Inventory of greenhouse gas emissions in The Netherlands

To support a Dutch national integrated policy with respect to climate change an inventory was made of the emissions around 1990 of all the trace gases that contribute both directly and indirectly to the greenhouse effect. In addition to present emissions, the study evaluates the future effects of existing policies on the emissions and evaluates possible additional measures. Since emissions of carbon dioxide, CFCs, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide and volatile organic compounds are relatively well known and policies aimed at controlling these gases are already in place, the study focuses on methane and nitrous oxide. The most important contribution to the total emissions of methane (1080 kton yr-1) is from landfills (36%), ruminants (32%), losses during production and distribution of natural gas (14%) and emissions from natural wetlands and waterbodies (12%). With existing policies in the field of the management of organic waste and livestock by 2000 total emissions are expected to decrease by approximately 20%. Additional measures, such as additional waste-gas recovery and early replacement of old city-gas distribution systems, may give c. 35% reduction. Estimated emissions of nitrous oxide are 40 kton${\rm N}_{2}{\rm O}\ {\rm yr}^{-1}$. The most important sources are from fertilized grasslands (46%), polluted surface waters and wastewater-treatment plants (25%), agricultural land uses (12%) and transportation (11%). A decrease of emissions as a result of policies aimed at decreasing the use of mineral fertilizer and animal manure is likely to be balanced by increased emissions from the growing transport sectors. Industry is the most important contributor to Dutch emissions of greenhouse gases, followed by the energy and transportation sector, the main finding is that current policies in areas other than climate change are likely to stabilize or reduce the emissions of all non- CO2greenhouse gases.