Assessment of greenhouse gases attributable to the waste management sector in urban planning

Abstract

Leading countries and especially the European Union are concerned with the threat that arises from the worming potential of greenhouse gases. The vast majority of greenhouse gases are produced due to anthropogenic actions, and the urban areas are the places where the biggest pressure on nature is made. According to the second European Common Indicator, it is necessary to assess each city’s contribution to global climatic change. Thus, the possibility of forecasting, while urban planning is still on process, is a thing of great importance. The utmost input of greenhouse gases comes from the energy and waste management. An article presents a study how assessment of gases attributable to the waste management sector can be cooperated with urban planning on planning stage. The assessment is based on two variables: 1) population and 2) quantity of generated wastes. The first variable is to be taken from the prognostications of urban planners and the second one – from statistic data. To illustrate practical applying, city of Dubingiai in Molėtai district is taken as an example. The result of the study is a carbon dioxide equivalent that refers to waste management sector and possible measures of compensation. Substantial contribution of the study is a possibility to know the quantity of CO2 equivalent in advance, i. e., the planning stage.