MANY COUNTRIES MAY BE GROSSLY UNDERESTIMATING THE QUANTITY OF GREENHOUSE GASES THEY EMIT ACCORDING TO A NEW METHOD OF MONITORING OUTPUT, SCIENTISTS SAID ON WEDNESDAY. THE NEW "TOP-DOWN" SYSTEM MEASURES THE ACTUAL AMOUNT OF GASES SUCH AS CARBON DIOXIDE AND METHANE IN THE ATMOSPHERE, COMPARED WITH THE TRADITIONAL "BOTTOM-UP" METHOD WHICH ESTIMATES WHAT IS LIKELY TO BE PRODUCED ON THE GROUND. THE FINDINGS, STILL THE SUBJECT OF SCIENTIFIC DEBATE, COULD DESTABILISE THE EUROPEAN UNION'S FLEDGLING CARBON TRADING SYSTEM AND HAVE IMPLICATIONS FOR THE KYOTO TREATY. "WORK AT THE (EUROPEAN COMMISSION'S) JOINT RESEARCH CENTRE (JRC) IN ITALY SUGGESTS HUGE UNDER-REPORTING OF MANY NATIONAL CH4 (METHANE) EMISSIONS," SAID EUAN NISBET OF LONDON'S ROYAL HOLLOWAY UNIVERSITY. "TOP-DOWN SCIENCE IS STILL SOMEWHAT IN ITS INFANCY. BUT THE GAS THEY MEASURE IS THERE, NOT AN ESTIMATE OF WHAT THEY THINK SHOULD BE THERE," HE TOLD REUTERS.
