Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Mitigation

What are greenhouse gases (GHGs)?

• Gases that create a greenhouse effect over the earth surface, thereby increasing the temperature of the earth.
  
• The principal GHGs are carbon dioxide (CO₂), Nitrous oxide (N₂O), and methane (CH₄). Other GHGs include chlorofluorocarbons.

Causes of GHG Emissions

1. Fossil fuel combustion
2. Land use change i.e. deforestation, biomass burning
3. Agricultural sources of carbon (CO₂):

• Operation of farm machinery
• Fertilizers and agricultural lime
• Pesticides
• Irrigation
• Seed production

Impact on global climate change

1. Increased temperatures
2. Severe droughts
3. Floods
4. Sea level rise

Mitigation

One major way of reducing GHGs emission is Soil Carbon Sequestration. Carbon Sequestration is the process of carbon storage in soils. Consequently soils could act as carbon “sinks”.

“Sinks” - Forest soils, grassland soils, ocean, agricultural land

Effects of Global Warming

The resultant effect of greenhouse gases
emissions is largely seen in global warming.

• Weather - climate change
• Ice/glacier melt
• Sea level
• Agriculture
• Plants and Animals
• Human health