Review of Major Greenhouse gas emissions in Skopje

Abstract

Climate change is a serious threat to the environment and people’s health, wellbeing and quality of life, reducing access to natural resources and harming the economy and infrastructure. Greenhouse gases, as the most significant driver of observed climate change are attributable primarily to human activities. Worldwide, net emissions of greenhouse gases increased by 35% in the last three decades. The comparison between emissions of different gases based on a global warming potential concept is made with climate change indicators that characterize emissions of the gases, their concentrations in the atmosphere and the change over time. Like most urban centers, the majority of greenhouse gas emissions in Skopje result from electricity generation, transportation and other forms of energy production. The main problems originate mainly from the sector of stationary energy accounted for about 75% of the total gas emissions ranging from 4948 kt CO2-eq in 2008 to 5343kt CO2-eq in 2012. As the most dominant greenhouse gas carbon dioxide, CO2 accounted for 93% of the total emissions. Significant measures to reduce its emissions in the sectors of energy supply, buildings and transportation are proposed. They are expected to achieve 22%, or more ambitious 32% reduction in emissions by 2020.