Greenhouse Gas Inventory:overview and workshop objectives

Brian FathDepartment 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

•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.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)

Scientists sound the alarm

Greenhouse Gas EmissionInventory for Ohio

1990

Prepared by:

Craig A. McDonaldBrian D. Fath

Robert Garrick

Ohio Department of DevelopmentOffice of Energy Efficiency

77 South High St.Columbus, Ohio

43266

Equivalent Emissions of CO2 for Ohio, 1990

Emission Source

Foss

il Fu

el C

om

bust

ion

Pro

duct

ion P

roce

sses

Natu

ral G

as

and O

il

Syst

em

s

Landfills

Oth

er

Em

issi

ons

Land U

se C

hange

Emission SourceEmission Source

-50,000,000

0

50,000,000

100,000,000

150,000,000

200,000,000

250,000,000

300,000,000

Eq

uiv

ale

nt

Carb

on

Dio

xid

e

Em

issio

ns (

ton

s C

O2

)

Emission Source

Total (excl. biomass) 413,751,931Tons CO2 equivalent

• THIRTEEN YEARS AFTER THE UNFCCC at RIO

The Kyoto Protocol entered into force on 16th February 2005 !!

•Lack of U.S. national leadership prompted much local action

Kyoto signatures and ratifiers

U.S. Conference of Mayors Climate Protection Agreement

685 as of 9/28/2007

MarylandGreenhouse gas inventoryAnd climate action Plan

http://www.mde.state.md.us/air/climatechange/index.asp

Baltimore County GHG inventory

PANEL ICompleted 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 IIImplementing 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?