Biodiversity & Environment
Non CO2 Pollutants
- 31 May 2022
- 6 min read
For Prelims: Pollution, Global warming, IPCC, COP26, CO2 and Non-CO2 pollutants, Decarbonation
For Mains: Pollution, Global warming, IPCC, COP26, Decarbonisation, Environmental degradation
Why in News?
According to a new study, world needs to target both non-CO2 pollutants and CO2 pollutants to achieve climate targets.
- Global temperatures are likely to exceed 1.5 degrees Celsius over pre-industrial levels by 2035 and 2°C by 2050 if the focus is merely on decarbonisation efforts.
What are Non-CO2 Pollutants?
- About: The Non-CO2 Pollutants include methane, black carbon, hydrofluorocarbons (HFC), tropospheric ozone and nitrous oxide.
- Methane: Methane is a potent greenhouse gas. It contributes to the formation of ozone.
- Black Carbon: Black carbon is a major component of PM2.5 and a potent warming agent in the atmosphere, and contributes to regional environmental disruption and accelerates glacier melting.
- Hydrofluorocarbons (HFC): Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) are greenhouse gases (GHGs) commonly used in refrigeration, air-conditioning (AC), building insulation, fire extinguishing systems, and aerosols.
- Tropospheric ozone is formed by the interaction of sunlight, particularly ultraviolet light, with hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides, which are emitted by automobile tailpipes and smokestacks.
- Nitrous oxide: Nitrous oxide is a greenhouse gas which is 300 times more potent than carbon dioxide (CO2). A major proportion of the N2O emissions came from the agricultural sector.
- Sources: These gases are emitted from a broad range of sectors and sources, namely:
- Methane is mostly emitted from extraction, distribution and combustion of fossil fuel, industrial processes, enteric fermentation, rice cultivation, manure management, other agricultural sources, and the waste sector.
- N2O is mostly emitted from industrial processes, agricultural soils, manure management and wastewater.
- F-gases are mostly emitted from industrial processes.
- Contribution in Global Warming: The share of non-CO2 pollutants contributing to global warming is almost as much as carbon dioxide.
- IPCC WGI reports have shown that the contribution of CO2 and non-CO2 greenhouse gases to global heating was 52-57% and 43-48 %, respectively.
What is the Issue?
- The Working Group III report of the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change (IPCC) deals with mitigating climate change, focuses on CO2 and a few greenhouse gasses, but excludes other non- CO2 pollutants.
- Warming from non- CO2 greenhouse gasses and black carbon soot was close to 80%.
- Without tackling non- CO2 pollutants, these gasses will continue to trap heat and keep the warming above 1.5°C, as there are not many cooling aerosols to mask the warming.
What are the Recent Initiatives to Tackle Non-CO2 pollutants?
- The Glasgow Climate Pact, an agreement signed during the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (CoP26), recognised the need to consider further actions to reduce non-carbon dioxide greenhouse gas emissions, including methane, by 2030.
- Global Methane Pledge: The US and the European Union launched the Global Methane Pledge at the COP26 in Glasgow. More than 100 countries have committed to cut methane emissions by 30% by 2030.
- India has not signed up for the Global Methane Pledge
- Global Methane Pledge: The US and the European Union launched the Global Methane Pledge at the COP26 in Glasgow. More than 100 countries have committed to cut methane emissions by 30% by 2030.
- Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has developed an anti-methanogenic feed supplement ‘Harit Dhara’ (HD), which can cut down cattle methane emissions by 17-20%.
Way Forward
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Uncertainties around measuring non-CO2 pollutants such as methane and aerosols need to be addressed. The knowledge about their sources and mitigation methods needs to become mainstream.
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The study also raises other questions. Speaking of methane alone, there is also the political question of who reduces methane: Coal-consuming and rice-producing countries in the Global South, or oil and gas-consuming countries in the North. A global agreement for this is required.
UPSC Civil Services Examination, Previous Year Question
Q. Which of the following are some important pollutants released by steel industry in India? (2014)
- Oxides of sulphur
- Oxides of nitrogen
- Carbon monoxide
- Carbon dioxide
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
(a) 1, 3 and 4 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 4 only
(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
Ans: (d)
Exp:
- Steel industry creates pollution as it uses coal and Iron ore whose combustion releases various Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAH) compounds and oxides into the air.
- In steel furnace, coke reacts with iron ore, releasing iron and generating major environmental pollutants.
- The pollutants released from steel producing units are:
- Carbon Monoxide (CO), hence, 3 is correct.
- Carbon Dioxide (CO2), hence, 4 is correct.
- Oxides of Sulphur (SOx), hence, 1 is correct.
- Oxides of Nitrogen (NOx), hence, 2 is correct.
- PM 2.5,
- Waste Water,
- Hazardous waste,
- Solid waste.
- However, technological interventions in the form of air filters, water filters and other water saving, power saving and closed container can reduce emissions. Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.