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International initiative seeks to reduce emissions of methane, black carbon, and HFCs
http://cen.acs.org/articles/90/i8/Curbing-Climate-Change.html[font face=Times,Times New Roman,Serif]Volume 90 Issue 8 | February 20, 2012 | p. 8 | News of The Week
[font size=5]Curbing Climate Change[/font]
[font size=4]Environment: International initiative seeks to reduce emissions of methane, black carbon, and HFCs[/font]
By Cheryl Hogue
[font size=3]A global initiative launched last week aims to slash emissions of three short-lived pollutants that contribute to global warming: methane, black carbon, and hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs).
By reducing emissions of these pollutants, the world can significantly reduce the amount of human-caused climate change that is expected by 2050, said U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, who announced the new effort on Feb. 16. These three pollutants stay in the atmosphere for a relatively short time—from days to decades—compared with up to centuries for carbon dioxide, the main greenhouse house produced through human activities.
Controlling these short-lived pollutants has other significant benefits in addition to reducing climate impacts, Clinton stressed. “They also destroy millions of tons of crops every year and wreak havoc on people’s health,” she said. Black carbon is a component of particulate pollution linked to respiratory and cardiovascular problems. Methane contributes to ground-level ozone, which can cause health problems and reduce crop yields.
The international coalition, called Climate & Clean Air Coalition To Reduce Short-Lived Climate Pollutants, includes the U.S., Bangladesh, Canada, Ghana, Mexico, Sweden, and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). It intends to help governments adopt policies that reduce emissions of these pollutants. Efforts to control black carbon include replacing inefficient cooking stoves, adopting emission standards for diesel-fueled vehicles, and ceasing the burning of crop residues. Actions to curb methane emissions include capturing the gas seeping from coal mines and reducing or eliminating the practice of venting or flaring at natural gas or petroleum operations.
…[/font][/font]
[font size=5]Curbing Climate Change[/font]
[font size=4]Environment: International initiative seeks to reduce emissions of methane, black carbon, and HFCs[/font]
By Cheryl Hogue
[font size=3]A global initiative launched last week aims to slash emissions of three short-lived pollutants that contribute to global warming: methane, black carbon, and hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs).
By reducing emissions of these pollutants, the world can significantly reduce the amount of human-caused climate change that is expected by 2050, said U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, who announced the new effort on Feb. 16. These three pollutants stay in the atmosphere for a relatively short time—from days to decades—compared with up to centuries for carbon dioxide, the main greenhouse house produced through human activities.
Controlling these short-lived pollutants has other significant benefits in addition to reducing climate impacts, Clinton stressed. “They also destroy millions of tons of crops every year and wreak havoc on people’s health,” she said. Black carbon is a component of particulate pollution linked to respiratory and cardiovascular problems. Methane contributes to ground-level ozone, which can cause health problems and reduce crop yields.
The international coalition, called Climate & Clean Air Coalition To Reduce Short-Lived Climate Pollutants, includes the U.S., Bangladesh, Canada, Ghana, Mexico, Sweden, and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). It intends to help governments adopt policies that reduce emissions of these pollutants. Efforts to control black carbon include replacing inefficient cooking stoves, adopting emission standards for diesel-fueled vehicles, and ceasing the burning of crop residues. Actions to curb methane emissions include capturing the gas seeping from coal mines and reducing or eliminating the practice of venting or flaring at natural gas or petroleum operations.
…[/font][/font]
http://www.state.gov/secretary/rm/2012/02/184061.htm