Reduce atmospheric carbon dioxide to 350ppm

Don't suffocate the earth. Photo: Stockbyte/ Joe Sohm

THOUGH unchecked warming could end global prosperity, money, if matched by action internationally, can reduce emissions radically over the next half century, contain warming and lead to a post-carbon world. Climate change is a natural phenomenon and an effect of rising global temperature leading to changes in cloud cover and precipitation, especially overland, melting of icecaps and glaciers, reduction of snow cover, increases in ocean temperatures due to sea water absorbing heat, and concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
A combination of carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, hydro-fluorocarbons, per-fluorocarbons and sulfur hexafluoride is called greenhouse gas (GHG).
The reason for increased GHG is human activities. Some facts are given in the followings; Global atmospheric CO2 concentration increased from pre-industrial 280 ppm to 379 ppm in 2005. CO2 emission grew by about 80% between 1970 and 2003; almost all other GHGs also show significant increase in the same time periods. 11 of the last 12 years (1995-2006) rank among the 12 warmest years of surface temperature (since 1850). Global average sea level rose at an average rate of 1.8mm (1.3mm to 2.3mm) per year between 1961 and 2003, and the rate for 1993 to 2003 was 3.1mm (2.4mm to 3.89mm).
Globally, about 20 to 30% of plant and animal species are highly vulnerable to a change of temperature of 1.5°C to 2.5°C. Over the 20th century, precipitation has mostly increased over land in high northern latitudes, while decreases have dominated from 100°S to 300°N. Glaciers and ice caps underwent widespread mass losses and contributed to sea level rise during the 20th century.
A few days ago, I saw an article in India Today, where a group of developed countries was called "dirty twelve." The following figures show the dirty twelve's emissions in tons of carbon dioxide per person per year: US 19.78, Australia 20.58, Japan 9.78, Canada 18.80, France 6.60,Germany 10.40, UK 6.66, Russia 12, Saudi Arab 15.70, Italy 8.05, China 5.84, India 1.16. Carbon dioxide comes from the burning of fossil fuels and also from the production of cement, which is a significant pollution factor in China.
Worldwide emissions rose by 671 million tons from 2007 to 2008. Nearly three-quarters of that increase came from China. The numbers are from the US Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and published in the journal Nature Geoscience. According to the study, the 2008 emissions increase was smaller than normal for this decade. Annual global pollution growth has averaged 3.6 percent. This year, scientists are forecasting a nearly 3 percent reduction, despite China, because of the massive economic slowdown in most of the world and in the United States.
The United States is still the biggest per capita major producer of GHG, spewing out bout 20 tons of carbon dioxide per person per year. The world average is 5.3 tons and China is at 5.8 tons. Last year, the US emissions fell by 3 percent, a reduction of nearly 192 million tons of carbon dioxide.
Overall, European Union emissions dropped by 1 percent. Bangladesh contributes negligibly to the global carbon emission, emitting only one-fifth of one percent of world total in terms of carbon emission. Whatever happens, the most vulnerable countries (MVCs) are going to be the worst sufferers. In fine, we must cut emissions of GHGs, particularly carbon dioxide, globally. Otherwise, we cannot save our future generation.
The Copenhagen accord has shown that the developed countries have not done much for the MVCs, including Bangladesh. In spite of that, we are looking forward to the outcomes of Copenhagen accord reaching COP16 to be held in Mexico on December 2010. Bangladesh will have to demand reduction of carbon dioxide emission to 350ppm for the developed countries in the subsidiary meetings to be held in June in Bonn and the C0P16 to be held in Mexico in December, 2010.

Mohammad Mizanur Rahman is a Botanist and Researcher.
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