The emission of greenhouse gases facilitates worrying climate change. Cutting greenhouse gas emissions quickly is an environmental priority. Greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide can be emitted into the atmosphere and remain there. This process can lead to planetary warming. Different greenhouse gases differ in the times they remain in the atmosphere. Also, the various greenhouse gases vary in their levels of warming. The Global Warming Potential (GWP) details the effects of the various greenhouse gases.
A goal for the mitigation of greenhouse gas warming effects is net-zero emissions. To reach a level of net zero, the removal of greenhouse gases must balance emissions. A date set as a goal for a complete net-zero scenario is 2050. Another goal is to have emissions levels at forty-five percent of 2010 levels by 2030.
Greenhouse Gases
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) explains how greenhouse gases work. The EPA states: “Gases that trap heat in the atmosphere are called greenhouse gases.” Carbon dioxide and methane are examples of greenhouse gases. Other greenhouse gases are fluorinated gases and nitrous oxide.
The EPA explains: “Larger emissions of greenhouse gases lead to higher concentrations in the atmosphere.” Different greenhouse gases stay in the atmosphere for different lengths of time. In addition, some gases influence the warming of the planet more drastically than others. Each greenhouse gas has a Global Warming Potential (GWP). The EPA states the GWP metric compares “the global warming impacts of different gases.” This metric is occasionally updated.
Need for Emission Cuts
Lessening the amount of greenhouse gas emitted is necessary for a healthy planet. The Zero Carbon Analytics research group advocates cutting emissions as quickly as possible. Zero Carbon Analytics states: “Cuts are needed now… to avoid ecological disaster.”
A reason is that climate change is impacted by the accumulated emission of carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide is being emitted into the atmosphere at an alarming rate. According to Zero Carbon Analytics, “the more we emit, the warmer it will get.” In addition, even stopping emissions completely right now would not end the problem. Carbon dioxide, according to Zero Carbon Analytics, has a “long atmospheric lifetime.” Carbon dioxide can stay in Earth’s atmosphere for a long time. Climate Change Connection states that carbon dioxide’s atmospheric presence could last “300 to 1,000 years.”
About Net-Zero Emissions
The research collaborative Oxford Net Zero defines the idea of net zero in emission output. According to Oxford Net Zero, this concept involves addressing “greenhouse gases going into the atmosphere.” Emitted greenhouse gases need to be “balanced by removal” of these gases from the air. A greenhouse gas of particular focus is carbon dioxide.
Removing atmospheric greenhouse gases is explained by the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR). As an example, UCAR discusses the reduction of carbon dioxide presence in the atmosphere. UCAR states removal can happen by increasing “the amount of carbon dioxide we take out.”
This can be done through carbon sinks. UCAR defines carbon sinks as “places where carbon dioxide is pulled out of the air.” Sustainable Ohio Public Energy Council (SOPEC) offers examples of carbon sinks. SOPEC states: “Oceans and forests are the two largest natural carbon sinks.” Planting trees or bamboo can help ensure the presence of carbon sinks. Taking steps to conserve carbon sinks that already exist can also help.
Goal for 2050
A year representing an intended emissions reduction milestone is 2050. By about 2050, the goal is to reach net zero in terms of emissions. Before this point, there is also a reduction aim for 2030. Oxford Net Zero presents details about the necessary carbon dioxide 2030 emission levels drop. These levels, Oxford Net Zero states, “need to fall by about 45 percent… by 2030.” The initial levels referenced before the necessary forty-five percent reduction are from 2010.
