Regional Synthesis of Greenhouse Gases in Latin America

Abstract

This paper presents a synthesis of preliminary national greenhouse gas inventory assessments prepared by five countries in Latin America: Mexico, Costa Rica, Bolivia, Peru, and Venezuela. Emissions of carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, carbon monoxide, oxides of nitrogen, and non-methane volatile organic compounds from various sources in each country are compared and examined in the context of demographic and socioeconomic characteristics. The greatest source of carbon dioxide emissions in Mexico, Costa Rica, and Venezuela is the energy sector, while the land-use change and forestry sector is the largest carbon dioxide source in Bolivia and Peru. Agriculture, primarily enteric fermentation and animal manure, is the largest source of methane emissions in all five countries except Venezuela, where the energy sector is the largest source of methane. The transportation sector is the major source of carbon monoxide emissions in Mexico, Venezuela, and Costa Rica, while savanna and agricultural waste burning are the major sources of carbon monoxide emissions in Bolivia and Peru. The major sources of nitrous oxide, oxides of nitrogen, and non-methane volatile organic compounds vary among all five countries. The national emissions provided by the five countries in this paper are also compared to other published estimates for all Latin American countries and for all regions of the world.