Emissions And Climatic Changes

Greenhouse Gases 1.0 Almost all the earth’s atmosphere (99% ) is made up of Nitrogen (78%) and oxygen(about 21%).While both of these gases play important roles in vast number of processes that support life on earth, they play almost no direct role in regulating the earth’s climate. The climatic change is due to the effect of trace gases in the remaining 1% of atmosphere. The trace gases are CO2, Methane, N2O, Ozone, water vapor and halocarbons and are called as Greenhouse gases. Although their proportions are small, they have a big impact on climate change. These trace gases contribute to Greenhouse effect, without which earth would be uninhabitable. Without them, mean temperature of earth would be about-19 deg.C, rather than the present mean temperature of about 15deg.C. In other words, Greenhouse effect keeps the earth about 34 degrees warmer. Distribution of GHG in Earth’s atmosphere is: Carbon Dioxide 76%: Methane 13%: Nitrous Oxide 6%: Fluorocarbons 5%. Carbon Dioxide It is the most prominent Greenhouse gas in Earth’s atmosphere. It is colorless, odorless and noninflammable. It is recycled through atmosphere by the process of photosynthesis, which makes human life possible. Photosynthesis is the process of green plants and other organisms transforming light energy into chemical energy. In this process, light energy is trapped and used to convert CO2, water and other minerals into oxygen and energy rich KOK,N HHUI85M, MH7Jorganic compounds. CO2 is formed by burning fossil fuels for energy, deforestation & human breathing. Every year , humans add over 30 billion tones of CO2 in atmosphere by these processes. Methane It is a colorless, odorless and flammable gas. It is formed when plants decay and where there is very little air. It is often called as swamp gas because it is abundant around water and swamps. Bacteria that breakdown organic matter in wetlands and bacteria that are found in cows, sheep, goats, buffao, termites and camels ,produce methane naturally. It is expected that by 2050, methane will double. Each year, we add350500 million tones of methane to the air by raising livestock, coal mining, drilling for oil, gas, rice cultivation and garbage sitting in landfills. Methane traps 20 times more heat than CO2. Water logged soil during rice cultivation and bacteria in animal gut & their belching releases methane. A cow produces ½(half) pound of methane a day. Imagine 1.3 billion cattle burping methane in air. Nitrous Oxide It is a colorless gas with sweet odor. It is primarily used as an anesthetic because it deadens pain. This gas is released naturally from oceans and by bacteria in soils. Each year we add 7-13 million tones into the atmosphere by using nitrogen based fertilizers, disposing of human and animal waste in sewage treatment plants automobile exhaust and gas power plants. The gas after release may be trapped for at least 100years in the atmosphere. Fluorocarbons. It is a general term for any group of synthetic organic compounds that contain fluorine and carbon. Many of these compounds, such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFC) can be easily converted from gas to liquid or liquid to gas. Because of these properties, CFC’s can be used in aerosol cans, refrigerators and air conditioners. It has been found that CFC’s ,when released into atmosphere, cause splitting of ozone molecule. Use of CFCs has therefore been reduced and it completely banned in USA. Substitute for CFCs are hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs),which do not harm or breakdown ozone molecules, but they do trap heat in the air, making it a green house gas. While using HFCs, care should be taken to see that there is no leakage and recover the coolant before throwing away the appliances. 2.0 Greenhouse effect /global warming The “greenhouse effect” is the heating of the earth due to the presence of greenhouse gases. It is named this way because of a similar effect produced by the glass panes of a greenhouse. Shorter wavelength solar radiation from the sun passes through earth’s atmosphere then is absorbed by surface of earth, thus causing it to get warmed up. Part of the absorbed energy is then reradiated back to atmosphere as a long wave infrared radiation. The greenhouse gases trap the infrared waves and send the waves back to earth and thus causing the lower atmosphere to warm up further. 1

3.0 Effects of global warming on environment A recently released report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has painted a stark picture of how the world will change if humanity fails to tackle the greenhouse emissions on a war footing. The Panel has predicted variety of climatic impacts including likely temperature rises of 4 to 6 degree Celsius, shrinking of polar caps, disappearance of Arctic summer sea ice by 2080, change in global weather like heat waves, droughts, intense storms, heavy rains, floods, sea water level rising by extra 22 feet, melting of Greenland ice cap in the next few decades, with a very severe impact on wildlife species and human life. Rise in sea level can cause increase in salinity of fresh water throughout the world and cause coastal lands to be washed under sea. Warmer water and increased humidity will cause more tropical rains, more tidal waves and strong beach erosions in the coastal areas. 4.0 Kyoto Protocol One of the major conventions concerning global warming resulted in Kyoto Protocol, held in Kyoto, Japan during December ,1997.Delegates from all over the world were present in order to find a universal agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This agreement has been so far ratified by 172 countries .USA and Australia are the 2 major exceptions to this treaty. The objective of the treaty is to achieve stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system. This treaty expires in 2012 and it lays down the following principles: 1. Governments are separated into 2 general categories, namely, developed countries (referred to as Annex.1 countries, who have accepted GHG emission reduction obligations and must submit an annual GHG inventory) and developing countries, referred to as Non-annex.! Countries (who have no GHG emission reduction obligations but they may participate in the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM ). 2 Any Annex.1 country that fails to meet its Kyoto obligation, will be penalized by having to submit 1.3 emission allowances in a second commitment period for every ton of GHG emissions, the exceed their cap in the first commitment period (2008-2012 ). 3. By 2008-2012 ,Annex.1 countries have to reduce their GHG emissions by a collective average of 5.2% below their 1990 levels. National limitations range from 8% for EU and some others to 7% for US,6% for Japan,0% for Russia and permitted increase of 8% for Australia and 10% for Iceland. Most provisions of Kyoto Protocol apply to developed countries listed in Annexure-1.The emission figures exclude international aviation and shipping. This protocol is treaty with ‘common but differentiated responsibilities. The parties agreed that (1) largest share of historical and global emissions of GHG has originated in developed countries.(2) per capita emissions in developing countries are relatively low.(3)Share of global emissions originating in developing countries will grow to meet social and development needs. In other words, China India and other developing countries were not included in any numerical limitation of the Kyoto Protocol because they were not the main contributors to GHG emissions during the industrialization period, that is believed to be causing today’s climatic change. USA has not ratified this Protocol under the plea that exemptions granted to China (world’s second largest emitter of CO2 ) and India (amongst top emitters today) are not valid. In fact USA does not support any differentiation in categories. USA is also worried at the strain on economy (GDP loss estimated at 4.2% ) in implementation of Kyoto Protocol. World’s top emission contributors (CO2 in Giga-tons) Country USA

1990 5

2004 5.9

EU

3.4

3.45

China

2.3

3.1 (year 2001) 2

Russia

2.4

1.5 (year 1999)

India

Carbon Trading As a result of Kyoto protocol, carbon has become a tradable commodity with an associated value. One tonne of CO2 reduced through CDM activity, when certified by a designated entity, is known as a CER (certified emission reduction) which can be traded. Revenue from CERs can form part of a project ‘s annual cash inflow, equity and debt. At present carbon is traded at 10-17 euros and it may go upto35 euros by 2012 ,which is the target date for achieving the emission reduction target by the Annex.1 nations. Clean Development Mechanism (CDM ) Apart from taking measures domestically, flexibility in achieving emission reductions is granted through 3 instruments i.e. Emission Trading, Joint Implementation (JI) and Clean Development Mechanism. CDM basically means collaboration of developed countries with developing countries on GHG reduction projects. CDM offers opportunities to developed countries to undertake clean energy programs in developing nations ,who have no emission deduction obligations and take credit of such emission reduction to their account and comply with protocol. Examples of CDM project activities include: a) Co2 displacement through use of renewable energy for power generation(such as wind turbine generators.) and thermal energy. b)CO2 reduction through energy efficiency improvement. c) CO2 reduction through forestation and reforestation. d) CO2 reduction through fuel switching from fossil fuel to Bio fuel. e)CO2 reduction through Waste Heat Recovery. f)Use of fly ash in concrete structures. g) Power generation from waste. h) Emission reduction through public transport like Metro. i) Regenerative braking system in Metro Rail j)Use of energy efficient transformers. k)Energy efficient motors with efficiency in range of 94%. l)Energy efficient lighting---CFL and LED m) Capacitors for power factor improvement. N0Variable speed drives. n)Energy efficient pumps and fans. o)Energy efficient Air conditioners and refrigerators. p) Waste heat recovery from exhaust gases in power plants process kilns, and furnaces for hot water, process steam, hot air preheating, chilled water for air conditioning, combined cycle power plant. q) Biomass power generation r) Bio fuel for power generation or in transportation, s) Small hydro plants. 3

Steps involved in certification of CDM Projects 1. Project is identified. 2. The project is designed using approved methodology. Foreign collaboration is sought. 3. Project report goes to designated authority for approval. In India it is Ministry of environment and forests. After approval, it goes to third party like TUV, DNV for validation and then to Executive Board of CDM for registration 4 The project is continuously monitored and certified after thorough 3-Jan-09checking before certification. 5. Issue of CER by the Executive Board.. Country

Change in GHG emissions Assigned Objective Treaty Obligation !990-2004 2012 (EU ) 2008-2012 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Germany Canada Australia Spain USA Norway France Greece Japan UK EU -15 China India

-17% +27% +25% +49% +16% +10% -0.8% +27% +6.5% -14% -0.8% +47% +55%

-21% NA NA +15% NA NA 0 +25 NA -12.5% NA 0 0

-8% -6% +8% -8% -7% +1% -8% -8% -6% -8% -8% 0 0

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