Introduction:
“It’s not that the world hasn’t had more carbon dioxide; it’s not that the world hasn’t been warmer. The problem is the speed at which things are changing. We are inducing a sixth mass extinction event kind of by accident, and we don’t want to be the ‘extinctee.’
Have you ever thought of how almost every activity that humans are doing increases greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere? Have you ever been responsible enough to calculate your carbon footprint to make an effort towards mitigating Carbon Emissions?
The economic progress has cost us a rapid expansion of the global population and colossal environmental costs. Economic development and extensive integration into global value chains have quadrupled the countries Carbon Emissions.
Each effort counts to lower our carbon footprints; by initiating individual actions, we can lower our share of carbon emissions and help reduce overall consumer demand in these industries.
Related Article: Cost, Effects and an Environmental Catastrophe
The summary for policymakers report says:
“Climate-related risks for natural and human systems are higher for global warming of 1.5°C than at present but lower than at 2 °C”
Conventional Mitigation Efforts By The Developing Countries:
The developing countries take multiple initiatives to mitigate carbon emissions. The first few conventional mitigation efforts to reduce CO2 emissions employ decarbonization technologies, such as fuel switching, nuclear power, renewable energy, and efficiency gains.
As per the stats, total emissions in 2019 equals 6,558 Million Metric Tons of CO2 equivalent.
In terms of the overall trend, transportation is the major contributor to global warming, emitting up to 23% carbon dioxide. By 2030 if no changes are made in Asian countries, experts foresee a 3 to 5 fold increase in emissions.
As per the 2017 BP Statistical Review of World Energy, CO2 emissions have declined by 758 Million Metric Tons, which is by far the most significant decline of any country in the world and is nearly as large as the 770 million metric ton decline for the entire European Union over that timespan.
On the contrary, China has failed to deliver any targets. Instead of growing the carbon dioxide emissions by 3 billion metric tons, India’s grew by 1 billion metric tons.
4 Best Environmental Friendly Leaps by Nations:
1. ICELAND – “The Carbon Capture Machine”:
The World’s Largest Carbon Capture Machine is named “ORCA”– a “direct air capture” method. Located on a lava plateau in Southwest Iceland has come online to mitigate increasing threats of climate change.
It uses a system of fans and heaters powered by a geothermal power plant to pull 4000 metric tons of CO2 out of the air/year. This sucked Co2 is pumped underground, mixing gas with water which will become stone, slowly as it cools. ORCA’s estimated capture is equivalent to the annual emissions made by 790 cars.
2. COSTA RICA – “Primarily Hydropower”:
Costa Rica took a great initiative to produce their energy from renewable sources-Primarily Hydropower. They took a pledge as a national priority to use renewables across rails and roads, as two-third of their GHG emissions are responsible through transportation.
Costa Rica aims to generate electricity 100% through renewable sources by 2021. The excellent commitment effort has already delivered 98% of their electricity from renewable sources in 2018.
Costa Rica is making significant initiatives to fulfil the pledge mitigating CO2 emissions by presenting National Electric Transport Plan to promote zero emissions. Additionally, they extended a suspension on oil extraction and exploitation from this year until the end of 2050.
3. EU – DENMARK – “The Cycling Culture”:
“It is possible,” said Ferguson. “It just takes a bit of political will and a good dose of cultural change.”
Europe expects to cut its transport greenhouse gas GHG by more than 25% if the whole population cycled as Danes.
The Danish Cycling Culture is contributing its fair share to mitigate Carbon emissions. Commuters pedal to work on their very own superhighway.
The ECF promotes less focus on the complex technological solution to emissions reduction such as electric cars and instead adopts cycling. This can sum up to 21g carbon emissions per passenger-km travelled on a bike.
EU are the early adopters of climate targets. In 2009 they committed to 20 % by 2020 and now have increased to 40% reduction by 2030, taking multiple national targets. Such as Malta’s aim is 10% renewables and Sweden is 49%.
4. PAKISTAN – “Largest Tree Plantation Drive”:
“Everyone is waking up and starting to plant,” lawyer and environmentalist Hazrat Maaz told The Washington Post at the time.
Like most developing nations, Pakistan is not a significant emitter of heat-trapping GHG but is vulnerable to global warming. Climate fueled extreme weather conditions from floods to droughts can kill masses and drain resources, threatening the country’s stability. Pakistan realises its responsibility and the contribution it can make at the forefront.
“Pakistan hit its billion tree goal in August 2017 – months ahead of schedule. Now, the hills of the country’s northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are alive” World Economic Forum
Pakistan first pledges to plant 1 billion trees by 2015. The initiative was so successful that the country targets a ten billion Tree plantation to fight climate change.
In August, another renewable energy policy was announced to generate hydroelectric dams, solar and wind for power by 2040.
To deduce, many other countries are in line making a pledge and initiatives to contribute to decarbonising the world together. However, conventional mitigation efforts are not sufficient to reach the targets set by the Paris agreement or Kyoto protocol.
Therefore utilisation of other routes appears inevitable while various technologies are still at an early stage to contribute the share we need.
Nonetheless, many scientists remain optimistic!