Articles tagged with Carbon Emissions
A new study finds that the US, EU, and China's pledges to reduce emissions leave little room for other nations, requiring them to adopt drastic reductions. The researchers argue that even if the top emitters fulfill their pledges, global temperatures will rise by around 3C, posing a significant threat to the planet.
A new study suggests that carbon sequestration in European cropland could store between 9-38 megatons of CO2 per year, but its effectiveness is limited due to potential emissions leakage. The research highlights the need for additional mitigation efforts to achieve global climate goals
A new study projects more extreme weather in the Amazon, with frequent and extensive droughts expected to impact forest structure, biomass, and carbon emissions. The region will experience profound implications for the environment, including increased greenhouse gas emissions.
A new framework reveals how panda conservation efforts in China impact cities worldwide, including economic impacts and greenhouse gas emissions. The study also explores the effects of tourism and conservation on local ecosystems.
Researchers at Aarhus University are working with international partners to find ways to convert CO2 into valuable materials. The goal is to make CO2 a sustainable resource, potentially even using it as a raw material for future manned missions to Mars.
Researchers link Chinese-made goods to higher CO2 emissions due to antiquated manufacturing processes and coal reliance. Developed countries can alleviate carbon pollution by improving manufacturing in China's most polluting regions.
Researchers found significant environmental and public-health benefits from co-firing oat hulls with coal, including 90% reduction in filterable particulate matter. Burning oat hulls also reduced hazardous air pollutants by 41% and heavy metals by 51%.
Researchers find that using liquid natural gas (LNG) in marine vessels can reduce local air pollution, but its impact on greenhouse gases depends on the fuel supply infrastructure. The study suggests that LNG may be a viable alternative to traditional fuels for shipping companies looking to comply with new regulations.
A new study finds that reducing short-lived pollutants like methane and aerosols can substantially improve air quality while also mitigating climate change. The measures, which target the oil and gas industry, could lower global temperatures by up to 0.22°C by 2050 and reduce life expectancy losses due to air pollution.
A new study finds that many forests cannot absorb as much carbon dioxide as projected because of a shortage in vital nutrient nitrogen. This limits the ability of plants to fix carbon, leading to higher net carbon emissions.
A new Harvard study finds that the supply of wind and solar power could be increased tenfold without additional storage, making gas turbines cost-effective carbon mitigation candidates. Low capital cost and good emissions performance also make them a viable alternative to intermittent renewables.
The study predicts that increased greenhouse gas emissions from thawing permafrost will result in significant economic losses. Researchers estimate that the total predicted impact of climate change by 2200 could be as high as $369 trillion, with $43 trillion in additional damage expected by end of century.
The special issue marks the 10th year anniversary of IPCC SRCCS and outlines significant progress made in CO2 Capture and Storage (CCS) in the last decade. The reviews suggest that CCS is now a mature technology, ready for large-scale deployment to combat climate change.
Protected areas in Indonesia have preserved 14,000 hectares of mangrove habitat between 2000 and 2010, avoiding 28% of total mangrove loss. This conservation effort has reduced carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 13 million metric tons annually.
A new study reveals countries with higher per-capita CO2 emissions, like the US and Russia, have accumulated large carbon debts. India is the largest creditor, while Brazil and Indonesia switch from being creditors to debtors due to deforestation and agriculture.
A new policy article suggests that opening up access to power grids, ending fossil-fuel subsidies, and supporting renewable energy technologies can make wind and solar power cheaper. The authors argue that modernizing power grids and ensuring policies related to renewable energy are crucial for reducing emissions.
The world's boreal forests are under pressure from global warming, with rising temperatures and changing conditions threatening their resilience and productivity. The forests play a crucial role in the Earth's climate system, but may switch from being carbon sinks to sources of greenhouse gas emissions if not managed adaptively.
New research has substantially reduced China's estimated carbon emissions from the past decade, suggesting that international agencies had overestimated its cumulative emissions by as much as 2.9 gigatons. The revised estimates were made possible by a more accurate understanding of fuel quality and emission factors.
A team of scientists has quantified the carbon dioxide emitted by US rivers and streams, finding that in-stream respiration may be a larger source than previously thought. The study's findings are crucial for predicting how changes in land use and climate will impact global greenhouse gas emissions.
Researchers found that smaller streams carry CO2 produced by plants on land, while larger streams emit more CO2 through respiration and natural decay. The study sheds light on the role of freshwater rivers in the global carbon cycle.
GCEP has awarded funding to six new projects, including a device that harnesses nighttime radiation and a charcoal-like soil amendment that removes carbon dioxide from the air. These promising technologies have the potential to transform our global energy system in the future, with the aim of reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Research by Umeå University reveals that streams and rivers release notable amounts of carbon dioxide from organisms' respiratory processes. This finding highlights the importance of understanding these mechanisms in predicting the impact of climate change on greenhouse gas concentrations.
A new UK study predicts that severe droughts could lead to the extinction of six butterfly species by 2050, highlighting the urgent need for climate action. However, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and restoring habitats can greatly improve the chances of drought-sensitive butterflies surviving until at least 2100.
Researchers used natural CO2 underwater seeps to study ecosystems in high-CO2 levels and adjacent ecosystems with present-day levels of CO2. The study found that acidification affects fish behavior, but some species thrive in acidified waters, while others decline or shift habitats.
A new study found that Arctic rivers, such as the Mackenzie River, are responsible for burying large amounts of organic carbon from thawing permafrost at sea. This process locks away carbon dioxide and helps stabilize the earth's CO2 levels over time, providing a potential natural sink for excess greenhouse gas emissions.
CU-Boulder researchers have developed a novel wastewater treatment process called Microbial Electrolytic Carbon Capture (MECC) that captures greenhouse gases and produces renewable energy. The process uses electrochemical reactions to absorb CO2 from wastewater, producing stable mineral carbonates and bicarbonates.
A new study warns that continued carbon dioxide emission trends would leave a lasting impact on the deep ocean, with acidification and warming posing significant threats to marine life. Removing CO2 from the atmosphere through Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) strategies may not be effective in reversing these effects.
A new study shows that carbon dioxide removal from the atmosphere will not compensate for soaring emissions, even if atmospheric CO2 concentration is restored to pre-industrial levels. This would lead to ocean acidification and threatening marine life forms.
A novel process configuration produces clean middle-distillate fuels from coal with minimal emissions, suitable for jet or diesel engines. The process extracts coals with light cycle oil, separates solids, hydrotreats liquids to remove sulfur and aromatic compounds.
A new study from the University of East Anglia recommends that China prioritize non-coal fuels like nuclear power and natural gas to improve electricity supply security while reducing carbon emissions. The country's largest coal importer, China needs to reduce its dependence on coal to achieve long-term energy security.
A new study found that climate models significantly disagree on the amount of atmospheric carbon dioxide sequestered in Northern Eurasian tundra and boreal ecosystems. The region's land carbon sink has been strengthening in recent decades, but some models now show signs of weakening.
A new study finds that economic factors, including consumption and production changes, account for the majority of the decline in US carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels. The analysis used Structural Decomposition Analysis to tease apart the various contributions of six different factors related to energy use and CO2 emissions.
A study by the University of California Irvine found that economic downturns, rather than increased natural gas use, were responsible for a 11% decrease in climate-changing carbon dioxide emissions in the US. This shift was driven by changes in consumer demand and industrial output.
The increasing levels of fossil fuel emissions could dilute radioactive carbon-14 in the atmosphere, artificially raising its age. This could impact various applications of radiocarbon dating, including archaeology, art authentication, and neurological research, potentially affecting results by the 2020s.
Researchers found that strategic practices can reduce California almond production's carbon footprint, utilizing co-products for renewable power generation. Ideal circumstances could make California almonds carbon-neutral or even carbon-negative through improved orchard biomass utilization.
A study suggests that massive changes in the oceans' future could lead to a fundamentally different type of production regime. Rising CO2 emissions could result in a shift from phytoplankton-driven primary production to heterotrophy, leading to changes in nutrient cycling and carbon sequestration.
Tradable Energy Quotas (TEQs) are a policy framework that addresses the bind between climate science and political reality. By implementing a quantity-based energy quota system, TEQs offers an equitable and expeditious way to bridge the gulf between climate ambition and public support.
A new report by CMC Research Institutes suggests that Canada can reduce carbon emissions by 2050 while maintaining economic prosperity. The 'deep decarbonization pathway' would require stronger policies, regulations, and technology innovation to compete globally in a low-carbon world.
A new IIASA study examines the effect of reducing short-lived air pollutant and greenhouse gas emissions on carbon budgets compatible with the 2°C climate target. The researchers found that stringent reductions in methane emissions could increase the size of the carbon budget by up to 20%.
Researchers at University College London have investigated positronium's behavior in collisions with hydrogen, argon, helium, and carbon dioxide gases. They found a strong preference for positronium to be emitted in the forward direction, particularly when positrons hit the gas at high speed.
A new study by the University of Minnesota and Union of Concerned Scientists found that tropical peatland carbon losses from oil palm plantations may be significantly higher than previously estimated, with actual rates nearly twice as high as official estimates. This suggests improved strategies for measuring greenhouse gas emissions i...
Scientists have discovered that nanoscale forces are responsible for stopping a puddle from spreading, resolving a paradox in fluid flow. This finding has significant implications for various processes, including lubrication of gears and sequestration of carbon dioxide emissions.
New findings suggest that some natural gas wells, compressor stations, and processing plants in the Barnett Shale leak far more methane than previously estimated, with some sites emitting up to 47.8% of their produced gas. Human error and lack of maintenance are identified as primary causes of these emissions.
A new study published in Nature Climate Change found analyses of carbon emissions may be misleading as they failed to include policy mechanisms. Contrary to previous findings, conserving native forests resulted in better climate outcomes than sustainable harvesting due to policy effects.
The Democratic Republic of Congo's forests are under threat from lax conservation efforts, with up to 20% loss predicted and a 60% increase in carbon emissions expected. A new study suggests that greater protection measures, including protected areas and land use zoning, could reduce deforestation by more than half.
A new report by The Lancet suggests that climate change could wipe out health progress over the past 50 years, but effective climate action may improve global health. The report highlights positive co-benefits of reducing emissions, such as lower incidence of respiratory diseases and obesity.
A Michigan State University study found that environmental activism can mitigate the negative impacts of population growth and economic affluence on greenhouse gas emissions. The research, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, showed that states with strong green voices tend to have lower emissions.
A new calculation method developed by a UCL-led team of scientists can accurately predict how much radiation carbon dioxide absorbs, reducing uncertainties in climate change modeling and enabling more accurate predictions about Earth's warming over the next few decades. The improved accuracy will enable missions to achieve their goals.
A new study found that cutting greenhouse gas emissions may increase hunger risks due to indirect effects on food production and biofuel consumption. The researchers conclude that governments must address climate change while providing measures to alleviate hunger.
A study by Carnegie's Xiaochun Zhang and Ken Caldeira found that the carbon dioxide-caused warming exceeds the amount of heat released by a lump of coal in just 34 days. Continuous power plant burning also triggers similar effects, with CO2 accumulation surpassing combustion emissions within three months.
A new study reveals that soil erosion during rainy seasons contributes substantially to global carbon emissions. Organic carbon losses from soils account for approximately one-sixth of annual fossil fuel-induced carbon emissions, with the highest rates found in semi-arid soils.
To limit climate change to 1.5°C, accelerated energy efficiency gains and CO2 removal are crucial, with a tight constraint on future carbon emissions required, and global carbon neutrality needed 10-20 years earlier than projected for a 2°C target
A new paper published in Biogeosciences confirms that the Earth's capacity to absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere has increased with rising carbon emissions. This is a positive development, as it suggests that without this increased absorption, CO2 levels would be twice what they are today.
A new study published in Nature Climate Change shows that growing biofuel crops can have a significant impact on climate depending on the location and crop type. The study found that the most important factor influencing the direct climate impact of biofuels is location, accounting for 90% of the variation in greenhouse gas emissions.
The study analyzes three options for power plant carbon standards and finds that stronger standards can prevent an estimated 3,500 premature deaths annually. States with the greatest dependence on coal-fired electricity are expected to see the largest health gains.
A new study led by the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine found that making realistic changes to UK diets could have substantial benefits for both health and the environment. The modified diet would contain fewer animal products, more fruit and vegetables, and less savoury snacks.
Despite plateauing emissions, China still faces energy challenges to sustain control over its carbon footprint. The country's transition towards renewable energy and service-oriented economy are key factors in achieving emission-cutting goals.
Recent research showed that replacing chemical fertilizer with organic manure significantly decreased greenhouse gas emissions. Organic farming improved crop yields while reversing the agriculture ecosystem's role as a carbon source, becoming a carbon sink.
Research reveals that selectively-logged tropical forests, which account for 30% of global rainforests, contain up to 64% dead wood, leading to increased carbon emissions. This study suggests that a large proportion of forests worldwide are less sinks and more sources of carbon dioxide.
Chemists have designed four new atomic arrangements of gold nanoparticle clusters, exhibiting lower potential energy and greater stability than previous configurations. The arrangements could inform the use of these nanoparticles in transporting pharmaceutical drugs and removing pollutants from industrial byproducts.