11 December 2015
11.12.2015- Today in Paris the UN Climate Change Conference COP 21 concludes. The main goal of this conference was the coordination of activities at a global level to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to prevent further climate changes. Greenhouse gas emissions as a result of human activities are estimated to be the main causes of climate changes at the global level.
Even though Kosovo's contribution to global greenhouse gas emissions is almost negligible, its commitment to joining global efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions has been evident. Undoubtedly, one of the most important activities in this regard is the preparation of the national greenhouse gas inventory, as one of the main mechanisms to identify the main sources of emissions for the purpose of implementing measures to reduce them.
On the eve of this conference, the Kosovo Environmental Protection Agency has prepared a summary report on greenhouse gas emissions for the period 2008-2013. The report comes as a result of the work in completing the greenhouse gas inventory for the year 2013, and supplementing the inventory with additional data also for previous years. The report includes greenhouse gas emissions by sectors and sub-sectors, as well as presenting the emission trends for the period 2008-2013.
It is estimated that the annual greenhouse gas emissions in Kosovo are around 9.5 million tons of CO2 equivalent. The main source of greenhouse gases is the energy sector, accounting for 88% of total emissions. The second sector is agriculture, with 7%. The waste sector represents about 3% of total emissions, while the industrial processes and product use sector accounts for about 2.5%. The forestry and land-use sector is the only sector that accumulates greenhouse gases.
The report assesses that the trend of total GHG emissions in Kosovo in 2013 shows a significant increase compared to 2012 (9568.4 Gg CO2 equivalent in 2013, compared to 9526.7 Gg CO2 eq in 2012). Meanwhile, the year with the highest emissions from the current inventory is considered to be 2009 with 10507.2 Gg CO2 equivalent. Compared to other countries in Europe, Kosovo has relatively low emissions per capita (5.7 tons CO2 equivalent per capita).
The report also provides recommendations to reduce gas emissions, including recommending the implementation of measures in: increasing the use of renewable energy sources, reducing the use of coal for energy, replacing old cars, using public transport and promoting sustainable transport with less motor traffic, using technology to capture CO2 in industrial production processes, controlling the use of products that deplete the ozone layer, controlled use of fertilizers, improving waste management through recycling, separation and treatment, as well as reducing illegal logging and preserving the intended use of land according to categories.
For more, download the report: Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Kosovo 2008-2013