If you think that you are not responsible for the climate change, you are wrong. The biggest polluters in the world are not only factories, coal mines, or oil refineries. They are agriculture, steelworks, and even Qantas!
China is the world’s biggest CO2 emitter
China is the world’s biggest CO2 emitter, according to a new report. It released more CO2 in 2019 than all other developed countries combined. While this isn’t a surprise, it is still a significant accomplishment.
This isn’t to say that China’s emissions are the only ones out there. The United States, Europe, and other developing nations have also made a major contribution to the global carbon footprint.
However, it’s worth noting that Chinese emissions have tripled over the last three decades. Not to mention that their per capita carbon footprint has surpassed those of the US and EU.
Qantas
Qantas is one of the biggest polluters in Australia. According to a study by the Australian Conservation Foundation, the company is responsible for about a third of the country’s total emissions.
As a result, the airline has decided to take a big step towards reducing its carbon footprint. It has announced a plan to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The new plan also includes a pledge to use sustainable aviation fuel.
Qantas has been offsetting its carbon pollution for more than a decade. Its plan will include interim targets for fuel efficiency and a commitment to cut single-use plastics by 2027. In addition, the company plans to invest up to $200 million in sustainable aviation fuel in Australia.
LNG
A recent study by the Environmental Integrity Project highlights how big the greenhouse gas impact of 24 LNG projects will be. These facilities, which will liquefy natural gas and export it, could emit up to 90 million tons of CO2 annually. That is equivalent to all the gasoline-powered passenger cars running in New York and Florida for a year.
The key is the methane leaks, which are the most significant contributor to these emissions. This is due to the fact that fossil-gas production is a source of methane, which is a much more potent greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide.
Steelworks
The steel sector is a major polluter, with emissions amounting to nine percent of global direct fossil fuel emissions. As the largest contributor to the greenhouse gas problem, it’s critical for the future of our planet. A new report from the International Energy Agency (IEA) has shown that the industry’s emissions could fall by as much as 93% by 2050. It also suggests that the iron and steel sector will be net-zero by 2050, based on a 1.5C scenario.
Iron and steel industries contribute tens of billions of tonnes of CO2 to the atmosphere every year. And their cumulative emissions could reach 65GtCO2 by 2060.
Alumina refineries
Aluminum smelting and refining is the largest greenhouse gas polluter. In 2013, the aluminium industry produced 636 million tons of CO2 emissions. The global aluminum sector is expected to reduce its carbon output by 77 percent by 2050.
In the short term, the aluminium industry must improve its electric grid efficiency and reduce its reliance on coal. This should include increasing production from low-emission electricity.
To do this, aluminium producers need to adopt technology that will create near-zero-emission products. There is a need for more investment in these technologies. Moreover, the aluminium industry needs to increase recycled production to reduce its reliance on fossil fuels.
A coal mine
A coal mine is one of the biggest polluters in the United States. It produces an estimated 7% of the country’s total methane emissions. This means it can exacerbate the already serious environmental problems facing the region.
One mine has racked up more than 30 environmental violations, while a second is alleged to be making the area’s flooding worse. But while a company like Alpha Energy can afford to clean up its messes, the state could end up on the hook for the cleanup costs.
There are numerous examples of smaller companies that have been hit with pollution lawsuits, a few of them being in the Lexington area. For example, in July, floods swept through the Eastern Kentucky region, and one company was blamed for the disaster.
Agriculture
The agriculture sector is one of the largest sources of greenhouse gas emissions. It is important for countries to find ways to reduce agricultural emissions if they are to try and limit temperature rise.
Agriculture is also among the largest contributors of nitrous oxide, a potent short-term greenhouse gas. Nitrous oxide is boosted by leaching of nitrogen fertilizers and by the breakdown of crop residues.
The agricultural industry is also responsible for pollution of groundwater. Pollution of this kind is an increasing issue in many developed and developing nations. However, the use of sustainable production methods can attenuate the negative impacts of agriculture on the environment.