Articles tagged with Carbon Emissions
The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the decline of coal power generation by reducing electricity demand and increasing costs. Global CO2 emissions from the power sector decreased significantly in 2020 and are likely to remain low due to ongoing investments in renewable energy.
A new study suggests that increasing CO2 levels in oceans may slow tropical fish's expansion into cooler, temperate waters. The research found that elevated CO2 reduced sea urchin numbers, leading to a decrease in urchin barrens and an increase in turf algal cover.
Researchers found bioplastics' carbon footprint is larger than estimated, with Thailand being an exception. The study suggests careful assessment of bio-based production to understand potential sustainability risks.
Research led by NCAR found that COVID-19 lockdowns caused a slight warming effect on the planet, with temperatures rising by 0.2-0.5 degrees Fahrenheit in some regions. The study highlights the complex influence of aerosol emissions on climate, which can either cool or warm the planet depending on the type and amount.
A new study by CMCC Foundation investigates sustainable land management options to reduce GHG emissions from livestock, which contribute to 60% of agricultural emissions in Europe. The approach aims to enhance carbon sink function in soils and biomass through targeted land-use strategies.
A new study from the University of Michigan estimates virtual conference CO2 emissions using a framework that includes energy usage, network data transfer, and server energy consumption. The study found that a May 2020 virtual conference produced 66 times less greenhouse gas emissions than an in-person meeting in San Francisco.
The study reveals that methane emissions from human activities, particularly oil and gas sectors, coal mining, and ruminant farming, have led to its long-term growth. The findings highlight the need for targeted emission reduction strategies in these key sectors to mitigate climate change.
Global land-use greenhouse gas emissions from 1961 to 2017 have increased, jeopardizing the Paris climate agreement's goals. Poorer countries in Latin America, Southeast Asia, and sub-Saharan Africa experienced the most pronounced surge in these emissions.
Reducing short-lived climate-forcing pollutants (SLCPs) can mitigate climate change, human health issues, and food insecurity by slowing down near-term climate warming and improving crop yields.
The report reveals growing risk factors including permafrost emissions, weakening carbon uptake, and climate change impacts on freshwater and mental health. It also highlights the untapped potential of green COVID-19 recovery packages and the need for a new social contract to cope with transboundary risks.
Researchers found that commercial flights between New York and London last winter could have used up to 16% less fuel by harnessing favorable winds. The study, published in Environmental Research Letters, analyzed 35,000 flights and suggests that simple tweaks to flight paths can offer benefits immediately.
Researchers at MIT have developed a method to significantly boost the performance of systems capturing and converting carbon dioxide from power plant emissions. By concentrating carbon dioxide next to the catalyst surface, the system nearly doubles the reaction rate and produces valuable products like fuels and chemical feedstocks.
A new carbon budget framework has been developed by researchers led by Damon Matthews, providing a more comprehensive method of calculating the remaining carbon budget. The framework estimates that between 230 and 440 billion tonnes of CO2 can be emitted before meeting the Paris Agreement target of limiting global warming to 1.5°C.
Researchers from the University of Tsukuba found that ocean acidification limits algal community diversity and complexity. The study reveals that elevated CO2 levels in oceans harm marine ecosystems, threatening habitats like kelp forests.
A new study by Purdue University and Yale University found that leaving cameras off during virtual meetings can reduce carbon emissions, water usage, and land footprint by significant amounts. The researchers estimated that reducing video quality or streaming in standard definition can bring an additional 86% reduction.
The SolarEV City concept integrates roof-top PVs with electric vehicles to supply affordable CO2-free electricity, reducing emissions by 54-95% in nine Japanese urban areas. Implementations can meet 53-95% of electricity demands by 2030, with potential cost savings of 26-41%.
New research from the University of California San Diego explores the potential of direct air capture to remove CO2 from the atmosphere and slow global warming. The study finds that a massively funded program could reverse temperature rise well before 2100, but deep cuts in emissions are still needed.
A recent study by Arizona State University analyzed large-scale land acquisitions and their impact on climate change. The research found that implementing environmental regulations can significantly reduce carbon emissions, but this comes at the cost of reducing the amount of land available for agricultural development.
Christian A. Davies, Ph.D., has been awarded the 2021 Edith and Peter O'Donnell Award in Technology Innovation from TAMEST for his development of alternative carbon management technologies that reduce emissions. His work focuses on combining DNA sequencing techniques with net carbon flux to analyze microbes in soil.
The ETH researchers conclude that continuing to power aircraft with fossil fuels and removing CO2 emissions using Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) is a cost-effective option for achieving carbon neutrality. Indirectly capturing CO2 from waste incineration gases also shows promise, costing significantly less than direct air capture.
The CriticalEarth programme aims to develop climate scientists skilled in advanced mathematical theories and the physics of Earth systems. The project addresses two key challenges: abrupt climate shifts and uncertainty in temperature rise predictions.
A new study found that subscriptions to satellite alerts from Global Forest Watch resulted in a 18% decrease in deforestation in African countries. The carbon emissions avoided were worth between $149 million and $696 million, highlighting the potential of automated alerts in reducing forest loss.
A study by RUDN University scientists found that global warming increases methane and CO2 emissions in rice paddies through the priming effect. Temperature fluctuations amplify this process, with increased sensitivity at temperatures between 5-15°C.
A new TanSat XCO2 global product has been introduced to support estimation of anthropogenic CO2 emissions in cities. The updated dataset shows improved accuracy, reducing the dispersion between retrieval methods to 1.28 ppmv, with a -0.35 ppmv overall bias.
Researchers estimate that subsea permafrost currently traps 60 billion tons of methane and 560 billion tons of organic carbon. The region releases approximately 140 million tons of CO2 and 5.3 million tons of CH4 to the atmosphere each year.
Global greenhouse gas emissions could drop by 6.6 gigatons of carbon due to COVID-19 lockdowns, but recovery funding could offset gains if spent on polluting sectors. Stimulus packages targeting innovation and renewable energy can help achieve Paris Climate Agreement goals.
Bhattacharyya plans to use advanced mathematical models to inch the country closer to net zero emissions. He realizes it's a tall order, as large-scale, efficient carbon capture has seemingly been entrenched in decades of testing and development.
A recent CMCC study analyzed 2018's Ro-Pax CO2 data from EU-MRV, revealing clustering in vessel populations and key factors contributing to high emissions. The study found variability spanning five orders of magnitude due to ferry size, propulsion features, age, and other characteristics.
Researchers at KIT have developed new production technology to manufacture fuel cells for heavy goods vehicles, which can reduce CO2 emissions by up to 30% by 2030. The technology aims to accelerate production and reduce costs, making fuel cell energy a viable option for commercial vehicles.
Developing nations can keep global warming to 0.3 degrees Celsius with careful planning, according to a new study. Prioritizing fossil fuel-burning infrastructure for economic development risks long-term dependence on fossil fuels.
A new study explores the climate consequences of developing countries reaching a specific per-capita GDP level before reducing carbon emissions. The research suggests that delaying decarbonization in these countries would result in less than 0.3°C of additional warming and only a 6% increase in total cumulative CO2 emissions by 2100.
Dr Peter Garraghan aims to unshackle ICT systems from growing energy demand with a new approach to sustainability. He will develop a system that can dynamically reconfigure its components to operate within limited renewable energy targets.
Red Sea mangroves have been found to be capable of removing more carbon from the atmosphere through the dissolution of calcium carbonate. The study highlights the importance of considering calcium carbonate dissolution in mangrove ecosystems as a significant carbon storage mechanism.
A new study reveals that excess CO2's ability to enhance plant growth worldwide is decreasing due to limited water and nutrient availability. This decrease has significant climate implications, as forests' capacity to sequester carbon dioxide is being saturated.
Researchers found no slowing of ocean acidification due to COVID-19 emissions reductions, despite a 9% drop in greenhouse gas emissions. However, the study yields important insights on how to track changes in ocean carbon and puts emissions reductions into perspective as short-term gains.
Global COVID-19 lockdowns resulted in a significant decrease in fossil carbon dioxide emissions, with transport emissions accounting for the largest share of the decline. The estimated drop of 2.4 billion tonnes is a record low, with fossil CO2 emissions predicted to be approximately 34 GtCO2, 7% lower than in 2019.
The COVID-19 lockdown led to a significant decrease in fossil carbon dioxide emissions, with a record drop of 2.4 billion tonnes in 2020. Emissions from transport accounted for the largest share of the decline, with surface transport falling by approximately half.
A new study published in Nature suggests that differentiated CO2 prices combined with moderate financial transfers between advanced and developing countries can efficiently achieve fair burden sharing while keeping overall costs in check. This approach mediates the trade-off between national sovereignty and economic efficiency.
A new study from the University of Leeds finds that rapid and deep emissions cuts can significantly slow down global warming over the next twenty years. Reducing emissions in line with the Paris Agreement aims to limit temperature rises and prevent unprecedented near-term warming rates.
A new study by Portland State University finds that mass incarceration is significantly associated with increases in industrial emissions. The construction and maintenance of prisons, as well as the production of goods and materials used inside prisons, contribute to these emissions.
Research by Brazilian scientists reveals that as trees grow faster, their lives get shorter, offsetting carbon storage. This trade-off impacts forest carbon uptake and highlights the need for more effective climate change mitigation strategies.
A transition to hydrogen-powered mobility in Germany's heavy duty vehicle segment could achieve a deep reduction in emissions, with potential of -57 MtCO2eq annually. Green hydrogen offers competitive advantages over battery electric vehicles, particularly for heavy loads and longer driving ranges.
New research from CU Boulder finds that worst-case emissions projections used by the IPCC are not reflecting the slowing rate of growth in the global economy. This suggests that these high-emissions scenarios have already diverged from reality and may continue to do so over the coming decades.
New observational study shows that certain Amazon rainforest regions increase photosynthesis in response to limited water stress, contradicting Earth system models. This discovery suggests the current models overestimate carbon losses in the Amazon rainforest due to climate change.
A new report reveals that using materials more efficiently can reduce GHG emissions from residential buildings and passenger vehicles by an average of 40% in seven major developed countries and 70% in China and India. Strategies include ride-sharing, building smaller homes, and recycling materials.
Researchers at Arizona State University found that urban parks experience a significant increase in evaporative losses during the night due to the oasis effect, leading to higher carbon dioxide emissions. This can have important implications for water conservation and greenhouse gas emission management in desert cities like Phoenix.
The EU's climate-neutral goal may be undermined by high imports of agricultural products from countries with lax environmental standards. The study recommends harmonizing sustainability standards and reducing fertilizer and pesticide use to achieve global sustainability.
A recent study from the University of California, Berkeley, reveals a dramatic 25% drop in regional carbon dioxide emissions after the San Francisco Bay Area implemented its first shelter-in-place mandate. The network of carbon dioxide sensors monitored by UC Berkeley scientists effectively tracked progress toward reduced emissions.
Researchers analyzed sediment cores to find iron-containing dust promoted CO2 sequestration and glacial cooling in the South Pacific during the last Ice Age. The dust, mainly from north-west Argentina, traveled up to 20,000km and reduced atmospheric CO2 by up to 40ppm.
Researchers from NIES and JAMSTEC detected a 20% decrease in FFCO2 emissions in China during January-February 2020 due to the COVID-19 outbreak. The study used atmospheric observations at Hateruma Island, Japan, to quantify the changes in regional FFCO2 emissions.
Agricultural emissions alone could exceed the 1.5°C limit by 2050 if left unchecked, according to Tilman. Reducing food production emissions is crucial to keeping the planet livable in its current state, with strategies including more plant-rich diets and easing fertilizer use.
The University of Texas at El Paso has received a $1.18 million grant from the National Science Foundation to study abiotic carbon dioxide (CO2) dynamics in dryland systems through irrigated pecan orchards. The project aims to understand the conditions that enhance CO2 production and develop methods to model and predict its impact.
Researchers recommend using past climates to evaluate and fine-tune climate models, as they often perform better with historic climates but struggle with ancient climates. This could help narrow uncertainties surrounding future temperature, ice sheet, and water cycle changes.
The global food system accounts for nearly a third of total greenhouse gas emissions, with land clearing and deforestation, fertilizer use, and fossil fuel combustion major contributors. Reducing food system-related emissions is crucial to meeting the 1.5°C warming target
Researchers have developed a novel method to convert carbon dioxide to carbon monoxide at room temperature using localized surface plasmons. This process eliminates the need for high heat, reducing energy requirements and costs in industrial production.
New research suggests that a 2°C warming would release 230 billion tonnes of carbon from the world's soil, more than four times China's total emissions over 100 years. This 'positive feedback' effect contributes to further climate change.
A team of researchers used specially-adapted drones to collect gas samples from Manam volcano in Papua New Guinea, enabling local communities to better predict future eruptions. The project also improved scientists' understanding of the Earth's carbon cycle and its contribution to sustaining life on Earth.
Researchers have developed a new drone technology that combines measurements from the air, earth and space to better understand highly active volcanoes. This allows for more accurate forecasting of future eruptions and provides insights into the global carbon cycle.
A recent study found that leaving more big fish in the sea reduces CO2 emissions by sequestering carbon. Large fish like tuna and sharks contain significant amounts of carbon, which is released into the atmosphere when they are caught.
An international team of researchers estimated China's carbon mitigation efforts, revealing the country reabsorbs 45% of its annual human-made CO2 emissions through forest growth. The study used newly available data and independent satellite measurements to corroborate findings.