Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Grenada

What percentage of global greenhouse gas emissions does Grenada produce?

Grenada produced 0.01% of global greenhouse gas emissions in 2021 (the latest date with complete emissions data). This amounted to 2.39m metric tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent, or MtCO₂e. These emissions represented an increase from 2020 by 0.8%.

In the period from 1990 to 2021 their emissions have increased by a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 0.84% and Grenada has contributed 0.01% of global greenhouse emissions.

In 2021, Grenada was the world’s 163rd largest producer of greenhouse gas emissions. The largest emitters in the same period were China, the United States, India, Russia and Brazil.

When looking at emissions over time Grenada is the 164th largest emitter since 1990.

Emissions per capita in Grenada – average household carbon footprint

The population of Grenada is 113k. On a per capita basis, they produce 21.2 tonnes of CO2e per person, placing them 8th out of 191 on emissions produced per capita. The biggest per capita emitters are Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Turkmenistan.

What is the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in Grenada?

Gases

13% of emissions in Grenada came from Carbon Dioxide (CO2), 85.9% came from Methane (CH4), and 0.33% came from Nitrous Oxide (N2O).

Sectors

The sector that produced the most emissions in 2021 was the waste industry, producing 2.05m of GHG emissions, constituting 85.6% of total.

The second and third largest emitting sectors were energy and bunker fuels, producing 13% and 1.3% of total GHG in Grenada.

Energy

The industry that produced the most energy related emissions was the electricity/heat industry, producing 151k of GHG emissions, constituting 6.3% of total emissions.

The second and third largest emitting sectors were transportation and building, emitting 98.9k and 27.6k tonnes of GHG each.

Land Use Change and Forestry

Land use change and forestry (LUCF), such as deforestation and conversion of natural ecosystems to agricultural or urban areas, can have a significant impact on carbon emissions.

• Trees and other vegetation absorb and store carbon through the process of photosynthesis, and when they are cut down or burned, that stored carbon is released into the atmosphere.
• Deforestation and other forms of land use change can also reduce the ability of ecosystems to absorb and store carbon in the future. Additionally, the conversion of land for agriculture or urban development can lead to the release of carbon stored in the soil.
• On the other hand, sustainable forestry practices, such as reforestation and afforestation, can help to remove carbon from the atmosphere and store it in trees and other vegetation.

In the case of Grenada, LUCF had no impact on Grenada’s emissions, decreasing their carbon footprint by 0 tonnes.

After accounting for land use change and forestry, the total amount of greenhouse gas emissions in Grenada in 2021 was 2.39m metric tonnes.

How vulnerable is Grenada to the impact of climate change?

The Notre Dame Global Adaptation Initiative (ND-GAIN) Index

The ND-GAIN Index measures countries’ vulnerability to global challenges, including climate change, and their readiness to improve resilience.

Grenada scores 54.8 on the ND-Gain Index and is classified in the ‘low vulnerability and high readiness’ category of climate change preparedness.

The index aims to assist businesses, governments, and communities in prioritising investments for a more efficient response to global shifts.

It is measured by combining two main components:

1. Vulnerability: This evaluates a country’s vulnerability to environmental risks and its ability to adapt. It considers health, food and water availability, infrastructure, and ecosystem services. A higher score indicates greater vulnerability to environmental challenges.
2. Readiness: This measures how well a country can leverage investments to mitigate climate change. It considers economic stability, governance, technology, and infrastructure. A higher score means a country is better prepared to implement resilience strategies.

This ranking helps identify areas where resources and adaptation strategies can be most effectively directed to mitigate risks and enhance resilience.

By combining these dimensions, the index provides a comprehensive approach to measuring countries’ ability to cope with the impacts of climate change.

Low vulnerability and high readiness in Grenada

In terms of readiness to adapt to climate change, Grenada ranks in the below average group. Globally, the average readiness score is 0.424, with Grenada posting a score of 0.479.

They show the greatest strength in governance aspects, while their performance in economic aspects requires improvement.

• Governance readiness refers to the political, legal, and regulatory aspects influencing a country’s adaptation to climate change, including stability, corruption control, and law enforcement.
• Economic readiness refers to the business environment and its capacity to adapt to climate change, emphasizing the importance of a supportive regulatory framework for adaptation initiatives.

Regarding vulnerability to climate change, Grenada falls into the below average category. Compared to the global average vulnerability score of 0.431, Grenada has a score of 0.382.

Their resilience is most notable in water areas, yet they face significant challenges in food.

• Water vulnerability refers to the availability and reliability of water resources, critical for economies and livelihoods. Efficient water use and resilient systems are essential as climate change affects precipitation patterns.
• Food vulnerability refers to the sensitivity of agricultural yields and import dependencies, as well the capacity to adapt through agricultural resources. Innovations in agriculture can mitigate food insecurity risks due to climate change.

The formula to calculate the ND-GAIN Index is

GAIN Index=(Readiness Indicators−Vulnerability Indicators+1)×50GAIN Index=(Readiness Indicators−Vulnerability Indicators+1)×50

In this formula:

• The Readiness Indicators are measured on a scale of 0 to 1, where a higher score means that the readiness is better.
• The Vulnerability Indicators are also measured on a scale of 0 to 1, but a lower score indicates better vulnerability in this case. 
• The difference between the Readiness and Vulnerability scores is calculated and then incremented by 1. 
• Finally, the result is multiplied by 50 to convert the GAIN Index score to a range of 0-100, where a higher score means the situation is better.

Is there a correlation between greenhouse gas emissions and economic growth in Grenada?

In 2021, the gross domestic product (GDP) in Grenada grew by 7.6% from the previous year, with the economy moving from $1.04bn to $1.12bn. During the same period, carbon emissions increased by 0.83%. Over the ten-year period from 2011 to 2021, GDP grew 44.2%, while emissions increased by 6.9%.

To put this into context, the compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of GDP in Grenada over the past ten years was 3.7%, and the CAGR for greenhouse gas emissions was 0.67%.