"Greenhouse gases are those gases in the atmosphere that raise the surface temperature of planets such as the Earth. What distinguishes them from other gases is that they absorb the wavelengths of radiation that a planet emits, resulting in the greenhouse effect."
The gases emitted by transportation vehicles, such as carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide, that contribute to global warming and climate change.
Greenhouse Gases (GHGs): These are gases in the Earth's atmosphere that trap heat and cause global warming. The most common GHGs are carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide.
Climate Change: The long-term change in weather patterns due to global warming caused by GHGs. Climate change can cause severe weather events, such as hurricanes, droughts, and floods.
Environmental Impact of Transportation: Transportation is a significant contributor to GHG emissions, accounting for approximately 14% of global GHG emissions. It includes emissions from vehicles, planes, and ships.
Carbon Footprint: The total amount of GHG emissions caused by an individual, organization, or product. It includes both direct and indirect emissions.
Carbon Credits: The offsetting of GHG emissions by investing in projects that reduce emissions or absorb carbon, such as renewable energy and reforestation.
Energy Efficiency: The use of less energy to perform the same function. Improving energy efficiency can reduce GHG emissions and save money on energy costs.
Renewable Energy: Energy sources that are replenished naturally, such as wind, solar, hydropower, and geothermal. Renewable energy can reduce GHG emissions and improve energy security.
Fossil Fuels: Non-renewable energy sources, such as coal, oil, and gas, that emit GHGs when burned. Reducing the use of fossil fuels can help mitigate the effects of global warming.
Electric Vehicles (EVs): Vehicles powered by electricity instead of gas. EVs produce fewer emissions than gas-powered vehicles and can reduce the environmental impact of transportation.
Public Transportation: Mass transit systems, such as buses, trains, and light rail, that can reduce the number of cars on the road and decrease GHG emissions.
Cycling and Walking: Active modes of transportation that produce no emissions and can improve physical health.
Sustainable Urban Planning: The design and management of cities and towns to promote sustainable transportation and reduce GHG emissions.
Carbon Pricing: A policy that puts a price on carbon emissions to discourage their use and incentivize low-carbon alternatives.
Green Building: The design and construction of buildings that use resources efficiently and reduce GHG emissions. Green buildings can also improve indoor air quality and occupant comfort.
Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS): A technology that captures GHG emissions from power plants and other industrial sources and stores them underground. CCS can help reduce GHG emissions from these sources.
Carbon Dioxide (CO2): This is the most common greenhouse gas and is produced by the burning of fossil fuels such as gasoline, diesel, and coal.
Methane (CH4): This greenhouse gas is produced by natural sources like wetlands and ruminants, as well as human activities such as agriculture, landfills, and fossil fuel extraction.
Nitrous Oxide (N2O): This greenhouse gas is produced by agricultural activities such as the use of fertilizers and manure, as well as industrial processes such as nylon production and combustion of fossil fuels.
Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs): These synthetic greenhouse gases are commonly used in refrigeration and air conditioning systems as a replacement for ozone-depleting substances, but they can stay in the atmosphere for hundreds of years.
Perfluorocarbons (PFCs): These synthetic greenhouse gases are used in industrial processes such as semiconductor manufacturing and aluminum production, and they remain in the atmosphere for thousands of years.
Sulfur Hexafluoride (SF6): This synthetic greenhouse gas is primarily used in the electrical power industry as an insulator in transformers and circuit breakers and can remain in the atmosphere for thousands of years.
Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs): These synthetic greenhouse gases were widely used in the past as refrigerants and propellants, but they are now banned under the Montreal Protocol due to their harmful effects on the ozone layer.
"The Earth is warmed by sunlight, causing its surface to radiate heat, which is then mostly absorbed by water vapor (H2O), carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), and ozone (O3)."
"Without greenhouse gases, the average temperature of Earth's surface would be about −18 °C (0 °F), rather than the present average of 15 °C (59 °F)."
"Human activities since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution (around 1750) have increased atmospheric methane concentrations by over 150% and carbon dioxide by over 50%, up to a level not seen in over 3 million years."
"Carbon dioxide is the cause for about three quarters of global warming and can take thousands of years to be fully absorbed by the carbon cycle."
"The vast majority of carbon dioxide emissions by humans come from the combustion of fossil fuels, principally coal, petroleum (including oil) and natural gas. Additional contributions come from cement manufacturing, fertilizer production, and changes in land use like deforestation."
"Methane emissions originate from agriculture, fossil fuel production, waste, and other sources."
"Methane causes most of the remaining warming and lasts in the atmosphere for an average of 12 years."
"Average global surface temperature has risen by 1.2 °C (2.2 °F) as a result of greenhouse gas emissions."
"If current emission rates continue then temperatures will surpass 2.0 °C (3.6 °F) sometime between 2040 and 2070, which is the level the United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) says is 'dangerous'."
"Human activities since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution (around 1750) have increased atmospheric methane concentrations by over 150%."
"Methane causes most of the remaining warming and lasts in the atmosphere for an average of 12 years."
"The vast majority of carbon dioxide emissions by humans come from the combustion of fossil fuels, principally coal, petroleum (including oil) and natural gas."
"Average global surface temperature has risen by 1.2 °C (2.2 °F) as a result of greenhouse gas emissions."
"Temperatures will surpass 2.0 °C (3.6 °F) sometime between 2040 and 2070, which is the level the United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) says is 'dangerous'."
"Human activities since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution (around 1750) have increased atmospheric carbon dioxide by over 50%."
"Carbon dioxide is the cause for about three quarters of global warming."
"What distinguishes greenhouse gases from other gases is that they absorb the wavelengths of radiation that a planet emits, resulting in the greenhouse effect."
"Methane emissions originate from agriculture, fossil fuel production, waste, and other sources."
"Carbon dioxide can take thousands of years to be fully absorbed by the carbon cycle."