Historical and projected methane emission determination in Malaysia (1980-2020)

The threat of global warming and climate change has reached alarming levels due to increased emissions of greenhouse gases. Chief among these gases are carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide. The inventory of methane emission sources in Malaysia was traced from 1980 to 2011 and was used as basis for computing the resultant methane emissions. The results showed that annual methane emission from rice production has been relatively constant at about 51 Gg. Emission from cattle production is rising and might double by 2015 from the 1980 level if the government achieves its aim of increasing livestock level to 1.5 million by 2015. Emission from the oil sector is the highest but it is being harnessed in the form of liquefied natural gas for export and domestic consumption to generate electricity and as fuel substitutes in some vehicles. Methane emission during the time (1980-2020) from anaerobic treatment of wastewater (particularly palm oil mill effluent) is between 98-761 Gg and is being captured for possible electricity generation. The municipal solid waste sector also generated between 71-147 Gg of methane in the time interval and the methane was captured for electricity generation through the upgrading of some landfills to sanitary types that use clay liners to separate the trash from the environment