Reeti Priya | Sankar Jyoti Nath |
The purpose of International Zero Emission Day is to increase public understanding of the urgency of addressing climate change and to mobilise support for concerted initiatives to reduce air pollution and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The concept is simple but effective; towns and individuals throughout the world are invited to cut their carbon and other pollutant emissions to zero for the duration of 24 hours.
Why this is important?
The global average temperature increase needs to be limited to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, in order to prevent the worst effects of climate change. To achieve this, emissions must decrease by 45% by 2030 and reach net zero globally by 2050, as specified in the Paris Agreement.
Current Scenario
- With rising emissions, the Earth is currently 1.1°C warmer than it was in the late 1800s.
- At present, fossil fuels produce 66% of the world’s electricity and roughly 80% of all other forms of energy.
Most emissions come from:
Countries:
- In 2020, China, USA, India, the European Union, Indonesia, the Russian Federation, and Brazil, produced more than half of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions.
- The Group of 20 countries—Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States, and European Union—are accountable for roughly 75% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions.
Energy Sector (73.2%):
The energy sector was found to be the main source of emissions globally. It was responsible for an astounding 73.2% of all emissions. This sector comprises emissions from processes including power production, the burning of fossil fuels, and transportation.
Agriculture, Forestry, and Land Use (18.4%):
This industry has several facets and includes a variety of activities with different emission levels. Agriculture soils made up 4.1% of the total, followed by rice farming at 1.3%, crop burning at 3.5%, deforestation at 2.2%, cropland at 1.4%, and grassland at 0.1%. Together, these activities accounted for 18.4% of the world’s emissions.
Industry (5.2%):
The industrial sector, which consists of non-ferrous metals, chemical and petrochemical, food and tobacco, paper and pulp, machinery, and other industries, was responsible for 5.2% of all emissions. Chemical & petrochemical had a substantial contribution of 3.6% among these sub-sectors.
Waste (3.2%):
The waste sector contributed 3.2% of emissions. This included wastewater at 1.3%, chemicals at 2.2%, and waste at 3.2%. It also includes Landfills that contribute to 1.9% and Wastewater that contribute 1.3% of emissions.
How one can make the difference?
- Transitioning from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources
- Reforestation and Afforestation: Planting trees and preserving existing forests are crucial for carbon sequestration, biodiversity preservation, and reducing the effects of Climate Change.
- Circular Economy: Practice the 3 Rs: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.
- Industrial Decarbonization
- Use of Public Transport: Switching to an electric automobile can help cut emissions, improve air quality, and promote green jobs.
- Use Energy-Efficient Appliances at home
- Using climate-smart agriculture and land-use practices
- Avoid open waste burning
Together, we can move closer to a greener and more resilient planet.
References:
· Hannah Ritchie, Max Roser and Pablo Rosado (2020) – “CO₂ and Greenhouse Gas Emissions”. Published online at OurWorldInData.org. Retrieved from: ‘https://ourworldindata.org/co2-and-greenhouse-gas-emissions‘ [Online Resource]
· Emissions Gap Report 2022 https://www.unep.org/resources/emissions-gap-report-2022