India's hidden greenhouse gas source?

Methane from India's dams could boost the country's official greenhouse emissions by 40%, says a new study.According to a study by scientists from Brazil's National Institute for Space Research, carbon-containing vegetation in Indian dams is causing an annual release of methane equivalent to 825 million tonnes of carbon dioxide.

"I am quite positive that surface methane emission estimations are correctly
estimated," says study lead author Dr Ivan Lima."I am confident that Indian dams
might be altering atmospheric methane although not precisely to what extent."

India's carbon emissions were around 1,890 million tonnes in 2000, according to the World Resources Institute, a Washington-based environmental think-tank. But the country has never

measured methane emissions from its 4,500 large dams and so such official estimates do not take these emissions into account.India, whose economy has surged between 8 and 9% in recent years, currently contributes around 4% of global emissions due to rising use of fossil fuels.As a developing nation, it is not required to cut emissions, said to be rising 2 to 3% annually, under the Kyoto Protocol, despite mounting pressure from environmental groups and developed nations.

Full story: http://www.abc.net.au/science/news/stories/2007/1964548.htm?enviro