Bangkok Carbon Emissions Surpass London

A new report that has the backing of the United Nations has highlighted the extent to which Bangkok, the capital of Thailand, is eclipsing other major cities when it comes to CO2 emission levels. 

Entitled “Bangkok: Assessment Report on Climate Change 2009”, the document was compiled by local organisation the Green Leaf Foundation, along with the Bangkok Metropolitan Authority.  It emphasised the intense CO2 emission levels present there, while simultaneously drawing attention to Bangkok’s susceptibility to the effects of climate change, like rising tide levels.

Emissions Per Capita

“In per-capita terms, Bangkok was responsible for producing 7.1 tons of carbon dioxide per annum in 2007”, the report said – an amount equal to that of New York. 

London’s CO2 emission per capita rate for that year, incidentally, was 5.9 tons.

The report attributed the situation to two principal sources – electricity generation and transport.  Indeed, transport’s individual contribution to the emissions total was nearly 38 per cent. 

Official population statistics were drawn upon when calculating the 7.1 tons per capita emission rate but, rather worryingly – while these showed that Bangkok had six million residents – as many as 12 million might actually have been there – non-permanent workers among them.

Geographically, Bangkok lies close to the Chao Phraya River’s mouth – a proximity that already puts it at risk of flooding.  A half-metre rise in the sea level would flood 50 per cent of the city, the report said - a one metre rise, 72 per cent.

The report forecasted how, in the future, the maximum daily temperature in Bangkok would regularly surpass 95 degrees Fahrenheit, while more cases of diseases like malaria were also expected. 

“The impacts of greenhouse gas emissions and the resulting climate change on Bangkok are likely to be quite severe”, the report stated. 

However, despite the stark picture painted, efforts are underway in Bangkok to mitigate its contribution to climate change and global warming.  For instance, a campaign has recently been launched to lower CO2 emissions to 85 per cent of their current level.

Those behind the campaign foresee this reduction being achieved through implementing a number of measures – among them, promoting the benefits of renewable energy, improving energy efficiency and creating more green areas.