One of the drawbacks to the supremacy of fossil fuel use—specifically oil—is the emission of noxious of gases. These gases emerge primarily from combustion, and cause profound carnage to the biosphere of the earth. The effects of these emissions can be widely implicating, but recently the most notoriously accentuating consequence of the emissions is undoubtedly the phenomenon of global warming; gases responsible for this phenomenon are also referred to as green house gasses. Greenhouse gases trap excess heat with their presence in the atmosphere which causes the planetary temperature to rise considerably. There are a plethora of emissions which cause harm to the environment, but there exist four major emissions which contribute the highest: Carbon dioxide, Methane, Nitrous oxides and Fluorinated gases. Percentage wise—in the US in 2015—Carbon dioxide contributed to a colossal 82% of all emissions. Carbon dioxide is the major by-product discharged into the atmosphere as a result of fossil fuel combustion; this unabating compound can reportedly prevail in the atmosphere up to an estimated time of 200 years. With the sheer scale and relentless use of such fossil fuel, and no robust plan to ameliorate the escalation, the conceivably lethal effects of carbon dioxides prevalence make it one of the primary environmental concerns on a global level.
Although gases other than carbon dioxide contribute to the climate change phenomenon as well, since the molecular species vary, it is cumbersome to predict the outcome with correct certitude. Albeit, the effects of other emissions do not trump past the overwhelming implications carbon dioxide emissions. Gas emissions are usually measured in ppm (parts per million). The levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere tend to behave in a transient manner. Historically, the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere had never exceeded 300 ppm; these levels would go down to as less as 160 ppm in certain eras. However, as of 2017, the value was measured to be 410 ppm. The increase in carbon dioxide levels causes an increase in the global temperature; consequently, glaciers are observed to melt at unprecedented rates, which cause destruction of habitats and an increase in sea level. Under current circumstances, the sea level is expected to rise at 3 mm per year for the foreseeable future. Even with these conservative estimates, countries like Bangladesh, Maldives, or the Netherlands,—which are situated close to the sea level—are at risk of inundation. Logically, this discourse should run a panic among people—which is does but just to a limited extent.
The two biggest emission contributors according to the Paris agreement are China and the USA. China’s contribution to global emissions proved to be 23% as of the study in 2015. The economic and population boost, along with the rising living standards in China has compelled the government to exploit its vast coal resources. Over the last decade China, being the largest producer and consumer of coal, has skyrocketed its greenhouse emissions at an unprecedented rate. Although the sheer scale of China’s rising contribution to global emissions is noteworthy, in the Paris Agreement signed in November 2016, the government of China presented an estimated projection of 800-1000 gigawatts of renewable energy generation by 2030. Though the strive for long term sustainability is commendable, short term, China is experiencing severe repercussions of previously unmanaged use of coal with the air quality index rising to 150, which translates to a ‘severely hazardous environment unsuitable for habitation’. The United States has been comparatively more successful in curbing seriously hazardous emissions. With an apparent downfall of emissions from as early as 2010. However, since the recent administration change, The US has presented its unexpected mandate to recoil from the Paris Agreement. Although the notion may sound futile, as per the agreement withdrawing from the forum would take up to four years, the actions shows explicit discordance and mistrust within agreement. Furthermore, The new administration has decided to repeal the methane emissions cut planned by the Bureau of Land Management under the Obama administration. The danger and the irreparable desolation as a result of uncontrolled emissions seems to be non debatable, however as international politics comes into play, the wellbeing of the environment and the battle with emissions seems to becomes immaterial.
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