycle and does not contribute to the greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere. Natural processes of photosynthesis (in plants) and respiration (in plants and animals) maintain a balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Thus, the carbon dioxide from natural process is not included in greenhouse gas inventories.

In contrast, the burning of fossil fuels upsets this natural equilibrium by adding a surplus of carbon dioxide into the system. The carbon in fossil fuels has been stored underground for millions of years and thus is not part of the current natural carbon cycle. When those fuels are burned, the carbon dioxide generated is over and above the amount circulating from natural sources. Land use changes such as deforestation also upset the natural equilibrium by reducing the amount of carbon dioxide removed from the atmosphere by forests. Thus, both fossil fuel burning and deforestation are accounted for by scientists who develop greenhouse gas inventories to study how greenhouse gases contribute to climate change.

Source: Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center FAQs

Back to top