How much methane is emitted from large dams in specific countries?
The INPE team have done the first estimates of dam methane emissions in Brazil, China and India. Their estimate for Chinese emissions is likely an underestimate, mainly because according to their methodology the many dams in sub-tropical southern China are treated as temperate dams when in reality their emissions are more likely to be on the scale of tropical dams. Tg = teragrams = million tonnes * CO2e = CO2 equivalent calculated using 100-year Global Warming Potentials from the IPCC’s 1996 Second Assessment Report (SAR). The SAR 100-year GWP for CH4 is 21 (the value used in the Kyoto Protocol). The IPCC’s 2007 Fourth Assessment Report gives a 100-year GWP for CH4 of 25. ** All data for year 2000. Includes land use, land use change, and forestry. Includes contribution of all 6 Kyoto Protocol gases (CO2, CH4, nitrous oxide (N2O), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs), and sulfur hexafluoride (SF6)).
