Swaziland's First National Communication to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change National Report on Climate Change National Report on Climate Change

Chapter 3 Greenhouse Gas Inventories

3.1 INTRODUCTION

In accordance with article 4.1 (a) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), all parties to the Convention are requested to update and report periodically on their national inventory of anthropogenic emissions and removal of greenhouse gases (GHG). This section of the national communication of Swaziland gives an outline of anthropogenic greenhouse (GHG) emissions and removals for the year 1994.

The inventory focuses on direct GHG emissions; carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and Nitrous Oxide (N20). Other Non-CO2 emissions gases which have been considered and have an indirect effect on climate change through their influence on other greenhouse gases, especially ozone are precursors e.g. oxides of Nitrogen (NOX), carbon monoxide (CO), and non methane volatile compounds (NMVOCs). In keeping with the IPCC guidelines, emissions from international bunkers are treated separately. Information is also available for emissions of perfluorocarbons (PFCs), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) and sulphurhexafluoride (SF6).

3.2 METHODOLOGY

The calculated emissions and removals of greenhouse gases for 1994 were based on the Revised 1996 IPCC Inventory Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories. The source categories; energy (fuel combustion and fugitive emissions); industrial processes; agriculture; land-use change and forestry and waste were adopted with IPCC default emissions factors used and with the exception of waste, where the regional default factors for Tanzania were used. The methodology used for CO2 and non-CO2 emissions in the energy category was IPCC bottom-up sectoral approach. Energy activity data (total quantities of solid and liquid fossil fuels produced, imported, exported and consumed) was obtained from the Energy Section of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Energy. Conversion factors for various fuels used were IPCC default.

CO2 and non-CO2 emissions from industrial activities were determined from various activities and included are road paving, food and drink and chemical products use. The general methodology used involves knowledge of the product of activity level e.g. amount of material produced or consumed, and an associated emission factor per unit consumption/ production. Activity data on quantities consumed/produced was obtained from various industries.

Also provided is data on consumption of HFCs, PFCs and SF6 associated with application of refrigeration and air conditioning, fire suppression and, gas insulated switch gear and circuit breakers.

Emissions from agriculture namely CH4, N20, CO and NOX were determined from five sources: domestic livestock (enteric fermentation and manure management), rice cultivation, prescribed burning of savannas, field burning of agricultural residuals and agricultural soils. Activity data, on number and type of animals, annual harvested area cultivated under continuously flooded conditions, area of savanna and grassland burnt annually, and fraction of agricultural residuals that are annually burnt, was obtained from general statistics of the Government of Swaziland.

The methodology for determining CO2 and non-CO2 emissions from land-use change and forestry and removals was in accordance with 1996 IPCC methodology modified to include sources of emissions and removal which covered agriculture, firewood, timber, settlements and plantations. Activity data such as abandoned area during and over 20-year periods was obtained from central statistics office.

CH4 is the predominant greenhouse gas from waste. Using IPCC methodology, CH4 was determined from solid waste disposal sites, domestic/commercial wastewater and sludge, and industrial waste and sludge. Activity data was obtained from the following industries: Non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages, meet and poultry, dairy products, sugar, and pulp and paper.

Table 3.1: Swaziland’s greenhouse gas inventories overview in kilotonnes (Gigagramms per year) 1994

3.3 NATIONAL GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS OVERVIEW

The national inventory has been organised into five parts corresponding to five of the six major source activities described in the 1996 IPCC Guidelines as follows:

(i) Energy
(Fuel Combustion Activities)

Household
Agriculture
Manufacturing
Commercial
Transport

(Fugitive Emissions)

Coal mining

(ii) Industrial Processes

Pulp and paper
Food and drink
Air conditioning and refrigeration
Fire extinguishers- solvents and aerosols
Road paving

(iii) Agriculture

Domestic livestock
Animal waste
Rice cultivation
Savannah burning
Agricultural waste burning
Agricultural soils

(iv) Land Use and Forestry
(Emissions)

On-site burning
On-site decay
Off-site burning
Commercial harvest
Liming of soils

(Sinks)

Carbon uptake by tress
Carbon uptake in abandoned areas

(v) Waste

Solid waste disposal sites
Domestic/Commercial waste water and sludge
Industrial waste water and sludge

Table 3.1: overview of greenhouse gas emissions and removals in Swaziland for the year 1994

3.4 GWP EFFECTS ON TOTAL EMISSIONS

An overall picture of Swaziland's contribution to radioactive forcing from greenhouse gas emissions is given using Global Warming Potentials (GWPs) from Table 3.2. The GWPs are calculated for a time horizon of 100 years are direct and indirect for gases and for methane respectively.

3.5 Emissions of CO2 CH4 and N2O

3.5.1 Emissions of CO2

Swaziland's contribution of CO2 amounted to 873 870 tonnes in the year 1994, (representing 0.873 tonnes CO2 per capita). Virtually all CO2 emissions emanated from fuel combustion (energy) characterised by household, manufacturing, commercial and transport sectors.

There were no CO2 emissions from industrial processes. The largest single source of CO2 in Swaziland is the transport sector, which accounted for 50% of energy CO2 emissions in 1994. The manufacturing, household and commercial sectors accounted for 32.0%, 15.0% and 3.0% respectively.

The relatively high contribution of CO2 from the residential sector is due to use of coal, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and to some extent kerosene for heating purposes in households. The largest contribution of CO2 from the manufacturing sector comes from the use of coal for steam generation in the pulp and paper, and food processing and beverages industries. Given on Figure 3.1 is the ratio of CO2 emission per sector.

Figure 3.1: Ratio of CO2 emissions per category

3.5.2 Emissions of CH4

Total methane emissions in Swaziland for 1994 amounted to 64 370 tonnes. The dominant sources of CH4 emissions are agriculture (66.9%) and waste (27.3%). Fuel combustion and coal mining contribute 5.5% of total CH4 emissions (Figure 3.2).

Within the agriculture sector, the largest contribution (60%) comes from domestic livestock influenced by enteric fermentation.

In 1994, there were 642,000 and 435,000 of nondairy cattle and goats; respectively which both contributed 97.0% of total CH4 emissions from the domestic livestock.

Under fuel combustion, the largest contribution (85.0%) derives from the residential sector involving combustion of firewood for cooking and heating purposes.

Figure 3.2: Ratio of CH4 emissions per category

In waste, the largest contribution (93.0%) comes from industrial waste dominated by the beer and pulp and paper industries.

3.5.3 Emissions of N2O

Swaziland's total anthropogenic emission of N2O in 1994 is estimated at 1 337 tonnes. The major contributor was agriculture (93.0%) predominantly from liming of agricultural soils followed by fuel combustion (7.4%). Within the fuel combustion category, 35% of the N2O emissions were attributed to the residential sector, mainly from combustion of firewood for cooking and heating purposes. Given on Figure 3.3 is the ratio of N2O emissions per category in 1994.

Figure 3.3: Ratio of N2O emissions per category

3.6 EMISSIONS OF OTHER GHGs (PCFs, SF6 AND HFCs)

In view of the nature of Swaziland's manufacturing industries notably the assembling of air conditioning and refrigeration systems, direct data was collected on consumptions of HFCs.

For the year 1994, 153.3 tonnes of HFCs were estimated to have been discharged into the atmosphere. In addition, 3 361 tonnes of HFCs were estimated to have been discharged from fire extinguishers, solvent and aerosols, making a total of 3 771 tonnes from the two sources.

3.7 EMISSIONS OF PRECURSORS (CO, NOX AND NMVOCs)

Precursors are gases such as NOX, CO and NMVOCs, which have an indirect effect on the climate through their influence on other GHGs, especially ozone. Emissions for NOX, CO and NMVOCs for the year 1994 were estimated at 19 930, 523 048, and 80 011 tonnes respectively. The largest contribution of NOX comes from agriculture (60%) and fuel combustion (38.0%), again mainly from combustion of firewood under the residential sector. The same trends was noted for CO, whilst NMVOC emissions' largest contributions emanated from industrial processes (86.0%).

3.8 EMISSIONS OF CO2 EQUIVALENTS

Total emissions of GHGs given as CO2 equivalents for the year 1994 using the GWP values quoted in Tables 3.2 are given in Table 3.3.

Table 3.3: Total Emissions of Greenhouse Gases for the year 1994

GWP taken account of, altogether 6.33 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent is estimated. The largest contribution (77.5%) emanates from consumption of HFC's in air conditioning and refrigeration systems, and fire extinguishers on one hand, and the use of solvents and aerosols on the other.

The second largest source of CO2 equivalents is CO2 (13.8%). The contribution of N2O and CH4 emissions to CO2 equivalents were estimated at 6.6% and 2.1%, respectively.

3.9 CO2 REMOVALS

The main sources of CO2 emissions in Swaziland under land-use change and forestry are commercial harvests (60.0%), and offsite burning through firewood combustion (25.0%). Liming of agricultural soils, on-site burning and on-site decay contributions were estimated at 8.5%, 3.4% and 3.1% respectively. Given on Table 3.4 are CO2 emissions from identified sources above.

Table 3.4: Annual Balance in Carbon Dioxide in Land Use change and Forestry

Swaziland possesses a comparatively large GHG sink capacity, owing to the very large man made and indigenous forest cover in the country, the former ranking amongst the largest such in the world. The major sinks therefore are carbon up-take by trees predominantly from commercial plantations including non-forest trees planted in major cities. These all together account for 99.5% of the country’s overall uptake. A small fraction is carbon uptake in abandoned areas (0.5%).

Table 3.5 shows the final GHG budget for Swaziland for the year 1994. Results from this table indicate that the balance which takes account of emissions and sinks is a net sink for the year 1994 by 2.383 million tonnes carbon dioxide up-take.

3.10 INTERNATIONAL BUNKERS

As in accordance with IPCC guidelines emissions from international bunkers were reported separately. In the year 1994, 3,640 tonnes of carbon dioxide were emitted into the atmosphere under international bunkers. The fuels used in international transport is jet kerosene.

3.11 UNCERTAINTIES AND FURTHER WORK

In undertaking this study, in all respects, default emission factors were used as a result of absence of country-specific emissions factors and ratios particularly in firewood combustion, agriculture, land-use change and forestry, and waste. There is need to have further work to develop local specific emission factors and ratios.

Another area of concern is the source and availability of activity data in energy particularly biomass and in the other sectors; agriculture, land-use change and waste. For example, activity data availability, variability and reliability under land-use change (in particular, area converted annually, area converted under different periods of time, area of abandoned land, net change in biomass density, fraction of biomass burned on site etc), caused immense difficulties.

Furthermore, work under land-use change and forestry requires generation of activity data through social and corresponding forest survey, forest inventories and studies and experimental related research to generate emission and conversion factors. Accessibility, to satellite imagery and capacity building in all these areas remains necessary to move the work forward.

Table 3.5: Swaziland’s 1994 final GHG budget (tonnes)

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