A Bibliography of Key Scientific Articles and Publications on Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Dams and Reservoirs

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April, G. et al. (2005) ‘Carbon dioxide and methane emissions and the carbon budget of a 10-year old tropical reservoir (Petit Saut, French Guiana),’ Global Biogeochemical Cycles 19.

Bambace, L.A.W. et al. (2006) ‘Mitigation and recovery of methane emissions from tropical hydroelectric dams,’ Energy 32:6.

Barros, N. et al. (2011) ‘Carbon emission from hydroelectric reservoirs linked to reservoir age and latitude,’ Nature Geoscience Letters online.

Bastviken, D. et al. (2004) ‘Methane emissions from lakes: Dependence of lake characteristics, two regional assessments, and a global estimate,’ Global Biogeochemical Cycles 18.

Bastviken, D. et al. (2011) ‘Freshwater methane emissions offset the continental carbon sink.’ Science, 331.

Chanudeta, V. et al. (2011) ‘Gross CO2 and CH4 emissions from the Nam Ngum and Nam Leuk sub-tropical reservoirs in Lao PDR,’ Science of the Total Environment 409:24.

Chen, H. et al. (2009) ‘Methane emissions from newly created marshes in the drawdown area of the Three Gorges Reservoir.’ Journal of Geophysical Research, 114.

Cullenward, D. and D.G. Victor (2006) ‘The dam debate and its discontents,’ Climatic Change 75: 1-2.

Del Sontro, T. et al. (2010) ‘Extreme methane emissions from a Swiss hydropower reservoir: Contribution from bubbling sediments.’ Environmental Science and Technology, 44.

Duchemin, É., et al. (2002) ‘Hydroelectric reservoirs as an anthropogenic source of greenhouse gases’, World Resource Review 14.

Downing, J.A. et al. (2006) ‘The global abundance and size distribution of lakes, ponds, and impoundments,’ Limnology and Oceanography 51:5.

Fearnside, P.M. (1995) ‘Hydroelectric Dams in the Brazilian Amazon as Sources of “Greenhouse” Gases’, Environmental Conservation 22:1.

Fearnside, P.M. (1997) ‘Greenhouse-Gas Emissions from Amazonian Hydroelectric Reservoirs: The Example of Brazil’s Tucuruí Dam as Compared to Fossil Fuel Alternatives,’ Environmental Conservation 24:1.

Fearnside, P.M. (2002) ‘Greenhouse Gas Emissions from a Hydroelectric Reservoir (Brazil’s Tucuruí Dam) and the Energy Policy Implications’, Water, Air, and Soil Pollution 133:1.

Fearnside, P.M. (2004) ‘Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Hydroelectric Dams: Controversies Provide a Springboard for Rethinking a Supposedly “Clean” Energy Source: An Editorial Comment’, Climatic Change 66:1-2.

Fearnside, P.M. (2004) ‘Hydroelectric dams in Amazonia as contributors to global warming: The controversy heats up.’ In: Anais: III Conferência Científica do LBA Experimento de Grande Escala da Biosfera-Atmosfera na Amazônia, Academia de Tênis Resort, Brasília, p.88.

Fearnside, P.M. (2005) ‘Brazil’s Samuel Dam: Lessons for Hydroelectric Development Policy and the Environment in Amazonia’, Environmental Management 35:1.

Fearnside, P.M. (2005) ‘Do Hydroelectric Dams Mitigate Global Warming? The Case of Brazil’s Curuá-Una Dam’, Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change 10: 675-691.

Fearnside, P.M (2005) ‘Hidrelétricas planejadas no rio Xingu como fontes de gases do efeito estufa: Belo Monte (Kararaô) e Altamira (Babaquara).’ In: Sevá Filho, A.O. (ed.) Tenotã-mõ: Alertas sobre as conseqüências dos projetos hidrelétricos no rio Xingu, Pará, Brasil. International Rivers Network, São Paulo, Brazil. 344 pp.

Fearnside, P.M. (2006) ‘Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Hydroelectric Dams: Reply to Rosa et al.’, Climatic Change 75:1-2. 

Fearnside, P.M. (2008) ‘Hidrelétricas como “Fábricas de Metano”: o papel dos reservatórios em áreas de floresta tropical na emissão de gases de efeito estufa’, Oecol. Bras., 12(1): 100-115. (English trans.)

Galy-Lacaux, G. et al. (1999) ‘Long-term Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Hydroelectric Reservoirs in Tropical Forest Regions’, Global Biogeochemical Cycles 13:2.

Giles, J (2006) ‘Methane quashes green credentials of hydropower’, Nature 444.

Guérin, F. et al. (2008) ‘Nitrous oxide emissions from tropical hydroelectric reservoirs.’ Geophysical Research Letters, 35.

Gunkel, G. (2009) ‘Hydropower – A green energy? Tropical reservoirs and greenhouse gas emissions.’ Clean, 37.

Harby, A., Guerin, F., Bastien, J. and Demarty, M. (2012) “Report: Greenhouse Gas Status of Hydro Reservoirs.” Centre for Environmental Design of Renewable Energy.

Houel et al. (2006) ‘Translocation of soil organic matter following reservoir impoundment in boreal systems: Implications for in situ productivity.’ Limnology and Oceanography 51:3. 

IPCC (2006) Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories.

Ittekot, V. et al. (2000) ‘Hydrological alterations and marine biogeochemistry: A silicate issue?’ BioScience 50:9.

Kelly, C.A. et al. (1994) ‘Turning Attention to Reservoir Surfaces, a Neglected Area in Greenhouse Studies’, EOS Trans. Am. Geophys. Union 75.

Kemenes, A., Forsberg, B.R. and Melack, J.M. (2007) ‘Methane release below a tropical hydroelectric dam,’ Geophysical Research Letters 34.

Kemenes, A. et al. (2011) ‘CO2 emissions from a tropical hydroelectric reservoir (Balbina, Brazil).’ Journal of Geophysical Research, 116.

Lima, I. et al. (2008) ‘Methane emissions from large dams as renewable energy resources: A developing nation perspective.’ Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, 13.

Mäkinen, K. and Khan, S. (2010) ‘Policy considerations for greenhouse gas emissions from freshwater reservoirs.’ Water Alternatives, 3.

Matthews, C.J.D (2005) ‘Carbon Dioxide and Methane Production in Small Reservoirs Flooding Upland Boreal Forest,’ Ecosystems 8: 267-285.

McCully, P (2006) Fizzy Science: Loosening the Hydro Industry’s Grip on Greenhouse Gas Emissions Research. International Rivers Network, Berkeley, California.

Pacca, S. (2003) ‘Global Warming Effect Applied to Electricity Generation Techniques.’ Dissertation in the Graduate Division, University of California, Berkeley.

Parekh, P. (2004) ‘A Preliminary Analysis of the Impact of Dam Reservoirs on Carbon Cycling’ , prepared for International Rivers Network.

Pueyo, S. and P. Fearnside. (2011) ‘Emissions of greenhouse gases from the reservoirs of hydroelectric dams: Implications of a power law,’ Oecologia Australis, 15(2): 199-212. (English available on Fearnside’s website)

Pueyo, S. and P. Fearnside (2012) ‘Greenhouse-gas emissions from tropical dams,’ Nature Climate Change 2: 382-384.

Ramos, F.M. et al. (2009) ‘Methane stocks in tropical hydropower reservoirs as a potential energy source,’ Climatic Change 93:1-13.

Rosa, L.P. and R. Schaeffer (1994) ‘Greenhouse gas emissions from power-dams’, Ambio 23:2.

Rosa, L.P. and dos Santos, M.A. (2000) ‘Certainty and Uncertainty in the Science of Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Hydroelectric Reservoirs.’ World Commission on Dams Thematic Review II.2 Dams and Global Change, Cape Town.

Rosa, L.P. et al. (2002) ‘First Brazilian Inventory of Anthropogenic Greenhouse Gas Emissions. Background Reports. Carbon Dioxide and Methane Emissions from Brazilian Hydroelectric Reservoirs,’ Ministry of Science and Technology, Brasília.

Rosa, L.P. et al. (2002?) ‘Greenhouse Gases Emissions in Tropical Regions: Comments on the International Rivers Network Report,’ COPPE/UFRJ.

Rosa, L.P. et al. (2004) ‘Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Hydroelectric Reservoirs in Tropical Regions’, Climatic Change 66:1-2.

Rosa, L.P. et al. (2006) ‘Scientific Errors in the Fearnside Comments on Greenhouse Gas Emissions (GHG) from Hydroelectric Dams and Response to His Political Claiming’, Climatic Change 75:1-2.

Rudd, J.W.M. et al. (1993) ‘Are Hydroelectric Reservoirs Significant Sources of Greenhouse Gases?’ Ambio 22:4.

dos Santos, M.A. (2000) ‘Inventário de Emissões de Gases de Efeito Estufa Derivadas de Hidrelétricas.’ Ph.D Thesis, UFRJ.

dos Santos, M.A. and L.P. Rosa (eds) (2005) Global Warming and Hydroelectric Reservoirs. COPPE/UFRJ-Eletrobrás, Rio de Janeiro.

Sikar, E. et al. (2005) ‘Greenhouse Gases and Initial Findings on the Carbon Circulation in Two Reservoirs and their Watersheds’, Verh. Internat. Verein. Limnol. 27.

Soumis, N. et al. (2004) ‘Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Reservoirs of the Western United States’, Global Biogeochemical Cycles 18.

Soumis, N. et al. (2005) ‘Hydroelectric Reservoirs as Anthropogenic Sources of Greenhouse Gases,’ Encyclopedia of Water. John Wiley & Sons, Ohio.

Svensson, B. (2005) ‘Greenhouse gas emissions from hydroelectric reservoirs: A global perspective.’ In dos Santos and Rosa (eds.).

St. Louis, V.L. et al. (2000) ‘Reservoir Surfaces as Sources of Greenhouse Gases to the Atmosphere: A global estimate’, BioScience 50:9.

‘The Role of Hydropower Reservoirs in Greenhouse Gas Emissions.’ EPRI, Palo Alto, CA: 2010. 1017971.

Tremblay, A., et al. (2010) ‘Net greenhouse gas emissions at Eastmain 1 Reservoir, Quebec, Canada.’ Proceedings of the World Energy Congress.

UNESCO/IHA (2010) GHG Measurement Guidelines for Freshwater Reservoirs.

Varis, O. et al (in press) ‘Greenhouse gas emissions from reservoirs,’ in Impacts of large dams, edited by Tortajada, C. et al., Springer Verlag, Berlin.

More information

Comprehensive list of publications by Philip Fearnside including links to pdfs of articles.