The latest data about Japan’s greenhouse-gas emissions cast a serious doubt over the Japan’s commitment to its Kyoto Protocol efforts.

The Environment Ministry reported Japan’s emissions hit a record high of carbon dioxide, 8.7% more than what Japan spewed in 1990. The 1997 Kyoto treaty calls for Japan to reduce its emissions to 6% BELOW the 1990 level. Japan is going the wrong way.

Emissions grew 2.3% since last year, largely in part to the closing of Japan’s largest nuclear power plant in Niigata Prefecture because of an earthquake in the region. Consequently, Japan has had to rely on electrical output from thermal power plants, which are heavy CO2 dischargers. Japanese households have produced 8.4% more greenhouse gases than last year. The unusually hot summer led to increased use of air conditioners.

In the next five years they needs to cut its emissions by 13.5% to meet its commitment and Japan’s best bet is either to plant more trees or increase the capacity utilization ratio of its nuclear power plant, up from 60.7%. A ratio 84.2% (1998), and Japan would have coughed up 5% less greenhouse gas in 2007.

The economy, however, is slowing. As production falls, so too will emissions. Japan needs to cut 50 million metric tons, per year. The steel industry lowered its emissions last year to 1% below its 1990 level despite an 8% increase in crude steel output. The chemical sector is 7% higher than its 1990 figure.

Japan is not going to make it. So, now what?

Source: Nikkei (sub req)
Image courtesy of hubbbadyabutters

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Methane gas is 25 times more powerful as a greenhouse gas than CO2. Methane is produced by wetlands, rice paddies, cattle and gas and coal industries. It is held into check by a reaction with the hydroxyl free radical (OH) and according to a team led by researchers from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, methane gas in the atmosphere is on the rise.

The cause of the rise is unknown. The ramifications of the rise is unknown. Whether or not it is a temporary rise or will be sustained is unknown. What is known is that methane levels are more than two times those of pre-industrial times and that the recent rise is universal, that is, it has risen in all parts of our skies that are being monitored.

The methane watchers also say this recent rise brings to an end a decade of atmospheric levels that were essentially stable and that the gases contribute to global warming. More study is needed, but the researchers felt that “because the detection of increased methane has important consequences for global warming the team wanted to get these initial results out as quickly as possible.”

Just what we need, something else to worry about but not know why we are worrying.

Image courtesy of MorBCN

Carbon Sciences has recently declared that it has made an important breakthrough that can convert CO2 emissions into fuels. This would cut down on the 62 billion metric tones of CO2 – root cause of global warming, which is let out into the atmosphere every year.

The technology will use these harmful emissions and convert them into useful sources of energy.

As CO2 requires a lot of energy to break them into hydrocarbons that is used for fuel, Carbon Sciences is working on a technology, with the help of chemical and bioengineering principles that would hasten up this process. Since this process is highly energy efficient, they’ll set up a CO2 transformation plant that would use the CO2 released by a larger producer such as a power plant, and transform it into useable fuels.

This breakthrough technology promises that it can successfully give the world a cleaner atmosphere by closing the loop on carbon releases. – via Inhabitat

Pollution is killing more than AIDS in Sao Paulo, says a Sao Paulo University report Air Pollution Lab.

According to the study, some nine people die each day because of pollution – which makes it some 3,500 a year. Less than half of that number of people, 1,624, die each year as a result of AIDS and traffic combined.

Sao Paulo will spend $1.5 billion on pollution-caused diseases, caused mainly by the six million cars in the city. Is it just me or that sounds like, if the cars don’t kill you in traffic, they will kill you with what comes out the back?

Nearly two-thirds of the air pollution is caused by 10% of the total vehicles, the ones that run on diesel fuel. Statistics say that there are about 150 lives lost each year due to sulfur releases from diesel-fueled vehicles and 232 deaths caused by AIDS.

Sao Paulo will adopt a “clean diesel” in 2009 hoping to reduce pollution by at least 5%. Seriously time for the “B” in Bric to clean up its act. – via Xinhuanet

Image courtesy of Auntie P

People in Paris can now stay informed on the air quality they are breathing.

A company called Aérophile has built a giant tethered helium balloon, the AERO30NG Aérophile 5500 model, that will display real-time reports of ambient air quality and air pollution produced by auto emissions using an innovative lighting system, which can be seen from more than 20 km (12.4 miles) away.

Located in the Parc Andre Citroën and filled with 6,000 cubic meters of helium, the balloon will definitely become a tourist attraction considering that it will provide non-polluting rides for up to 30 passengers at a time.

The Aérophile balloon gathers data from several sensors installed by Airparif – an organization that measures air quality in France and will signal the ambient air quality in colors. It using three projectors located inside of the balloon and a high-powered rotating laser at the base sweeps across the lower half of the balloon.

Red signifies highly polluted air, orange for polluted, yellow for moderate, light green for clean, and green for very clean. Do you think we’ll ever get to see it green? At least for now, I doubt it!

“Flight aboard a tethered gas balloon AERO30NG is a unique experience full of sensations for the passengers.

Silent and without vibration, the gondola is open to the air, allowing passengers to experience the sensation of being on a flying balcony 150 m in the sky.

A 360° panorama unfolds before them, and in a single gaze they can take in the whole landscape.”

Aérophile is a company specialized in manufacturing tethered gas balloons for tourist and cultural attractions so you may want to believe them in doing a great job with the Air de Paris balloon.

Another great place where I think tourists would enjoy seeing such a balloon would be in Beijing for the Olympics. It could be mainly red, though.

City of Boulder, Wyoming, and its 75 souls that live there have something in common with much larger cities across North America: high levels of air pollution. The root cause for the bad air is the region’s booming natural gas industry because the Sublette County is home to one of the largest natural gas reserves in the United States.

Craig Jensen, resident of the unincorporated community of Boulder, is concerned of the changes. He said that the sky is no longer colored or the horizon crystal clear as they used to be. “Makes you wonder what it’s going to do to the grass, the trees and the birds”, he said. He’s right and Wyoming issued the first ozone alerts after ground-level ozone numbers exceeded healthy levels, 11 times since January.

Boulder, Wyoming is not meeting federal air-quality standards right now and if things won’t change there will be drastic measures that will affect everyone in the region including the energy sector.

Gas developers in the area said they are working to reduce ozone and emissions. They insisted their companies should continue drilling.

The Department of Environmental Quality is aware of the air problem in the area and David Finley said “We understand that the people who are living up there cannot wait two or three years for us to develop regulatory tools.” They are working together with the gas companies, on a plan to reduce air pollution in the area.

Craig Jensen, have seen the both sides of a booming gas industry in the area. He’s been paid royalties for wells on his land, which allowed him to buy all sorts of “toys”, but he’s now wishing the good old days to come back, with clear skies, less traffic and fewer people.

Source [AP]

Haile Gebrselassie a 34 years old Ethiopian runner, the guy that managed to break over 25 world records and won numerous Olympic and World Championship titles, has recently declined going to the Beijing Olympics because of air pollution.

The marathon champ who suffers from asthma told Reuters in a phone interview:

“The pollution in China is a threat to my health and it would be difficult for me to run 42 kilometers in my current condition.”

He will race on track though, probably in the 10,000 meter race.

Though Beijing has 17 million residents, 3 million cars and sandstorms from time to time the authorities said they’re are taking all the measures to ensure a cleaner air by the time the Summer Olympics start. I sure hope they get it done because I’d enjoy a good run.

via GreenDaily (photo by minuano12)

If until now I thought Milan to be the capital of fashion and great soccer, things have changed and surprisingly they have another badge to add. Milan is the “Pollution Capital of Europe” and the main reasons to believe so, are toxic fumes from traffic clogged streets.

photo by Dunc-It

However, the fact that they rank first place on pollution in Europ isn’t the biggest shock or concern. Macedonio Melloni hospital warned that such levels of pollution are considered guilty for high infant mortality rates and for making children sick. Breathing problems, heart diseases and cancer are the effects of very high levels of pm10s which are extremely small particles coming from car exhausts, that affect both adult people and in particular children.

Research conducted by Dr Fiocchi from the Macedonio Melloni hospital revealed that in a 10-day period when pm10s levels where averaging 67 ug/m3, 176 admissions have been recored, while on another 10-day period that averaged 110 ug/m3 which is way over the limit, the admissions topped at 401 more than double. February 15 is the record with pm10s levels reaching 185 micrograms per cubic meter of air, which is almost 4 times over the official limit.

“The figures confirmed the urgent need to limit the damage that is affecting one child in four in the region” he said.

Ironically, the fact that the air in Milan is so bad comes a few months the Ecopass system – a daily pass that you pay money for to enter the city – has been put in place.

Lung specialist, Prof Luigi Allegra of Milan University has pointed out a few ways of fighting with air pollution in Milan, out of which creating new metro lines and better public transportation are just a few. He also mentioned that diesel cars use should be discouraged because diesel engines provide 100 times more pm10s.

There are solutions, they just need to accept that there’s a problem.

via Telegraph

The first time I’ve been in Italy I was amazed by so many scooters. Old, new, it doesn’t matter because you see them in different colors at every corner. I even heard people calling Rome as the scooter-capital of Europe.

A classic Vespa scooter. Photo by the-spidernet

But there seems to be a problem. The Italian government is keen on keeping a healthier air in their cities and one of the measures they are taking is paying owners to change their old scooters with new ones. Obviously the 2-stroke engine emits much more harmful pollutants than a new generation 4-stroke model and add the fact that there’s no catalyst and you have a big polluter.

This is why authorities will offer a 300 Euro bonus when buy a new scooter and ditch your old one. Of course, if you live in Italy.

Source