The source of greenhouse gas emissions in Mongolia

A greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions inventory was compiled for Mongolia according to the methods in the IPCC/OECD Guidelines for CO2, CH4, NOx, and CO during fiscal year 1990. Removals of carbon dioxide were also calculated. The GHG emissions and removals result from a variety of anthropogenic activities, including the consumption and production of energy; agriculture activities such as raising livestock; land-use changes due to forestry and other actions that alter the land; industrial processes such as cement production; and solid and liquid waste generation. The estimated net total emissions in 1990 from the above-mentioned sectors were 18.5 mill, tonnes (Mt) of CO2, 0.3 Mt of CH4, 900 tonnes of NOx, and 83.3 thousand tonnes of CO. Managed and planted forests of Mongolia removed 4.6 Mt of Forest clearing CO2, but forest harvesting released 3.4 Mt. By far, the largest source of CO, emissions is the energy sector, accounting for about 53.3% of total gross emissions. Mongolia's per capita GHG emissions for 1990 were 5.1 tonnes, higher than per capita emissions of other countries in the region as well as the world average.