A presentation by Janathakshan on GHG, its impact, climate change and global warming, carbon footprint and global situation and the importance of measuring it.

1. Lakshitha Chathuranga
Janathakshan

2. Carbon Cycle

3. What are Green House Gases
• Any gas which retains heat from solar energy
falling on earth is called a green house gas
(GHG).
• There are 3 naturally occurring gases
– Carbon Dioxide, CO2
– Methane, CH4
– Nitrous oxide, N2O
• There are many man made gases
• Key gases are
– Perflorocarbon (PFC),
– Sulphur Hexafloride (SF6),
– Hydroflorocarbon (HFC)
and many within their families

4. Green House Gases(good or bad)
• GHGs are essential for our survival on
earth.
• Absorbs solar heat reflected by the earth
and maintain global average temperature
• In excess they absorb more heat and the
temperature of the atmosphere will go up.
• We call this Global Warming
• As a result the climate in the earth affected
which we call climate change

5. What are the anthropogenic activities
• All production and consumption activities
by humans
• More specifically release of a group of
gases to the atmosphere through these
activities
• These gases are released by live stock
farming, burning of fossil fuels, generation
of bio degradable wastes, Land use change,
emission of refrigerants from cooling
systems
• They are called Green House gases

6. Increase in GHGs
• CO2 increased by 40% from 278 ppm
about 1750 to 390.5 ppm in 2011.
• During the same time interval, CH4
increased by 150% from 722 ppb to 1803
ppb,
• N2O by 20% from 271 ppb to 324.2 ppb in
2011

7. Global Warming
• Accumulated heat in the atmosphere
through increasing quantity of green house
gases increases the temperature of the
entire earth.
• This phenomena is called global warming

8. Climate Change
• What it is?
• Changes to climate in unexpected terms
or alteration of normal behavior of
climate
• Why?
– Changes in Solar energy incidence due to
abnormal activities on the surface of the
sun
– Cosmic disturbances through other starts
and planets
– Anthropogenic activities

9. 2007 Conclusions
• Very high confidence that global average net
effect of human activities since 1750 one of
warming
• Human-caused warming over last 30 years has
likely had a visible influence on many physical
and biological systems
• Continued GHG emissions at or above current
rates would cause further warming and induce
many changes in the global climate system
during the 21st century that would very likely
be larger than those observed during the 20th
century.”

10. Global mean temperatures are rising faster with time
150 0.0450.012
100 0.0740.018
50 0.1280.026
25 0.1770.052
Warmest 12 years:
1998,2005,2003,2002,2004,2006,
2001,1997,1995,1999,1990,2000
Period Rate
Years /decade

11. Computer models

12. What is Global Warming Potential
• All these gases are not equal in their heat
absorption
• 1 kg of CO2 absorbs 1 heat unit,
• 1kg of CH4 absorbs 28 heat units,
• 1 kg of N2Oabsorbs 278 units of heat,
• 1 kg of refrigerant absorbs 2300 units of
heat
• This particular property is called Global
Warming Potential
( Basis for GWP is 100 years)

13. Measurement of GHG emissions
• Globally GHG measurements are referred to as carbon dioxide
emissions or simply carbon emissions.
• For example if a household emits 1000kg of CO2 ,60 kgs of
CH4and 4 kgs of N2O we can convert all of them as follow,
• 1000 kgs of CO2
• 12kgs of methane =60 x 28 = 1,680 CO2e
• 4kgs of Nitrous oxide =4 x 278 = 1,112 CO2e
• The total emissions of 1000kg of CO2 + 60kgs of CH4 + 4 kgs of
N2O can be equated to
1000 + 1,680 + 1,112 = 3792 kgs of CO2e
Therefore we express carbon emissions as CO2equivalent or CO2e
• The emissions of GHG by an enterprise, household, product or a
person is now referred to as “Carbon Footprint”

14. Global Situation
• In 2010 the all the countries emitted
35,669 Million Tons of GHGs measured as
carbon equivalent
• China is the leading emitter while US is
the 2nd.
• The next slide shows the distribution of
carbon emissions by each country

16. Carbon Footprint
• Carbon Footprint of an organization is
the total GHG emissions by that during
one full year.
• Carbon Footprint of a household or a
person is also defined the same way
• Carbon footprint of a product is the total
GHG emissions by that product from
extraction of materials to final disposal

17. What is carbon footprint
• "the total sets of greenhouse gas emissions
caused by an organization, event, product or
person.“
• A measure of the total amount of carbon
dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) emissions of a
defined population, system or activity,
considering all relevant sources, sinks and
storage within the spatial and temporal
boundary of the population, system or activity of
interest. Calculated as carbon dioxide
equivalent (CO2e) using the relevant 100-
year global warming potential (GWP100).”

18. Why Measure Carbon Footprint
• It shows the organizational contribution
to global GHG emissions.
• It provides a strategic map to manage
carbon to reach carbon neutrality
• It serves as a marketing tool
• It serves as an economic tool to reduce
costs
• It enhances organization image

19. Key Factors affecting GHG Emissions
• Heavy Use of Fossil Based Fuels
• Industrial Processes such as mining, lime
production, cement production
• Product Use
• Waste generation
• Land use Change in Agriculture and
Forestry related industries

20. Benefits of Calculation of Carbon
Footprint
• Opportunities for economic gains
• Serves as a promotional tool
• Increases Customer confidence
• Be a responsible and accountable
Organization
• Willingness of investors/financiers to
provide funds

21. Identification of Sources, Sinks and
Reservoirs and scopes

22. Organizational boundaries
The organization may comprise one or more facilities. Facility-level GHG
emissions or removals may be produced from one or more GHG sources
or sinks. Figure 2 shows the relationship between GHG sources, sinks and
facilities.
The organization shall consolidate its facility-level GHG emissions and
removals by one of the following approaches:
a) control: the organization accounts for all quantified GHG
emissions and/or removals from facilities over which it
has financial or operational control; or
b) equity share: the organization accounts for its portion of GHG
emissions and/or removals from respective facilities.
The organization may use a different consolidation methodology where
specific arrangements are defined by a GHG programme or legal contract.
When a facility is controlled by several organizations, these organizations
should adopt the same consolidation methodology.
The organization shall document which consolidation method it applies.
The organization shall explain any change to the selected consolidation
method

23. Operational Boundaries
Establishing Operational Boundaries
• The organization shall establish and document its
operational boundaries. The establishment of
operational boundaries includes identifying GHG
emissions and removals associated with the
organization’s operations, categorizing GHG emissions
and removals into direct emissions, energy indirect
emissions and other indirect emissions. It includes
choosing which of the other indirect emissions will be
quantified and reported. The organization shall explain
any changes to its operational boundaries.

25. Carbon Footprint – 3 Scopes
Carbon Footprint
Scope 1:
Direct
Emissions
Scope 2:
Indirect
Emissions
(Purchased
energy)
Scope 3:
Other
Indirect
Emissions
Remember: there are three levels (scopes) to a green
house gas/carbon footprint calculation.

26. Simplifying the Types of GHG Emissions
All Expressed as Metric Tons of Carbon Dioxide (MTeCO2)
This slide courtesy of CA-CP
Scope 3: Indirect emissions
including transportation, waste
disposal, etc.
Scope 1: Emissions from the
direct activities of the campus
Scope 2: Emissions from utility
production not at the institution

27. Direct GHG emitting Sources
• Generation of electricity, heat, or steam. These emissions
result from combustion of fuels in stationary sources, e.g.,
boilers, furnaces, turbines
• Physical or chemical processing. Most of these emissions
result from manufacture or processing of chemicals and
materials, e.g., cement, aluminum, adipic acid, ammonia
manufacture, and waste processing
• Transportation of materials, products, waste, and
employees. These emissions result from the combustion of
fuels in company owned/controlled mobile combustion
sources (e.g., trucks, trains, ships, airplanes, buses, and cars)
• Fugitive emissions. These emissions result from intentional
or unintentional releases, e.g., equipment leaks from joints,
seals, packing, and gaskets; methane emissions from coal
mines and venting; hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) emissions
during the use of refrigeration and air conditioning
equipment; and methane leakages from gas transport.

28. 4.3.5 Selection or development of GHG
emission or removal factors
If GHG activity data are used to quantify GHG emissions
and removals, the organization shall select or develop
GHG emission and removal factors that
a) are derived from a recognized origin,
b) are appropriate for the GHG source or sink
concerned,
c) are current at the time of quantification,
d) take account of quantification uncertainty and
are calculated in a manner intended to yield
accurate and reproducible results, and
e) are consistent with the intended use of the GHG
inventory
https://www.ipcc-nggip.iges.or.jp/EFDB
Energy Emission Factors

29. Calculation Methodology
• For Fossil Based Fuels
• Total GHG Emissions=
Volume (Lit)* Density (kg/Lit)* Net Calorific
Value ( Heat Value) (MJ/kg)* Emission
Factor(kgs/TJ)* 10-6
Emission Factor= Default EF of CO2+DEF of
CH4* GWP of CH4+ DEF of N2O* GWP of N2O

30. Example
• Diesel is used in a Drier Furnace of an
industry
• Quantity: 240 liters per day
• Density of Diesel: 0.87kgs/lit
• Calorific Value : 40.32 MJ/kg
• Emission Factors; kgs/TJ
CO2 -74100 CH4 - 3 N2O- 0.6
• Global Warming Potential- CH4 28, N2O-
278

31. Calculation Methodology
For Purchased Electricity (Scope 2/ Energy
Indirect)
Electricity Consumed x Emission Factor
(derived by SEA)
Emissions due to Transmission and Distribution
Loss is reported under Scope 3/Indirect
emissions

32. Data to be Considered
The assessment shall include GHG emissions arising
from processes, inputs and outputs in the life cycle
of a product, including but not limited to:
a) energy use (including energy sources, such as
electricity, that were themselves created using
processes that have GHG emissions associated
with them);
b) combustion processes;
c) chemical reactions;
d) refrigerant loss and other fugitive gases;
e) operations;
f) service provision and delivery;
g) land use change;
h) livestock and other agricultural processes;
i) waste.