CO2 emission in the Netherlands was measured at 163 billion kilograms in 2017 which is the same as it was measured in the 1990s. But, methane, nitrous oxide and F-gasses all were measured at half the rate they were in the 1990’s. This may seem like a silver lining but the sectors causing the emission of CO2 has grown in scale, meaning the rate at which they emit CO2 has decreased. For example, Energy Companies in the Netherlands have produced more CO2 by 22 percent in this time period but they have increased production by more than 50 percent. Below is a table I found displaying the emissions of CO2 and greenhouse gasses since 1990.
In my opinion the shift of the focus should not be just decreasing the rate of emissions but creating renewable energy that does not emit greenhouse gasses at all. CO2 is by far the most common product of industrial progression. But, it is important to note that no CO2 or greenhouse gasses are helpful to our atmosphere. Serious changes need to be made in the types of energy we use before the damage we cause is irreversible.
This is an interesting article and table that you included involving CO2 and greenhouse gases emitted since the 1990s. It’s good to see that although levels have remained somewhat stagnant since the 1990s, and there is a growing emphasis towards finding a different renewable form of energy. I also agree with your opinion we should as a planet shift our focus to create new forms of renewable energy that does not emit greenhouse gases.
This article is really interesting Ryan! I like how you made the distinction between general greenhouse gas emissions and CO2 emissions. Did you happen to read any information on the same data in North America? Can the Netherlands be generalized to other geographic locations? Lastly, I really enjoyed one of your last points about creating renewable energy rather than simply lowering CO2 emissions.
Agreeing with Nick and Elly, I do find the connection between CO2 and general greenhouse gas emissions interesting. I also think that researching renewable energy sources is an extremely good route to take when finding a way to prevent further damage in our environment. It would be interesting to see how a small method change could alter the CO2 level in our atmosphere, and how us, as students at Union, could help our campus implement more clean energy sources.
I agree with all of the above comments and they are definitely interesting especially the distinction you make between CO2 and greenhouse gas emissions. I also agree with the point you make Ryan that we should be shifting our focus as a society from the emissions and more towards finding a solution. Have you read anything about CO2 capture devices? The science behind them could be extremely promising.