A report on Air pollution and Fossil fuel

Since oil fields are located only at certain places on earth, only some countries are oil-independent; the other countries depend on the oil-production capacities of these countries

2016 air quality indicator – light colors have lower air quality and thus higher air pollution.

A petrochemical refinery in Grangemouth, Scotland, UK

Aviation is a major source of air pollution.

Controlled burning of a field outside of Statesboro, Georgia, in preparation for spring planting

The Global Carbon Project shows how additions to since 1880 have been caused by different sources ramping up one after another.

Smoking of fish over an open fire in Ghana, 2018

Global surface temperature reconstruction over the last 2000 years using proxy data from tree rings, corals, and ice cores in blue. Directly observational data is in red, with all data showing a 5 year moving average.

In 2020, renewables overtook fossil fuels as the European Union's main source of electricity for the first time.

Beijing air in 2005 after rain (left) and a smoggy day (right)

E-waste processing in Agbogbloshie, Ghana using open-burning of electronics to access valuable metals like copper. Open burning of plastics is common in many parts of the world without the capacity for processing. Especially without proper protections, heavy metals and other contaminates can seep into the soil, and create water pollution and air pollution.

Schematic drawing, causes and effects of air pollution: (1) greenhouse effect, (2) particulate contamination, (3) increased UV radiation, (4) acid rain, (5) increased ground-level ozone concentration, (6) increased levels of nitrogen oxides

Up to 30% of Europeans living in cities are exposed to air pollutant levels exceeding EU air quality standards. Around 98% of Europeans living in cities are exposed to levels of air pollutants deemed damaging to health by the World Health Organization's more stringent guidelines.

Share of deaths from indoor air pollution

Air quality monitoring, New Delhi, India

Share of deaths from outdoor air pollution, OWID

Comparison of footprint-based and transboundary pollution-based relationships among G20 nations for the number of PM2.5-related premature deaths.

Unprotected exposure to PM2.5 air pollution can be equivalent to smoking multiple cigarettes per day, potentially increasing the risk of cancer, which is mainly the result of environmental factors.

Share of the population exposed to air pollution levels above WHO guidelines, OWID

Artist's illustration of an advanced ET civilization with industrial pollution

Support for a ban on high-emission vehicles in city centres in Europe, China and the US from respondents to the European Investment Bank Climate Survey

Support, use and infrastructure-expansion of forms of public transport that do not cause air pollution may be a critical key alternative to pollution

Tarps and netting are often used to reduce the amount of dust released from construction sites.

Nitrogen dioxide concentrations as measured from satellite 2002–2004

Before flue-gas desulfurization was installed, the emissions from this power plant in New Mexico contained excessive amounts of sulfur dioxide.

Thermal oxidisers are air pollution abatement options for hazardous air pollutants (HAPs), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and odorous emissions.

Deaths from air pollution per 100,000 inhabitants (IHME, 2019)

Burning of items polluting Jamestown environment in Accra, Ghana

Recognition of the climate crisis, pollution and other negative impacts caused by fossil fuels has led to a widespread policy transition and activist movement focused on ending their use in favor of sustainable energy.

- Fossil fuel

fossil-fuel power plants and biomass power plants both have smoke stacks (see for example environmental impact of the coal industry)

- Air pollution

6 related topics with Alpha

Average surface air temperatures from 2011 to 2021 compared to the 1956–1976 average

Climate change

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Contemporary climate change includes both global warming and its impacts on Earth's weather patterns.

Change in average surface air temperature since the industrial revolution, plus drivers for that change. Human activity has caused increased temperatures, with natural forces adding some variability.

Drivers of climate change from 1850–1900 to 2010–2019. There was no significant contribution from internal variability or solar and volcanic drivers.

concentrations over the last 800,000 years as measured from ice cores (blue/green) and directly (black)

The rate of global tree cover loss has approximately doubled since 2001, to an annual loss approaching an area the size of Italy.

Sea ice reflects 50% to 70% of incoming solar radiation while the dark ocean surface only reflects 6%, so melting sea ice is a self-reinforcing feedback.

Projected global surface temperature changes relative to 1850–1900, based on CMIP6 multi-model mean changes.

The sixth IPCC Assessment Report projects changes in average soil moisture that can disrupt agriculture and ecosystems. A reduction in soil moisture by one standard deviation means that average soil moisture will approximately match the ninth driest year between 1850 and 1900 at that location.

Historical sea level reconstruction and projections up to 2100 published in 2017 by the U.S. Global Change Research Program

The IPCC Sixth Assessment Report (2021) projects that extreme weather will be progressively more common as the Earth warms.

Scenarios of global greenhouse gas emissions. If all countries achieve their current Paris Agreement pledges, average warming by 2100 would still significantly exceed the maximum 2 °C target set by the Agreement.

Coal, oil, and natural gas remain the primary global energy sources even as renewables have begun rapidly increasing.

Economic sectors with more greenhouse gas contributions have a greater stake in climate change policies.

Most emissions have been absorbed by carbon sinks, including plant growth, soil uptake, and ocean uptake (2020 Global Carbon Budget).

Since 2000, rising emissions in China and the rest of world have surpassed the output of the United States and Europe.

Per person, the United States generates at a far faster rate than other primary regions.

Academic studies of scientific consensus reflect that the level of consensus correlates with expertise in climate science.

Data has been cherry picked from short periods to falsely assert that global temperatures are not rising. Blue trendlines show short periods that mask longer-term warming trends (red trendlines). Blue dots show the so-called global warming hiatus.

The 2017 People's Climate March took place in hundreds of locations. Shown: the Washington, D.C. march, protesting policies of then-U.S. President Trump.

Tyndall's ratio spectrophotometer (drawing from 1861) measured how much infrared radiation was absorbed and emitted by various gases filling its central tube.

alt=Underwater photograph of branching coral that is bleached white|Ecological collapse. Bleaching has damaged the Great Barrier Reef and threatens reefs worldwide.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://sos.noaa.gov/datasets/coral-reef-risk-outlook/|title=Coral Reef Risk Outlook|access-date=4 April 2020|publisher=National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration|quote=At present, local human activities, coupled with past thermal stress, threaten an estimated 75 percent of the world's reefs. By 2030, estimates predict more than 90% of the world's reefs will be threatened by local human activities, warming, and acidification, with nearly 60% facing high, very high, or critical threat levels.}}</ref>

alt=Photograph of evening in a valley settlement. The skyline in the hills beyond is lit up red from the fires.|Extreme weather. Drought and high temperatures worsened the 2020 bushfires in Australia.<ref>{{harvnb|Carbon Brief, 7 January|2020}}.</ref>

alt=The green landscape is interrupted by a huge muddy scar where the ground has subsided.|Arctic warming. Permafrost thaws undermine infrastructure and release methane, a greenhouse gas.

alt=An emaciated polar bear stands atop the remains of a melting ice floe.|Habitat destruction. Many arctic animals rely on sea ice, which has been disappearing in a warming Arctic.<ref>{{harvnb|IPCC AR5 WG2 Ch28|2014|p=1596|ps=: "Within 50 to 70 years, loss of hunting habitats may lead to elimination of polar bears from seasonally ice-covered areas, where two-thirds of their world population currently live."}}</ref>

alt=Photograph of a large area of forest. The green trees are interspersed with large patches of damaged or dead trees turning purple-brown and light red.|Pest propagation. Mild winters allow more pine beetles to survive to kill large swaths of forest.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nps.gov/romo/learn/nature/climatechange.htm|title=What a changing climate means for Rocky Mountain National Park|publisher=National Park Service|access-date=9 April 2020}}</ref>

Environmental migration. Sparser rainfall leads to desertification that harms agriculture and can displace populations. Shown: Telly, Mali (2008).<ref>{{harvnb|Serdeczny|Adams|Baarsch|Coumou|2016}}.</ref>

Agricultural changes. Droughts, rising temperatures, and extreme weather negatively impact agriculture. Shown: Texas, US (2013).<ref>{{harvnb|IPCC SRCCL Ch5|2019|pp=439, 464}}.</ref>

Tidal flooding. Sea-level rise increases flooding in low-lying coastal regions. Shown: Venice, Italy (2004).<ref name="NOAAnuisance">{{cite web|url=http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/nuisance-flooding.html |title=What is nuisance flooding? |author=National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |access-date=April 8, 2020}}</ref>

Storm intensification. Bangladesh after Cyclone Sidr (2007) is an example of catastrophic flooding from increased rainfall.<ref>{{harvnb|Kabir|Khan|Ball|Caldwell|2016}}.</ref>

Heat wave intensification. Events like the June 2019 European heat wave are becoming more common.<ref>{{harvnb|Van Oldenborgh|Philip|Kew|Vautard|2019}}.</ref>

Burning fossil fuels for energy production creates most of these emissions.

Air pollution, in the form of aerosols, not only puts a large burden on human health, but also affects the climate on a large scale.

Energy transition

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Ongoing process of replacing fossil fuels with low carbon energy sources.

An example of a long-term historic energy transition: share of primary energy by source in Portugal

A booth for the Citizens' Climate Lobby, at a rally for science in Minnesota, 2018.

Global energy consumption by source (in %).

Denmark electricity generation by source

Market share of Germany's power generation 2014

Primary energy mix in the United Kingdom over time, differentiated by energy source (in % of the total energy consumption)

Timeline of commissioned and decommissioned nuclear capacity since the 1950s. Positive numbers show the commissioned capacity for each year; negative numbers show the decommissioned capacity for each year.

Gross generation of electricity by source in Germany 1990–2020

6 advantages of an energy transition (for example in Europe) - Energy Atlas 2018

Since fossil fuels are the largest single source of carbon emissions, the quantity that can be produced is limited by the Paris Agreement of 2015 to keep global warming below 1.5 °C.

Additionally, the replacement of coal-based energy with renewables can lower the number of premature deaths caused by air pollution and reduce health costs.

Renewable energy

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Energy that is collected from renewable resources that are naturally replenished on a human timescale.

PlanetSolar, the world's largest solar-powered boat and the first ever solar electric vehicle to circumnavigate the globe (in 2012)

The Three Gorges Dam on the Yangtze River in China

Wind energy generation by region over time.

Global map of wind power density potential.

Satellite image of the Bhadla Solar Park in India, it is the largest Solar Park in the world

Steam rising from the Nesjavellir Geothermal Power Station in Iceland

Enhanced geothermal system (see [[:File:EGS diagram.svg|file description]] for details)

Estimated power demand over a week in 2012 and 2020, Germany, showing the need for dispatchable generation rather than baseload generation in the grid.

A comparison of prices over time for energy from nuclear fission and from other sources. Over the presented time, thousands of wind turbines and similar were built on assembly lines in mass production resulting in an economy of scale.

Comparing worldwide energy use, the growth of renewable energy is shown by the green line

Worldwide growth of wind capacity (1996–2018)

Four offshore wind farms are in the Thames Estuary area: Kentish Flats, Gunfleet Sands, Thanet and London Array. The latter is the largest in the world as of April 2013.

Ivanpah solar plant in the Mojave Desert, California, United States

Solar towers of the PS10 and PS20 solar thermal plants in Spain

Solar panels at the 550 MW Topaz Solar Farm

Brazil produces bioethanol made from sugarcane available throughout the country. A typical gas station with dual fuel service is marked "A" for alcohol (ethanol) and "G" for gasoline.

Geothermal plant at The Geysers, California, US

Most respondents to a climate survey conducted in 2021-2022 by the European Investment Bank say countries should back renewable energy to fight climate change.

Sunrise at the Fenton Wind Farm in Minnesota, US

The CSP-station Andasol in Andalusia, Spain

Three Gorges Dam and Gezhouba Dam, China

Shop selling PV panels in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

Stump harvesting increases recovery of biomass from forests

A small, roof-top mounted PV system in Bonn, Germany

The community-owned Westmill Solar Park in South East England

Komekurayama photovoltaic power station in Kofu, Japan

Krafla, a geothermal power station in Iceland

Renewable energy stands in contrast to fossil fuels, which are being used far more quickly than they are being replenished.

It would also reduce environmental pollution such as air pollution caused by the burning of fossil fuels, and improve public health, reduce premature mortalities due to pollution and save associated health costs that could amount to trillions of dollars annually.

This diagram shows types, and size distribution in micrometres (μm), of atmospheric particulate matter.

Particulates

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Particulates – also known as atmospheric aerosol particles, atmospheric particulate matter, particulate matter (PM) or suspended particulate matter (SPM) – are microscopic particles of solid or liquid matter suspended in the air.

PM2.5 and PM10 compared with a human hair in a graphic from the Environmental Protection Agency

2005 radiative forcings and uncertainties as estimated by the IPCC.

Global aerosol optical thickness. The aerosol scale (yellow to dark reddish-brown) indicates the relative amount of particles that absorb sunlight.

Particulates in the air causing shades of grey and pink in Mumbai during sunset

Solar radiation reduction due to volcanic eruptions

Air pollution measurement station in Emden, Germany

Deaths from air pollution compared to other common causes

Air quality information on PM10 displayed in Katowice, Poland

Air quality trends in the western United States

Air quality trends in the southwestern United States

Particulates are the most harmful form (other than ultra-fines) of air pollution due to their ability to penetrate deep into the lungs, blood streams and brain, causing health problems including heart attacks, respiratory disease, and premature death.

Human activities, such as the burning of fossil fuels, and biomass including wood and stubble, power plants, road dust from tyre and road wear, wet cooling towers in cooling systems and various industrial processes, also generate significant amounts of particulates.

Climate change mitigation

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Climate change mitigation consists of actions to limit global warming and its related effects.

Multiple pathways exist to limit climate change to 1.5 °C or 2 °C in the context of the temperature goals set forth in the Paris Agreement.

Global greenhouse gas emissions by sector, 2016. For climate change mitigation goals, pathways and mechanisms to effectively transform all sectors have to be developed and implemented at a rapid rate.

Global CO2 emissions by region from fossil fuels combustion, 2019 (not accounting for extradomestic production / imports-footprints)

The 150 MW Andasol solar power station is a commercial parabolic trough solar thermal power plant, located in Spain. The Andasol plant uses tanks of molten salt to store solar energy so that it can continue generating electricity for 7.5 hours after the sun has stopped shining.

The Shepherds Flat Wind Farm is an 845 megawatt (MW) nameplate capacity, wind farm in the US state of Oregon, each turbine is a nameplate 2 or 2.5 MW electricity generator.

The 22,500 MW nameplate capacity Three Gorges Dam in the People's Republic of China, the largest hydroelectric power station in the world.

Sketch of a possible super grid. The red squares represent the total surfaces needed for solar collectors of Concentrating Solar Thermal Power (CSP) plants to provide the present electricity demands.

In the European Investment Bank Climate Survey EU citizens said that in Europe, energy should be the most prioritised area of action against climate change.

About 58% of emissions have been absorbed by carbon sinks, including plant growth, soil uptake, and ocean uptake (2020 Global Carbon Budget).

World protected area map with total percentage of each country under protection, where countries in lighter colors have more protected land

Transferring land rights to indigenous inhabitants is argued to efficiently conserve forests.

Helping existing roots and tree stumps regrow even in long deforested areas is argued to be more efficient than planting trees. Lack of legal ownership to trees by locals is the biggest obstacle preventing regrowth.

(A) Untrawled seamount and (B) a trawled seamount. Bottom trawling has destroyed many coastal habitats, a significant sink of carbon.

Schematic showing both terrestrial and geological sequestration of carbon dioxide emissions from a large point source, for example burning natural gas

Alstom Citadis (left) and Eurotram (right) trams in Strasbourg on grassed track

Managed grazing methods are argued to be able to restore grasslands, thereby significantly decreasing atmospheric CO2 levels.

A matrix of the progress in the adoption of management practices and approaches

Bicycles have almost no carbon footprint compared to cars, and canal transport may represent a positive option for certain types of freight in the 21st century.

Carbon emission trade - allowance prices from 2008

The European Investment Bank's Investment Survey 2020 found that firms with active climate policies invest more in energy efficiency.

The European Investment Bank's Investment Survey also found that Western and Northern European firms are more likely to invest in climate mitigation.

More firms plan to invest in climate change mitigation, specifically focusing on low-carbon sectors.

Physical risks of climate change top the list of business concerns for US and EU firms.

Since 1950, world population has tripled.

The emissions of the richest 1% of the global population account for more than twice the combined share of the poorest 50%.

A photo of the September 2019 climate strikes

A typology of discourses aimed at delaying climate change mitigation

Emission responsibility allotments by country/region and industry

Historical and future temperature projections showing importance of mitigating short-lived climate pollutants like methane

Potential emissions from large fossil fuel projects 'carbon bombs' per country

Distribution of committed emissions from developed fossil fuel reserves.

Emission trading and carbon taxes around the world (2019)
Carbon emission trading implemented or scheduled
Carbon tax implemented or scheduled
Carbon emission trading or carbon tax under consideration

Fossil fuels emit most carbon dioxide and greenhouse gas as a whole.

A review of studies by the Stanford Solutions Project concluded that relying on Carbon capture and storage/utilization (CCS/U) is a dangerous distraction, with it (in most and large-scale cases) being expensive, increasing air pollution and mining, inefficient and unlikely to be deployable at the scale required in time.

Cars and trucks driving on a divided highway, Highway401 in Ontario, Canada

Car

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Wheeled motor vehicle that is used for transportation.

Steam Machine Of Verbiest, In 1678. (Ferdinand Verbiest)

Cugnot's 1771 fardier à vapeur, as preserved at the Musée des Arts et Métiers, Paris, France

Gustave Trouvé's tricycle, the first ever electric automobile to be shown in public

Carl Benz, the inventor of the modern car

The original Benz Patent-Motorwagen, first built in 1885 and awarded the patent for the concept

Bertha Benz, the first long distance driver

Ransom E. Olds founded Olds Motor Vehicle Company (Oldsmobile) in 1897

Henry Ford founded Ford Motor Company in 1903

Kiichiro Toyoda, president of the Toyota Motor Corporation 1941–1950

Mass production at a Toyota plant in the 1950s

The Toyota Corolla is the best-selling car of all-time

Low battery and motors can improve safety

In the Ford Model T the left-side hand lever sets the rear wheel parking brakes and puts the transmission in neutral. The lever to the right controls the throttle. The lever on the left of the steering column is for ignition timing. The left foot pedal changes the two forward gears while the centre pedal controls reverse. The right pedal is the brake.

The Smart Fortwo car from 1998 to 2002, weighing 730 kg

A Chevrolet Suburban extended-length SUV weighs 7200 lb (gross weight)

Road congestion is an issue in many major cities. (pictured is Chang'an Avenue in Beijing)

Vehicles in use per country from 2001 to 2007. It shows the significant growth in BRIC.

A robotic Volkswagen Passat shown at Stanford University is a driverless car

The Vélib' in Paris, France is the largest bikesharing system outside China

Most cars in use in the early 2020s are propelled by an internal combustion engine, fueled by the combustion of fossil fuels.

The costs to society include maintaining roads, land use, road congestion, air pollution, public health, healthcare, and disposing of the vehicle at the end of its life.