Climate change, Russian Federation outlook

Basing this brief review on United Nation Report (Climate Change Secretariat), we can see in the figures below the evolution of the GHG emission for Russian Federation between 1990 and 2009.

From the comparison between 1990 and 2009 we can clearly say that many steps forward has been done in this country in terms of GHG reduction (Net emission removals > 600.000 tons).

Going over the sources of the GHG emissions, from the picture below we can see how the Energy sector was and still remains the primary cause of the emissions (from 81,18% of 1990 to 82,40% of 2009, almost the same value) probably caused by lack of renewable energies, R&D in new technologies and substantial inefficiency in the sector; besides only the Waste sector has considerable increase the emission (from 1,74% to 3,45%) while the other sectors has been more on less on the same trend.

Within the Energy sector emissions, it’s huge the emissions of GHG of the Energy industries, which support what has been just said; most probably the Russian Federation pays with high GHG emissions the abundance of fossil fuels within its territory, which means -in the same time- the non-necessity to change the source of energy at the moment.

LULUCF: Land Use, Land-Use Change and Forestry (source: http://unfccc.int/methods_and_science/lulucf/items/3060.php)

Main data source: UNFCC (website: http://unfccc.int/2860.php)

Document: http://unfccc.int/files/ghg_emissions_data/application/pdf/rus_ghg_profile.pdf

Comments Off on Climate change, Russian Federation outlook / 28 Jan 2012 por Luca Palma
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Environment & Natural Resource Management: Today’s Slogan

Group 1 slogan for today’s class:

DIALOGUE FOSTERS SUSTAINABLE CIVIL SOCIETY.

Comments Off on Environment & Natural Resource Management: Today’s Slogan / 27 Jan 2012 por Syafrina Sharif
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Climate Change: GHG emissions in Azerbaijan

The highest GHG emission in Azerbaijan comes from: CO2, CH4 and N2O.

As the largest greenhouse gas emitted, CO2 exhaust comes from: 97% energy sector, 38% energy generation and transformation, 16% industry, 10% transport, 15% commercial sector, 12% households, 6% agriculture and forestry, and 3% other sectors. The main carbon sinks in Azerbaijan consist of agriculture and forests. Nonetheless, CO2 emissions from stationary sources decreased from 45120 Gt in 1990 to 31375 Gt by 2005. Emissions within the transport sector dropped from 4341 Gt in 1990 to 3632 Gt in 2005.

CH4 is emitted by the agricultural sector, as a result of fermentation and manure, as well as the waste sector. In total, CH4 emissions lowered from 20036 Gt CO2 eq in 1990 to 14433 Gt CO2 eq in 2005.

N2O emission was 992 GtCO2 eq in 1990 and lowered 64% by 2005. Other emissions such as: perfluorocarbon, hydrofluorocarbon and sulfur hexafluoride, are not found at significant levels in Azerbaijan.
Future

The continued trends of development, urbanization and population growth in Azerbaijan led to an increased production of waste, which is estimated to be 13 million tons by 2025. Much of the waste comes from the capital Baku and its surrounding areas. Wastewater further expands this problem.

Aware of a greener future, Azerbaijan created the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources in 2005 to enhance Cleaner Development Mechanisms outlined in the Kyoto Protocol. Seeing that most energy in Azerbaijan is generated from burning hydrocarbons, the focus is placed on the use of renewable sources (such as wind, solar and hydropower), energy saving technology, and more efficient procedures.

Complimentary programs like the Rehabilitation and Expansion of Forests will aim to reforest 69000 hectares: 44700 hectares coming from new forests, 25000 hectares from natural recovery actions, 14300 hectares planted next to highways, water pond and coastal areas.   Despite being an oil producing country for the past 160 years, Azerbaijan is focused on a greener and more sustainable future through the use of renewables, energy efficiency and reforestation.

Work Cited:

Republic of Azerbaijan. (2000). “Initial national communication and date of submission.” Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources. Accessed on January 26, 2012 from: http://unfccc.int/national_reports/non-annex_i_natcom/items/2979.php

Republic of Azerbaijan. (2010). “Second National Communication to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.” Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources. Accessed on January 26, 2012 from: http://unfccc.int/national_reports/non-annex_i_natcom/items/2979.php

Comments Off on Climate Change: GHG emissions in Azerbaijan / 27 Jan 2012 por Hokuma Karimova
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Green House Gases in Venezuela and its main actors

When it comes to CO2 emissions, Venezuela seems to be in a good position in comparison to other countries from Latin America in similar conditions. When looked deeply and relate subsidies applied to the emissions, such statement seems to reflect just part of the reality.

Burning fuels represent the main source of CO2 emissions. The sectors which contribute the most to the generation of these gases are power plants (41.1%), followed by transportation (29.5%). Both of them generate 70.6% of the total emissions. Respecting to other GHG such as CH4, the oil industry leads the chart with 61.2% of the emissions.

Transportation in Venezuela counts with the cheapest gasoline prices in the world due to historic subsidies. Mass transport system is highly inefficient and unreliable; everyone that can buys a car in consequence. Considering the scarcity of roads, enormous traffic jams are normal, worsening emissions considerably. On the other hand, electricity comes from hydro (70%), being relatively clean in this sense.

Challenges to sincere prices and finance a good mass transport system, invest in cleaner technology for the enormous oil business and balancing the energy mix (with non conventional sources such as wind) are the great three big challenges. Average emissions for Venezuela are the result of the unbalanced blend of a great hydro effort but an artificial market for fuel.

Sources:

Multiple authors (2005). Primera Comunicación Nacional en Cambio Climático de Venezuela. Recovered: 27/01/12. Available at: http://unfccc.int/resource/docs/natc/vennc01.pdf

Humberto Márquez (no date). El precio de la gasolina más barata del mundo. IPS Noticias. Recovered the 08/01/2012. Available at: http://ipsnoticias.net/nota.asp?idnews=90896

Oficina Económica y Comercial de la Embajada de España en Caracas. Roberto Fraile García (2009). Recovered: 27/01/12. Available at: http://www.oficinascomerciales.es/icex/cma/contentTypes/common/records/viewDocument/0,,,00.bin?doc=4216563

Comments Off on Green House Gases in Venezuela and its main actors / 27 Jan 2012 por Rodrigo Capriles Mazzei
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Climate Change blog 1. Main sources of greenhouse gas emissions in Spain

The data reveal that total emissions in 2007 were 52.6% higher than 1990 (UNFFC, 2009). Analysis by economic sector reveals that the Energy group made the greatest contribution (78.1%) and that this increased in the final period, rising in 2007 by 0.2% on the year before. In 2007, the Industrial Processes and Agriculture sectors accounted for 7.9% and 10.5%, representing respective falls over the period of 1.3% and 3.5%. At the end of the period, the Waste sector was responsible for 3.2%. This constitutes a significant increase on the 1990 figure (0.5%). The Solvent and Other Product Use sector’s share decreased slightly from 0.5% in 1990 to 0.4% in 2007, remaining a marginal emissions source in absolute terms when compared with the inventory as a whole.

Figure 1. CO2 eq by activity

Source: UNFFC (2009)

Figure 2. GHG in energy sector Figure 3. GHG in industry sector

Source: UN (2009)

However I think that these data should be updated because the Spanish economy has changed sharply in the last three years. Actually, according to the European Environment Agency’s, the Spanish greenhouse gas emissions fell over 2010 by 2.9%, while in the EU as a whole increased by 2,4%. This reduction was due to two different causes; the economical crisis and the increase of the renewable energy use. Whereas the Spanish economy registered in 2010 a fall by 0,1% (INE, 2011), the use of renewable energy (as a primary energy) increased a 0,9 % (Energy Balance, 2011).

Figure 2. Evolution of CO2 emissions equivalent for the national total*.

Source: UNFFC (2009)*There are three scenarios in which emissions are projected: “Without Measures” Scenario”, “With Measures Scenario” and “Additional Measures Scenario.

From my point of view, the emissions in the next years will continue going down mainly because of the lack of production in the industry sector because of the economy stagnation. Thus, on the other hand, I hope that during the next years, the government boosts the use of renewable energies, as well as the more efficient transportation and the utilization of new waste management technologies reducing the emissions released to the atmosphere.

References:

Energy Balance (2011). Secretaria de Estado de Energia. Ministerio de Industria, Turismo y Comercio.

INE (2011). National Statistics Institute (INE). Retrieved 26/01/2012 from http://www.ine.es.

UNFFC (2009). United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (2009) Quinta Comunicación Nacional de España.

UN (2009). United Nations. Climate Change Secretariat. Summary of GHG Emissions for Spain (2009).

1 comentario / 26 Jan 2012 por Carlos Cerdan Infantes
IMSD /

Climate Change: Sources of GHG emissions in Poland

Poland is one of the biggest emitters of GHG gases per capita in Europe. In my opinion comparing emissions in big

Per capita emission in the EU

countries the only good way to measure it is by taking into account per capita indexes. The only big country that is surpassing Poland is Germany. It is probably due to the high-developed industry and its density. Poland’s biggest challenge today in becoming a low emitting country is its enormous coal use in energy production. Almost 94% of electricity comes from coal plants, which are the biggest emitters as far as CO2 is concerned.

The data I have found in the document published by the Ministry of Environment in collaboration with the Institute of Environmental Protection show the main sources of the GHG emissions in 2007:

Fuel combustion 77%

Power industries 45,8%
Manufacturing and construction industry 8,8%
Transport 9,7%
Other Sectors 12.7%

Agriculture 8,8%
Industrial process 8,3%
Waste 2,2%

Share of GHG emitted in Poland

The CO2 emissions stand for 82,3% of all GHG emissions. Then 9,3% is from methane, the CFC’s and nitrous oxygen stand for 7,5% and finally 0,9% stands for industrial gases. The good information is that since 1988 to 2007 the GHG emissions decreased by 29,3%. As far as the Kyoto protocol is concerned Poland already had achieved their goals, which were a 6% decrease from the base set in 1988.

Looking at the data above it is obvious, what needs to be done to decrease the amount of GHG emitted. The measures needed to do so are already being implemented, e.g. the “3×20” EU policy. The government is also strongly encouraging to private investors to invest in renewable energy sources. Moreover the government is planning to build a nuclear plant by the year 2023.

References:

1. Fifth National Communication under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change http://unfccc.int/resource/docs/natc/pol_nc5.pdf

Comments Off on Climate Change: Sources of GHG emissions in Poland / 26 Jan 2012 por Piotr Adam Lubiewa-Wielezynski
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Session 4: Environmental and Natural Resource Management

“Socioenvironment”, a term that cannot be split into pieces

By Rodrigo Capriles, Natalia Díaz and Antonio Moreno

Comments Off on Session 4: Environmental and Natural Resource Management / 26 Jan 2012 por Antonio Calixto Moreno Zarco
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Environment & Natural Resource Management

Group 1 slogans for the previous class:

1. SOCIAL & ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES: TWO SIDES OF THE SAME COIN. INVEST ON IT.
2. SOCIAL & HUMAN CAPITAL: OUR NETWORK FOR THE ENVIRONMENT.

Comments Off on Environment & Natural Resource Management / 26 Jan 2012 por Syafrina Sharif
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Climate Change: USA Green House Gas Emissions

In reviewing U.S. Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Inventory Report of 2011 issued by the EPA it reviewed GHG emissions and sinks from 1990-2009. I found no current data for 2011. The report quantifies U.S. primary anthropogenic sources (anthropogenic- refers to GHG emissions and removals that are a direct result of human activities or are the result of natural processes that have been affected by human activities. America’s stance on GHG emission varies greatly depending upon which political party you are asking. However, in 1992, the US ratified and signed Article 2 of the UNFCCC which stated:
“The ultimate objective of this Convention and any related legal instruments that the Conference of the Parties may adopt is to achieve, in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Convention, stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system. Such a level should be achieved within a time-frame sufficient to allow ecosystems to adapt naturally to climate change, to ensure that food production is not threatened and to enable economic development to proceed in a sustainable manner.”
As of 2009, total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions were 6,633.2 teragrams of carbon dioxide equivalents; net emissions were 5,618.2 Tg CO2 Eq. I am pretty sure that means a whole lot.
U.S. emissions have increased by 7.3 percent from 1990 to 2009. Yet, decreased from 2008 to 2009 by 6.1 percent (427.9 Tg CO2 Eq.). The following factors were noted by the epa as the primary reasons for the decrease: (1) a decrease in economic output resulting in a decrease in energy consumption across all sectors; and (2) a decrease in the carbon intensity of fuels used to generate electricity due to fuel switching as the price of coal increased, and (3) the price of natural gas decreased significantly. Since 1990, U.S. emissions have increased at an average annual rate of 0.4 percent. The recent trends in GHG listed a myriad number of contributors.

The biggest contributor is CO2, of course, due to fossil fuel combustion measured in (Tg or million metric tons CO2 Eq) as of 2009 is as follows: CO2: 83%
Fossil Fuel Combustion 5,209.0
Electricity Generation 2,154.0
Transportation 1,719.7
Industrial 730.4
Residential 339.2
Commercial 224
For CH4: 10.3%
Natural Gas Systems 221.2
Enteric Fermentation 139.8
Landfills 117.5
Coal 71.0
Manure Management 49.5
Petroleum Systems 30.9
Wastewater Treatment 24.5
Forest Land Remaining Forest Land 7.8
For N2O: 4.5%
Agricultural Soil Management 204.6
Mobile Combustion 23.9
Manure Management 17.9
Nitric Acid Production 14.6
Stationary Combustion 12.8
As well as HFCs, PFCs, SF6 making up 2.2%