Climate Change: The Fuel Behind The Fire

The Earth's climate is changing at an unprecedented rate, and human activities are to blame. The burning of fossil fuels—coal, oil, and gas—is the largest contributor to global climate change, accounting for over 75% of global greenhouse gas emissions. These gases trap the sun's heat in the atmosphere, causing global warming and altering weather patterns. Deforestation, livestock farming, and the use of fertilizers are also significant contributors to climate change, releasing carbon dioxide and methane into the atmosphere. The consequences of these activities are severe and far-reaching, affecting human health, ecosystems, and agriculture. To avoid the most catastrophic climate warming scenarios, a rapid transition to renewable energy sources and a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions are essential.

Fossil fuels

Greenhouse gases, as the name suggests, trap the heat in our atmosphere, causing global warming. The average global temperature has already increased by 1°C since the late 19th century, and the effects of this warming are unprecedented. The consequences of a warming climate are felt across the whole planet. The rising temperatures in the atmosphere, in the ocean, and over land cause many changes in Earth's climate. People, nature, and cultivated lands are all affected.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has found that emissions from fossil fuels are the dominant cause of global warming. In 2018, 89% of global CO2 emissions came from fossil fuels and industry. Coal is the dirtiest of the fossil fuels, responsible for over 0.3°C of the 1°C increase in global average temperatures. Oil releases a huge amount of carbon when burned—approximately a third of the world's total carbon emissions. Natural gas is often promoted as a cleaner energy source than coal and oil, but it is still a fossil fuel and accounts for a fifth of the world's total carbon emissions.

The burning of fossil fuels for electricity and heat generation, as well as in the manufacturing and transportation industries, are significant contributors to global emissions. Most electricity is still generated by burning coal, oil, or gas, which releases carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide. The manufacturing industry, which uses fossil fuels to produce energy for making goods such as cement, iron, steel, electronics, and plastics, is one of the largest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions worldwide.

Transportation is another major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, with most cars, trucks, ships, and planes running on fossil fuels. Road vehicles account for the largest share of emissions in this sector, due to the combustion of petroleum-based products, such as gasoline, in internal combustion engines.

To slow down the rate of global warming, it is essential to wind down the production and mass use of fossil fuels. Transitioning to renewable energy sources is crucial, but it will take time. In the short term, the climate warming impact of fossil fuels can be significantly reduced by eliminating methane emissions during the extraction and processing of fossil fuels. The fossil fuel sector is the second-largest emitter of methane, which has a much more powerful impact on warming than carbon dioxide. Reducing methane emissions from this sector is the easiest way to reduce human-sourced methane emissions and can have a substantial impact on slowing down global warming.

Deforestation

Trees absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere as they grow and convert it into carbon, which is stored in their branches, leaves, trunks, roots, and the surrounding soil. When forests are cleared, burnt, or degraded, this stored carbon is released. The scale of this carbon release is enormous. In 2023, the global loss of tropical forests totalled 3.7 million hectares, resulting in approximately six per cent of global carbon dioxide emissions for that year. This is equivalent to around ten soccer fields of forest lost every minute.

The Amazon rainforest, one of the most biodiverse ecosystems on the planet, is under threat from deforestation. The southeastern part of the Amazon is now considered a net carbon source, emitting more carbon than it captures due to deforestation and degradation. The primary driver of deforestation is the global demand for agricultural commodities, with agribusinesses clearing forests for cash crops like palm oil and soy, as well as cattle ranching.

The loss of forests has devastating consequences for wildlife and the billions of people who depend on them for food, water, and other essentials. Deforestation also exacerbates climate change by reducing the Earth's capacity to absorb carbon dioxide. Protecting and restoring forests is crucial for mitigating climate change and preserving biodiversity.

To address deforestation, policies such as REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation) have been developed to provide financial incentives for governments, communities, and landowners to maintain and restore forest cover. However, more needs to be done to protect forests and halt deforestation, as current efforts are not sufficient to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement on climate change.

Livestock farming

Carbon dioxide (CO2) is the "main" greenhouse gas, making up about 80% of all greenhouse gas emissions. While CO2 occurs naturally in the atmosphere, the burning of fossil fuels and other human activities, such as deforestation, release additional CO2, throwing off the natural carbon cycle and increasing global temperatures. CO2 can remain in the atmosphere for hundreds of years.

Methane (CH4) emissions are also a significant byproduct of livestock farming. While it only accounts for 11% of global greenhouse emissions and disappears after 12 years, it is much more effective at trapping heat in the atmosphere. Over a 100-year period, one pound of CH4 has 28 times the global warming potential of one pound of CO2. Livestock, such as cows, sheep, and goats, have microbes in their digestive systems that decompose and ferment the food they eat, releasing methane as a byproduct. This methane is released into the atmosphere when the animals burp or pass gas, and it is also present in their urine and manure.

Greenhouse gases

Carbon dioxide (CO2) is the largest contributor to global warming, and its concentration in the atmosphere has been rising. By 2020, the concentration of CO2 had risen to 48% above its pre-industrial level (before 1750). The burning of fossil fuels releases large amounts of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, into the air. In 2023, carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels reached record levels, with total fossil fuel emissions reaching 36.8 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide. The rise in heat-trapping carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases is the primary reason for the planet's soaring temperatures.

Methane is another powerful greenhouse gas. It has a shorter atmospheric lifetime than carbon dioxide but is up to 86 times more potent in terms of its warming effect. The fossil fuel sector is the second-largest emitter of methane, after agriculture. Methane emissions in the fossil fuel sector occur during the extraction, processing, and transportation of natural gas, coal, and oil. Reducing methane emissions from the fossil fuel sector is crucial as it is the easiest way to reduce human-sourced methane emissions. Capturing lost methane has net-negative costs and can help avoid additional warming, prevent premature deaths, and improve human health, ecosystems, and agriculture.

Nitrous oxide is also a long-lived greenhouse gas that accumulates in the atmosphere over decades to centuries. It is emitted during the burning of fossil fuels and through the use of fertilisers containing nitrogen. Fluorinated gases are another source of greenhouse gas emissions, emitted from equipment and products that use these gases. These emissions have a very strong warming effect, up to 23,000 times greater than carbon dioxide.

Carbon emissions

Greenhouse gases, as the name suggests, trap the heat in our atmosphere, causing global warming. The average global temperature has already increased by 1°C since the late 19th century, and the effects of this warming are becoming more pronounced. The consequences of this warming are felt across the entire planet, with rising temperatures in the atmosphere, oceans, and over land, causing more frequent and severe weather events, such as heatwaves, heavy rains, and droughts.

Carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels rose again in 2023, reaching record levels, according to estimates from scientists. The continued rise in emissions is impeding progress towards limiting global warming. The concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has increased from approximately 278 parts per million in 1750 to 420 parts per million in 2023. This rise in heat-trapping gases is the primary reason for the planet's soaring temperatures. The global surface temperature in 2023 was 1.2°C warmer than the average for NASA's baseline period of 1951-1980, making it the hottest year on record.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has found that emissions from fossil fuels are the dominant cause of global warming. In 2018, 89% of global CO2 emissions came from fossil fuels and industry. Coal is the largest contributor to the increase in global temperatures, responsible for over 0.3°C of the 1°C rise. Oil also releases a significant amount of carbon when burned, contributing approximately a third of the world's total carbon emissions. Natural gas, while promoted as a cleaner energy source, still accounts for a fifth of the world's total carbon emissions.

To slow down the rate of global warming, it is essential to wind down the production and mass use of fossil fuels. Transitioning to renewable energy sources is crucial, but it will take time. In the short term, the climate warming impact of fossil fuels can be significantly reduced by eliminating methane emissions during the extraction and processing of fossil fuels.

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