Greenhouse Gas Inventory: overview and workshop objectives Brian Fath Department of Biological...
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Transcript of Greenhouse Gas Inventory: overview and workshop objectives Brian Fath Department of Biological...
Greenhouse Gas Inventory:overview and workshop objectives
Brian FathDepartment of Biological Sciences,
Towson University
Climate Science in brief
• EM radiation from sun and earth are different due to temperature differences
• Some gases in the atmosphere respond to the differences – passing sunshine, absorbing earthshine
• These gases are increasing in concentration
Inventories can tell us where the gases originate
•Evidence in the 1960s and '70s that concentrations of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere were increasing first led climatologists and others to press for action. It took years before the international community responded.
• In 1988, the IPCC was created by the World Meteorological Organization and the UN Environment Programme.
• This group issued a first report in 1990 reflecting views of 400 scientists stating that global warming was real and urged that something be done about it.
• The Panel's findings spurred governments to create the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. It was ready for signature at the 1992 UN Conference on Environment and Development -- the "Earth Summit" -- in Rio de Janeiro. • IPCC reports played a major role in the negotiations leading to the Kyoto Protocol in 1997 a second, more far-reaching international treaty on climate change.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
Scientists sound the alarm
Greenhouse Gas EmissionInventory for Ohio
1990
Prepared by:
Craig A. McDonaldBrian D. Fath
Robert Garrick
Ohio Department of DevelopmentOffice of Energy Efficiency
77 South High St.Columbus, Ohio
43266
Equivalent Emissions of CO2 for Ohio, 1990
Emission Source
Foss
il Fu
el C
om
bust
ion
Pro
duct
ion P
roce
sses
Natu
ral G
as
and O
il
Syst
em
s
Landfills
Oth
er
Em
issi
ons
Land U
se C
hange
Emission SourceEmission Source
-50,000,000
0
50,000,000
100,000,000
150,000,000
200,000,000
250,000,000
300,000,000
Eq
uiv
ale
nt
Carb
on
Dio
xid
e
Em
issio
ns (
ton
s C
O2
)
Emission Source
Total (excl. biomass) 413,751,931Tons CO2 equivalent
• THIRTEEN YEARS AFTER THE UNFCCC at RIO
The Kyoto Protocol entered into force on 16th February 2005 !!
•Lack of U.S. national leadership prompted much local action
Kyoto signatures and ratifiers
U.S. Conference of Mayors Climate Protection Agreement
685 as of 9/28/2007
MarylandGreenhouse gas inventoryAnd climate action Plan
http://www.mde.state.md.us/air/climatechange/index.asp
Baltimore County GHG inventory
PANEL ICompleted inventories/getting started• Issues in completing the inventory
– how did you handle scope issues?– data difficulties?– what would you do differently?– is this an overestimation/underestimation?– Institutionalizing the process, etc
PANEL IIImplementing the Knowledge
• Campus action plans• Mitigation strategies• Meeting ACUPCC goals• Networking with others in the process
Long term Goals
• Reaching climate neutrality/sustainability• Changing campus culture/ curriculum change• Co-op for purchasing green energy• …• Other?