ELVIDIO MIRANDA
Pollution across the globe is assuming alarming levels. From data available, it could be calculated that the extent at which carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is due to production of crude oil, coal for power generation as well as due to steel production, the emissions of this major Greenhouse gas that has driven temperatures to a record high in the present times is a cause for concern.
In 2023, 96.4 million barrels of crude oil were produced which means that a total of 35.18 billion barrels were produced that year. By burning one barrel of crude oil 403.8 kg of carbon dioxide is generated, thus if one calculates that all the oil produced was used, it means that 14 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide was released into the air that year.
Now, in 2024, 8.77 billion tonnes of coal was produced. Knowing that each tonne of coal produces 2.6 tonnes of carbon dioxide, it would mean that if all that coal was used for power generation, then 22.8 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide was released into the atmosphere.
Again in 2023, 1,888.2 million metric tonnes of crude steel was produced globally and since each tonne of steel releases 1.89 tonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, then 3.4 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide was totally emitted into the atmosphere. These three highly polluting products together emit 39.4 billion tonnes into the atmosphere, a staggering amount of carbon dioxide that needs to be absorbed by the 3.04 trillion trees that are now known to be existent on earth. Since each mature tree absorbs 22 kg of carbon dioxide assuming that 50% of the total trees are mature, it would mean that 33 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide would theoretically be converted to oxygen by the process of photosynthesis. During the summers as well as in parts of the world facing drought, which would normally be devoid of trees, the effect of the net amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere would create a vicious cycle of warming which would result in temperatures in arid regions increasing to a very high degree. The process of photosynthesis is nature’s way of dealing with the emissions of carbon dioxide, and during the rainy seasons due to chemical weathering carbon dioxide dissolves in the rainwater producing carbonic acid which reacts with rocks leading to the storage of carbon dioxide in the oceans and on land. The extent of global warming is such that even now the average temperature increase is already higher than the mandated 1.5 degree Celsius above pre-industrial levels, in the Paris Climate Agreement. To add to the heating of the earth, the occurrence of heat waves and the consequent wildfires are leading to such high levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere which has already affected many cities and towns wherein the extent of pollution is such that the ambient air quality is deteriorating fast aggravating global warming and climate change. Normally higher the mercury levels, higher should be the extent of evaporation and thus if precipitation occurs it would mean that the temperatures should be under control in places where rain or snow occurs. It has been noticed that rain forests have been subject to the axe of the lumberjack as well as unusual patterns of heavy rains and drought alternately have led to climate change, altering the pattern of climate across the world. Could nature be able to reduce the extent of heating of the earth, to a certain extent and in some places, yes, but not everywhere?