There is widespread concern that gas emissions resulting from the activities of people (e.g. transport, industrial processes, waste emissions and agriculture) have led to increased temperatures worldwide. This has been termed the greenhouse effect, or enhanced greenhouse effect. The gases involved, namely carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, perfluorocarbons, among others, have been called greenhouse gases.
The National Greenhouse Gas Inventory is a comprehensive database of human induced greenhouse gases emitted from sources and removed by sinks. Vegetation plays an important role in reducing the level of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, as trees and other plants absorb carbon dioxide from the air. Forests, which build up a store of carbon in trees, shrubs and soil, are considered greenhouse 'sinks'.
An increased sink from the 'Forestry and Other' sub-sector is primarily responsible for the decrease of 1.6 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent in Tasmania's net emissions over this period.
GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS, Carbon Dioxide Equivalents(a)(b), Tasmania
|
 | 1990 | 1995 | Change |
| | | |
| Sectors | megatonnes | megatonnes | megatonnes |
|
| Energy sector | 4.2 | 3.7 | -0.5 |
| Industrial processes | 1.0 | 0.7 | -0.3 |
| Agriculture | 2.3 | 2.3 | - |
| Forestry and other(c) | -10.0 | -11.0 | -1.0 |
| Waste | 0.4 | 0.4 | - |
| Total | -2.2 | -3.8 | -1.6 |
- nil or rounded to zero
(a) Emissions totals of greenhouse gases are expressed in terms of carbon dioxide equivalents, calculated by multiplying the emissions of each gas by its global warming potential.
(b) Only greenhouse gas emissions from sources and removals by sinks resulting from human (anthropogenic) activities have been estimated. Natural processes lie outside the scope of the inventory.
(c) Comprises the removal of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere due to forest growth and pasture improvement, and emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases due to forest harvesting and prescribed burning and wildfires. Figures are net figures (gross emissions minus gross removals).
Source: Australian Greenhouse Office, Australia’s State and Territory Greenhouse Gas Inventory 1990 and 1995. |
Nationally, in 1994-95, some 56% of greenhouse gas emissions were induced (or caused) by goods and services used by households (Energy and Greenhouse Gas Emissions Accounts, Australia 1992-93 to 1997-98 (Cat. no. 4604).
Information about greenhouse gas emissions can be found on the Australian Greenhouse Office web site at http://www.greenhouse.gov.au
Information about the National Greenhouse Strategy (Tasmania) can be found on the Department of Primary Industries, Water and Environment web site at http://www.dpiwe.tas.gov.au/inter.nsf/WebPages/MCLE-5X88VP?open
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