Atmospheric concentrations of CO₂e are rising due to increasing anthropogenic emissions. Unchecked, rising concentrations of CO₂e in the atmosphere will lead to catastrophic climate change.
Public electricity and heating in Annex I countries accounted for over 6.68 billion tons of CO₂e emissions annually in 2007.
Transport is responsible for approximately 20% of global anthropogenic emissions, or more than 4.63 billion tons of CO₂e annually. Source: UNFCCC, 2009.
Buildings are responsible for an estimated 1.45 billion tons of CO₂e in Annex I nations and over 20% of global anthropogenic emissions annually. Source: UNFCCC, 2009.
Annex I industry emissions are over 1.3 billion tons of CO₂e annually. Global industry emissions account for approximately 24% of annual anthropogenic emissions. Source: UNFCCC, 2009.
Emisisons from agriculture in Annex I countries totaled more than 1.43 billion in 2007 CO₂e emissions.
The EIA estimates that 2006 energy-related emissions from non-OECD countries accounted for approximately 30%, of global anthropogenic CO₂e emissions, or 15.4 billion tons. Source: EIA, 2009.
Biochar could potentially remove over 1 billion tons of CO₂e annually. In general, carbon management solutions could remove billions of tons of CO₂e from the atmosphere annually.
Together the steel and cement industries are responsible for over 3.2 billions tons of CO2e emissions annually, or approximately 6% of global anthropogenic emissions. Emissions from both industries are increasing rapidly due to development, with cement and steel production concentrated in China.
Together the steel and cement industries are responsible for over 3.2 billions tons of CO2e emissions annually, or approximately 6% of global anthropogenic emissions. Emissions from both industries are increasing rapidly due to development, with cement and steel production concentrated in China.
Prior to the global recession, these industries were projected to double output and associated emissions by 2020, with growth driven primarily by activity in developing countries. Under IEA projections, for example, cement emissions double by 2020. Cement and steel are needed for a wide range of construction projects, including housing and public works.
Emissions from steel and cement are due to the energy-intensity of the manufacturing process. Steel production relies heavily on coal as an energy source for high-temperature furnaces. Portland cement production requires clinker made from lime that is also fired in high-temperature coal-driven furnaces. These are dirty processes largely unchanged since the dawn of the industrial age. Both the steel and cement industries are critically in need of process innovation.
Innovation in the cement and steel industries to reduce energy consumption by 50% could reduce annual global CO2e emissions by more than 2 billion tons in 2020. In the steel industry, blast furnace improvements alone could remove 140 million tons of CO2e a year with additional efficiency bringing that number much higher according to the IEA.
Innovation in the cement and steel industries to reduce energy consumption by 50% could reduce annual global CO2e emissions by more than 2 billion tons in 2020. In the steel industry, blast furnace improvements alone could remove 140 million tons of CO2e a year with additional efficiency bringing that number much higher according to the IEA.
Low-carbon cement that introduces substitutes for the highly energy-intensive clinker currently used in cement production is under development. Substitutes for clinker include fly ash and pozzolana; high-percentage replacement of clinker could come close to halving CO2e emissions from the cement industry.
Further emission reductions are available from alternative fuel use in the cement and steel production process.
Market-based Approaches
The rising cost of energy, the volatility of fuel prices, and the carbon risk represented by future restrictions or taxes on carbon are all incentives for industry adoption of more energy efficient processes. There is a large market opportunity that will likely spur innovation as it becomes more recognized. Policy to implement incentives in the form of standards for achieving carbon reductions based on new technologies would accelerate scale up to achieve the necessary reductions by 2020 and encourage additional innovation.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Donec et neque quis velit semper tristique quis quis lectus. Proin sit amet convallis elit. Vestibulum interdum lacus a lectus interdum et convallis dui sagittis. Phasellus quis sem nulla. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Cras iaculis commodo tortor, aliquet feugiat tellus placerat id. Nunc quam sapien, luctus placerat auctor a, tristique ut neque. Ut a est justo, a iaculis mauris. Sed dapibus nunc at metus dapibus et rutrum dui pellentesque. Nulla sed risus sed felis semper adipiscing vitae vitae enim. Nullam placerat, neque a mollis dictum, odio risus dictum lectus, nec vehicula arcu nisi et turpis. Suspendisse potenti. Sed malesuada ullamcorper condimentum. Donec quis turpis ac felis pretium tempor at blandit ligula. Quisque risus ante, suscipit a convallis vel, convallis nec quam. Ut a tellus in lacus bibendum faucibus quis id purus.
Nullam justo lectus, facilisis non gravida non, fringilla a massa. Mauris ligula lorem, venenatis quis fermentum rutrum, mollis quis sapien. Vestibulum in sapien in mi luctus mollis. Sed blandit pharetra condimentum. Donec cursus iaculis eros eu faucibus. Donec pellentesque quam a velit vulputate laoreet. Etiam ut dui magna. Fusce eget arcu velit, eu convallis nunc. Nunc eu nibh eu quam aliquam tempus ac id odio. Sed erat nulla, pharetra vitae consequat eu, porttitor vitae dolor. Etiam cursus commodo est, cursus venenatis nisl dignissim tincidunt. Nulla ac magna sed libero mattis suscipit. Quisque id orci ac quam fringilla sagittis vel at dolor. Duis ac nunc nibh. Morbi tempus, orci a feugiat hendrerit, felis erat aliquet lectus, non consectetur felis orci in sem. Fusce id felis orci, eget hendrerit lorem. Vivamus a erat urna, sit amet placerat neque. Donec id diam vitae risus placerat blandit non vel risus. Vestibulum ante ipsum primis in faucibus orci luctus et ultrices posuere cubilia Curae.