Transcript Overview and workshop objective - Towson University

Greenhouse Gas Inventory:
overview and workshop objectives
Brian Fath
Department of Biological Sciences,
Towson University
Climate Science in brief
• EM radiation from sun and earth are different
due to temperature differences
• Some gases in the atmosphere respond to the
differences – passing sunshine, absorbing
earthshine
• These gases are increasing in concentration
Inventories can tell us where the gases originate
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
Scientists sound the alarm
•Evidence in the 1960s and '70s that concentrations of carbon dioxide in the
atmosphere were increasing first led climatologists and others to press for action. It took
years before the international community responded.
• In 1988, the IPCC was created by the World Meteorological Organization and the UN
Environment Programme.
• This group issued a first report in 1990 reflecting views of 400 scientists stating that
global warming was real and urged that something be done about it.
• The Panel's findings spurred governments to create the United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change. It was ready for signature at the 1992 UN Conference
on Environment and Development -- the "Earth Summit" -- in Rio de Janeiro.
• IPCC reports played a major role in the negotiations leading to the Kyoto Protocol in
1997 a second, more far-reaching international treaty on climate change.
Greenhouse Gas Emission
Inventory for Ohio
1990
Prepared by:
Craig A. McDonald
Brian D. Fath
Robert Garrick
Ohio Department of Development
Office of Energy Efficiency
77 South High St.
Columbus, Ohio
43266
413,751,931
Tons CO2 equivalent
Total (excl. biomass)
Equivalent Emissions of CO2 for Ohio, 1990
300,000,000
200,000,000
150,000,000
100,000,000
50,000,000
0
Emission Source
Land Use Change
Other Emissions
Landfills
Systems
Natural Gas and Oil
Production Processes
-50,000,000
Fossil Fuel Combustion
Emissions (tons CO2)
Equivalent Carbon Dioxide
250,000,000
• THIRTEEN YEARS AFTER THE UNFCCC at RIO
The Kyoto Protocol entered into force on 16th February 2005 !!
Kyoto signatures and ratifiers
•Lack of U.S. national leadership prompted much local action
U.S. Conference of Mayors Climate Protection Agreement
685 as of 9/28/2007
Maryland
Greenhouse gas inventory
And climate action Plan
http://www.mde.state.md.us/air/climatechange/index.asp
Baltimore County GHG
inventory
PANEL I
Completed inventories/getting started
• Issues in completing the inventory
– how did you handle scope issues?
– data difficulties?
– what would you do differently?
– is this an overestimation/underestimation?
– Institutionalizing the process, etc
PANEL II
Implementing the Knowledge
•
•
•
•
Campus action plans
Mitigation strategies
Meeting ACUPCC goals
Networking with others in the process
Long term Goals
•
•
•
•
•
Reaching climate neutrality/sustainability
Changing campus culture/ curriculum change
Co-op for purchasing green energy
…
Other?