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The greenhouse effectWorksheet 1.2 Answers
Greenhouse gas emissions

  1. The six categories of greenhouse gas emissions are:
    • energy production and consumption
    • industrial processes
    • solvent and other product use
    • agriculture
    • waste
    • land use, land-use change and forestry activities
  2. Canada emitted 747 Megatonnes (Mt) of CO2 equivalent in 2005.
  3. 1990 – 596 Mt
    1995 – 646 Mt
    2000 – 721 Mt.
    The data reveal an increasing trend.
  4. Canada's Kyoto target is to reduce GHG emissions to 6% below 1990 levels by the period 2008 to 2012. No, we are becoming further away from reaching it.
  5. The largest source of GHG emissions is energy production and consumption.

  6. Circle graph/pie chart with legend: Canada's greenhouse gas emissions
    (view data source)

    Note: 'Land Use, Land-Use Change and Forestry' has a negative value and is not included in the national totals as outlined by the United Nations Framework on Climate Change reporting requirements.
  7. Transportation activity as a percentage of total energy-related GHG emissions in 2005:

    equals ((transportation GHG emissions) divided by (energy GHG emissions))
    equals (200,000 divided by 609,000)
    = 33%

    Transportation contribution to growth in energy-related emissions since 1990:

    equals ((growth transportation GHG emissions) divided by (growth energy GHG emissions))
    equals ((transportation GHG emissions 2005 minus transportation GHG emissions 1990) divided by (energy GHG emissions 2005 minus energy GHG emissions 1990))
    equals ((200,000 minus 150,000) divided by (609,000 minus 473,000))
    = 37%

    Increase in emissions from light-duty gasoline trucks (1990 to 2005):

    equals ((light minus duty gasoline truck GHG emissions 2005 minus light minus duty gasoline truck emissions GHG 1990) divided by (light minus duty gasoline truck GHG emissions 1990))
    equals ((44,500 minus 21,300) divided by 21,300)
    = 109%

  8. These activities can emit greenhouse gases into the atmosphere or remove them into sinks and they vary annually. Vegetation-covered land absorbs carbon dioxide whereas removal of that vegetation releases the stored carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
  9. Relative to most other developed countries, Canada had a high rate of population growth (16.4% increase from 1991 to 2006). Canada's economy also grew, with a 58.6% increase in gross domestic product (GDP) over the same time period.

    As population increases, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions will also increase as long as emissions on a per capita basis remain relatively constant. An increase in GDP is related to increasing GHG emissions because economic activity creates increased demand for energy from fossil fuels, resulting in increased GHG emissions.
Date Modified: 2011-06-15

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