The article, “Global Warming Science Scandals”, by Laurence O’Sullivan, points out that, though the IPCC was careless in the documentation and recording of its research and data, the IPCC’s scientific facts with respect to global warming and climate change are verifiable and cannot be argued.
Certainties of Climate Change
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) initiated the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, who is the leading organization for the evaluation of climate change. The IPCC confirms that increasing levels of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere since pre-industrial times are well-documented and understood.
The atmospheric buildup of CO2 and other greenhouse gases is largely the result of human activities such as burning fossil fuels. An indisputable warming trend from about 1.0 to 1.7°F occurred during the years 1906-2005. Warming occurred in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, and over the oceans. The major greenhouse gases emitted by human activities remain in the atmosphere for periods ranging from decades to centuries. Realistically, scientific data supports that atmospheric concentration of greenhouse gases will continue to rise over the next few decades (IPCC, 2007). Logically, the effect of these gases, in turn, causes rising sea levels and warmer temperatures.
ABC's of Greenhouse Gases
The greenhouse gases and their chemical tendencies listed below are enumerated in the United States Environmental Protection Agency "Draft 2010 Inventory of Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks (1990-2008)":
- Carbon Dioxide (CO2) enters the atmosphere through the burning of fossil fuels (oil, natural gas, and coal), solid waste, trees and wood products, and also as a result of other chemical reactions (e.g., manufacture of cement). Carbon dioxide is also removed from the atmosphere (or “sequestered”) when it is absorbed by plants as part of the biological carbon cycle.
- Methane (CH4) is emitted during the production and transport of coal, natural gas, and oil. Methane emissions also result from livestock and other agricultural practices and by the decay of organic waste in municipal solid waste landfills.
- Nitrous Oxide (N2O) is emitted during agricultural and industrial activities, as well as during combustion of fossil fuels and solid waste.
- Fluorinated gases consist of hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, and sulfur hexafluoride, which are synthetic, powerful greenhouse gases that are emitted from a variety of industrial processes. Fluorinated gases are sometimes used as substitutes for ozone-depleting substances. These gases are typically emitted in smaller quantities, but because they are potent greenhouse gases, they are sometimes referred to as high global warming potential gases (“High GWP gases”).
A synopsis in the "Executive Summary" of the EPA’s "Draft 2010" summarizes the effects of naturally occurring greenhouse gases including water vapor, carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O) and ozone (O3).
Scientific data recited in the summary indicates that, while the direct greenhouse gases CO2, CH4 and N2O occur naturally in the atmosphere, human behavior has affected their atmospheric intensity. From the pre-industrial era, which ended around 1750, to 2005, concentrations of these greenhouse gases have increased globally by 36, 148, and 18 percent, respectively (IPCC 2007) (Summary, p. 2).
Gases in the atmosphere can contribute to the greenhouse effect both directly and indirectly. Direct effects occur when the gas itself absorbs radiation. Indirect radiative forcing occurs when chemical transformations of the substance produce other greenhouse gases (Executive Summary, p. 2). The IPCC developed the Global Warming Potential (GWP) concept to compare the ability of each greenhouse gas to trap heat in the atmosphere relative to another gas (Summary, pp. 2-3).
For more information regarding this data and to ensure public comments are considered for the final version of the "Draft 2010 Inventory of Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks," the EPA encourages the public to submit comments by April 14, 2010. Comments may be submitted via email to Leif Hockstad at hockstad.leif@epa.gov or Brian B. Cook at cook.brianb@epa.gov.
Primary and Secondary Carbon Footprint
A carbon footprint is a measure of the impact our activities have on the environment, and in particular climate change. It relates to the amount of greenhouse gases produced in our everyday lives through burning fossil fuels for electricity, heating and transportation, etc. The carbon footprint is a measurement of all greenhouse gases humans individually produce and has units of tonnes (or kg) of carbon dioxide equivalent. A carbon footprint is made up of the sum of two parts, the primary footprint and the secondary footprint.
The primary footprint is a measure of direct emissions of CO2 by people from the burning of fossil fuels including domestic energy consumption and transportation (e.g. car and plane). People have direct control of these.
The secondary footprint is a measure of the indirect CO2 emissions from the whole lifecycle of products people use - those associated with their manufacture and eventual breakdown.
A global valuation was written by Prof. Edgar Hertwich of NTNU, Norway titled, “Carbon footprint of nations: A global trade-linked analysis”, based on a model assembled by Glen Peters. The 7-page written global analysis is available for download in PDF format at the Norwegian University of Science & Technology (NTNU) website. It was selected by Environmental Science & Technology, the No. 1 ranked journal in its field, as its best environmental policy paper of 2009.
Simple Things We Can Do to Help Stop Global Warming
Ultimately, the message is clear. We broke it, but are we willing to sacrifice and present a united front to fix it?
Change isn’t easy, but the most common, easy things we can do to help are the 3 Re's – Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. The internet has many websites listing many simple steps and things we can incorporate into our daily lives to help stop global warming.
Heike Winnig - Ms. Winnig is German, born in Bad Kreuznach, Rheinlandpfalz, Deutschland, and has lived in the United States since she was a child. ...
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