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7.1.2.2.c
Industry Mitigation Opportunities Global
Sources: Climate Change 2001 Working Group III: Mitigation section 3.5.2, Climate Change 2001 Synthesis Report p.322-3
The major greenhouse gas contribution by industry is carbon dioxide. These emissions are mainly from energy use.
Energy use is growing in all areas of the world except in the countries with economies in transition, as you can see in Figure 1 below. The highest rate of growth is in the Asia-Pacific region.
There are large differences in the energy efficiency of industries between different countries.
Improvement of energy efficiency of industrial processes is the most significant option for lowering greenhouse gas emissions. This comes from hundreds of technologies which are specific for different industrial sectors. The IPCC estimates that the worldwide potential for energy savings is 300-500 MtC (Megatonnes of carbon) for 2010 and 700-900 MtC for 2020. The majority of efficiency improvements will save money for the industry. (This is called a net negative cost.)
The second important way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions is by improving material efficiency. This means recycling, improved product design (like thinner packaging) and substituting different materials to make the product.
Some industrial processes emit non-CO2 greenhouse gases. The manufacturers of the raw materials for fertilizers have strongly reduced their NO2 emissions. The aluminum industry has made major gains in lowering release of PFCs.
We have the technological options to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in developed countries by 2010 and to limit increase of emissions in the developing countries.
Figure 1. Industrial energy use in the different world regions. EJ: Etajoule = 1018 Joules Source: Climate Change 2001 Working Group III: Mitigation section 3.5.2
ACTIVITY
Questions:
1. Which group includes Canada?
2. Which region has the lowest industrial energy use?
3. Identify the line for energy use by Industrialized Countries and for Africa. About how much more energy is used by industry in the Industrialized countries?
4. The countries with Economies in Transition are in the process of changing from a planned economic system to a market economy. They include Russia, Poland Ukraine, Czech Republic and others. Try to account for the drop in energy use in the last few years.
5. Describe the trend in the Asia-pacific region. Try to account for this trend.