S. Korea's greenhouse gas emissions up slightly in 2006: report

By Lee Joon-seung
SEOUL, Feb. 2 (Yonhap) -- Construction of power plants and cars caused South
Korea's greenhouse emission levels to edge up slightly in 2006 compared to the
year before, a government report said Monday.

The country's annual greenhouse gas inventory report showed 599.5 million carbon
dioxide (CO2) equivalent tons being released into the atmosphere in the cited
year up 0.9 percent from 594.4 million CO2 tons tallied for 2005, the report by
the Ministry of Knowledge Economy said.
The ministry in charge of the country's industrial and energy policies said
greenhouse output increased 1.4 percent in the power generation sector with
output in transportation and waste disposal-treatment moving up 2.7 percent and
2.9 percent, respectively.
The country constructed three large thermal power plants in 2006 to meet greater
energy demand with the number of cars going up 3.2 percent to 1.59 million units.
It, however, said greenhouse gas emissions fell 1.8 percent in the industrial
sector and 6.4 percent in the agricultural byproduct field.
Industrial sector numbers fell as the country's petrochemical and cement sectors
reduced output and companies moved to incorporate so-called clean development
mechanisms into their manufacturing processes.
In the agriculture field, the gradual reduction in farmland and use of nitrogen
fertilizers help cut emission levels.
Of the types of greenhouse gases released, the latest report showed CO2, methane,
sulphur hexafluoride all moving up annually, while those for nitrous oxide,
hydrofluorocarbon and perfluorocarbon decreased.
South Korea has been announcing greenhouse emission output in accordance with the
common report format used by countries to report to the United Nations since
2006.
The country is not a Annex-1 country that is obliged to cut production, but has
taken active measures to do it part to reduce greenhouse gas output to combat
global warming.
The report, meanwhile, said compared to 1990, South Korea's greenhouse gas output
jumped 101.1 percent up till 2006 for an average annual gain of 4.5 percent.
In 1990, the country is estimated to have released 298.1 million CO2 tons.
yonngong@yna.co.kr
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