RISING GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS

ByAbubakar Bashir

RISING GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS

Karnesty et.al.(2001) defined greenhouse gases as gases that traps

radiant energy near the earth’s surface which results in greenhouse effect. These

gases increase proportionally with increasing industrial emissions

Nick and Jordan (2008) explained that the earth has increased in temperature of about 5 degree Celsius due to increase in concentration of greenhouse gases which

includes Carbon dioxide, Methane, Nitrous Oxide, Water Vapour and Ozone.

20%

6%

13%

0%

60%

GHG

Methane Nitrous OxideHalons, CFC and Others PFC's HFC'S and SF6Carbon Dioxide

Figure 1: Showing the percentage of each greenhouse gas(Leggett 2008)

Bashir

INTRODUCTION

USEPA(2016) explained that as greenhouse gas emissions from human activities increase, they build up in the atmosphere and warm the climate, leading to changes around the world:

For example in the oceans, atmosphere and on land. These changes have both Positive and Negative effects on People and Environment

USEPA(2016) advocate that the net emissions of greenhouse gases from human activities increased by approximately 35% from 1990-2010. However, IPCC(2007) estimated that the

net emissions due to human activities has increased by 24% from 1990-2007

According to (IPCC AR4) ‘Fourth assessment report of the international panel for climate change, global greenhouse gas emissions has increased since pre-industrial times, with an

increase of 70% between 1970-2004 (UNFCCC 2014).

The world’s emissions result from electricity generation, transportation and other forms of energy production Maria

MAIN SECTION

RISING GREENHOU

SE GAS EMISSION

Persistent Extreme Weather

Irremediable Pollution

Failure of Climate Change Adaptation

Extreme Volatility in energy and agriculture

prices

Eniye

Effects of green House gas

 Positives:  Did you know that greenhouse gas helps regulate the temperature of our planet? How? Philip et al. (2014) states that without it we'd all be all popsicle and the temperature of the Earth would be about -1800C below freezing OR 00F. which is way too cold for life.  Figure 2: How Green house gas warms the

earth (BGS 2016)ADODO

Negatives According to BGS (2016) the negative effects that can be predicted as a result of greenhouse gas include:  More drought and more flooding: weather gets warmer, evaporation from both

land and sea increases.   Less ice and snow   More extreme weather incidents  Effect on the Biodiversity  Rising sea level: melting ice and snow occurrence as a result of thermal expansion. However, Global climate Change (2016) states that Sea level rise is caused primarily by two factors related to global warming: the added water from melting land ice and the expansion of sea water as it warms.   In recent times, Thomson (2016) propose that sea rise level can be reduced by enlarging Antarctica's continental glacier. However, Raza (2016) argues that it would not slow down rise in sea level, but cause more energy usage and inconvenience engineering effort.  

ADODO

Figure 3: Global Sea Level Rising from 1880-2014 (EPA 2016). ADODO

According to BGS (2016) greenhouse gases are mostly caused by human activities. Some of them are Electricity Production: Coal, Natural Gas and OilTransportation: Aviation, Railway, Shipping, and Cars Industry: Cement Manufacturing Agriculture: Emission from livestock, and Agricultural soilsLand Use: Settlement and harvested wood products.

Sources of Greenhouse Gases

ADODO

According to the 3rd Risk assessment report, if no action is taken, global average temperature will rise between 1.4-5.8◦C which will raise global average sea level by about 0.09-0.88 metres over the same period which will pose serious risks to small islands (IPCC

2001a: 13-16).

A One metre rise would displace 70 million people in Bangladesh. Meaning people inland, shortage of resources, more exposed to

disease, sickness and viruses.

Potential Risks

ADODO

CASE STUDY:UNITED KINGDOM

Figure 4: UK greenhouse Gas Emission by Sector in 2013 (DECC 2014).

Comparing UK and USA Greenhouse Gas Emission by sector

ADODO

Figure 4: USA greenhouse Gas Emission by Sector in 2013 (EPA 2016).

Analysing Rising Greenhouse Gases

Two theoretical Perspectives are required in analysing rising

greenhouse gases Institutional Approach

Issue Based Approach(Oshitani 2006)

ADEBANJO

Present Day Risks In the United KingdomThe 2012 climate change risk assessment

confirms that extreme weather is still predominant among ‘potential risks’’ but other

risks such as overheating of building, water scarcity are becoming increasingly important.

The Magnitude of Risk is evaluated in social economic or environmental term

using ‘Risk Metrics’’Due to the difficulties of defining

likelihood related to future emissions scenarios, changes in climate and

socioeconomic factors: they are described as potential risks because they are dependent on specific conditions of

unknown likelihood

Largest Contributors to Co2 Emmissions

USA CHINARUSSIA JAPANINDIA GERMANYUNITED KINGDOM CANADAITALY KOREAMEXICO FRANCE

The United Kingdom is already affected by rising temperature. Average Temperature in Britain is now 1◦C Higher than it was 100

years ago (NOAA 2013)

ADEBANJO

Figure 5: Showing World’s Largest Contributors to CO2 emissions

The Energy Conservation Centre (2000).

Insured Losses from

Extreme Events

£1,500,000,000Flooding in

Summer 2007£3,200,000,000

Cold Winter£1,000,000,

000

Average Cost

Insured Losses from Extreme EventsFlooding in Summer 2007Cold Winter

CHINA U.S.A U.K

Population 1.3*10^9

321*10^6

64*10^6

GHG ‘C02 e’’

7,527 7,282 2,729

7,527

7,282

2,729

CO2 e''

CHINA U.S.A U.K

ADEBANJO

ADEBANJO

ADEBANJO

GHG DRIVERS AND MITIGATION

Population growth aggravates worldwide growth

of GHG emissions Technological innovation and

diffusion support overall economic growth

Behaviour affects emissions through energy use,

technological choices, lifestyles

Emissions Uncertainty Fossil Carbon dioxide

emissions uncertainty(Leggett 2008).

ADEBANJO

Mitigation Behavioural Changes: Human Activities ‘Changes in lifestyles’’ Structural Measures

Carbon Budget Less Polluting Activities

Technical Measures Developed to capture emissions before they enter the atmosphere

Carbon Budget: It places a restriction in the total amount of greenhouse gases in United Kingdom. The

United Kingdom is the first country to set legally binding carbon budget(Oshitani 2006)

ADEBANJO & ADODO

http://footprint.wwf.org.ukCLASS EXERCISE

Conclusion:

After critically analysing greenhouse gas emission, with several peer review article Like Freeman, Karnesky and IPCC, we can conclude that greenhouse gas has both positives and

negatives effect to human and the atmosphere. Although the negatives outweighs the positives, we can still appreciate its effect to us humans. Several mitigation have been put in

place to ensure that we reduce greenhouse gas emission, and some of them are through switching to low carbon fuels and Energy efficient equipment.

MARIA

ReferencesBritish Geology Survey, (2016) Consequences Of Greenhouse-Effect Temperature Rises [online]

available from <http://www.bgs.ac.uk/discoveringGeology/climateChange/CCS/consequencesOfTemperatureIncrease.html> [2 March 2016]

Environmental Protection Agency, (2016) Sea Level | Climate Change | US EPA [online] available from <http://www3.epa.gov/climatechange/science/indicators/oceans/sea-level.html> [2 March 2016]

Freeman, G. P., 1985. National style and policy sectors: explaining structural variation. Journal of Public Policy 5, p. 467– 96

Global climate Change, (2016) Sea Level [online] available from <http://climate.nasa.gov/vital-signs/sea-level/> [10 March 2016]

Gov.uk, (2014) Climate Change Explained - Detailed Guidance [online] available from <https://www.gov.uk/guidance/climate-change-explained> [9 March 2016]

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, (2007) Global Climate Projections [online] available from <http://www.ipcc.ch/publications_and_data/ar4/wg1/en/ch10s10-1.html> [9 March 2016]

 

Karnosky, D. (2001) The Impact Of Carbon Dioxide And Other Greenhouse Gases On Forest Ecosystms. Wallingford [u.a.]: CABI Publ.

NOAA, 2013. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. [Online] available from <http://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/sltrends/sltrends_global_station.htm?stnid=170-053>[08 March 2016]

Oshitani, S. (2006) Global Warming Policy In Japan And Britain. Manchester: Manchester University Press

Thomson, J. (2016) Can We Slow Sea Level Rise By Pumping Water Onto Antarctica? [online] available from <http://www.csmonitor.com/Science/2016/0310/Can-we-slow-sea-level-rise-by-pumping-water-onto-Antarctica> [7 March 2016]

Wallingford, H. 2012. The UK Climate Change Risk Assessment 2012 Evidence Report , s.n. 

References