Russian Methane Emissions: Options for Reduction

Abstract

This paper provides an account of the estimates of methane (CH4) emissions from the Russian Federation and a description of the technologies which can be used to reduce these emissions. It is similar in approach and methodology to previous publications on Russian carbon dioxide emissions (Hill, 1999; Hill, 2000a; Hill, 2000b), but extends the focus of that research from power generation to the fuels industries. Methane has been chosen for study as it is the next most important greenhouse gas in terms of volume of emissions after carbon dioxide. Although accounting for only 1 per cent of the total tonnage of greenhouse gases emitted from the Russian Federation in 1990 (the base year chosen for consequent comparisons in future years by the Kyoto Protocol), the higher global warming potential of methane compared to carbon dioxide increased its proportion to 18 per cent of the global warming effect of Russian greenhouse gas emissions in 1990. Furthermore, the emissions of methane were far in excess of the remaining major greenhouse gases (namely nitrous oxide [N2O], sulphur hexafluoride [SF6], hexafluorocarbons [HFCs] and polyfluorocarbons [PFCs]), which although higher in global warming potential than methane only accounted for some 4 per cent of total Russian greenhouse gas emissions in 1990. The reduction of the emissions of these minor greenhouse gases is restricted to a decrease in the use of mineral fertilisers in the case of N2O, or the substitution of hexafluorides and fluorocarbons by other gases. In the case of the reduction of methane emissions, however, a wider range of industries and technologies is involved, and there are also linkages between methane and carbon dioxide reductions.