Balancing greenhouse gas emissions and carbon footprints has become a critical global concern. The significant impact of greenhouse gas emissions on climate change is undeniable. These gases contribute to severe issues such as environmental pollution.
As the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere increases, the heat balance is disrupted, leading to global warming and climate change. Additionally, these gases cause groundwater contamination, air pollution, and health problems.
First, let’s clarify what greenhouse gases and carbon footprints are.
Greenhouse gases are those that trap heat in the atmosphere. Examples include carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrogen oxides (NOx), and hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). These gases are emitted through human activities such as burning fossil fuels, industrial processes, vehicle emissions, and deforestation. The term “carbon footprint” refers to the total amount of greenhouse gas emissions caused by an individual, organisation, or product.
A carbon footprint is typically measured in CO2 equivalents and expressed as units of CO2 emissions. For instance, the carbon footprint of producing one ton of a product is linked to the greenhouse gas emissions from the resources used in its production. Therefore, the higher the greenhouse gas emissions from these resources, the larger the product’s carbon footprint.
The average global temperature is the most commonly used metric for assessing the state of the world’s climate. This measurement helps us understand many climate-related issues.
Since the start of the industrial era, the global average temperature has risen by 0.7°C. This increase in temperature has led to changes in local precipitation patterns, shifts in ecological zone boundaries, warming of water surfaces, and melting glaciers. However, these changes can vary significantly from one country to another.
Adapting to climate change has become a necessity. For instance, during the dry season in East Africa, people often have to travel longer distances to find water.
In countries like Bangladesh and Vietnam, small-scale farmers suffer crop losses due to severe hurricanes, floods, and rising sea levels.
Since the adoption of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, humanity has made minimal progress in stabilising greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere.
Restoring the climatic conditions that have been deteriorating over hundreds of years is, of course, not achievable in a short period.
Currently, the rise in the Earth’s average temperature and climate changes, which pose a significant threat to a small farmer in Kyrgyzstan, might not be seen as dangerous by a farmer in one of the southern states of the United States.
However, the rapid acceleration of climate change is considered a threat to millions of people, various ecosystems, and the entire planet. To mitigate the impact of climate change, it is crucial to establish a final acceptable limit for temperature increase.
Many climate scientists agree that this limit is 2°C. If the global average temperature rises by more than 2°C, the risk of adverse climate change effects is likely to increase.
As mentioned above, it is essential to prevent the release of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. However, according to relevant statistics, global carbon emissions increased by 3% in 2011, reaching a record 34 billion tons, with the G-20 countries accounting for approximately 78% of these emissions.
Based on the latest statistics from 2021, carbon emissions in Azerbaijan are approximately 58.1 million tons. It is also important to note that these gases can remain in the atmosphere for thousands of years.
The gases and their contributions to global warming are as below:
– Power production, forest and land use, and cement manufacturing – 65%;
– Gas pipeline leaks, fermentation of livestock waste, rice paddies, waste, landfills, biomass burning, and domestic effluents – 20%;
– Industrial processes, refrigerants, aerosols, foaming agents, and solvents – 10%;
– Fertilizer application, soil remediation, biomass burning, and the combustion of coal and hydrocarbons – 5%.
Following the collapse of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s, many industrial enterprises in Azerbaijan ceased operations. As a result, the country’s greenhouse gas emissions significantly decreased. However, from mid-2005 onwards, an increase in oil production led to a rise in greenhouse gas emissions. Although greenhouse gas emissions in 2005 were 43% lower than in 1990, by 2021, they were only 26% lower than in 1990.
According to the Paris Agreement, which Azerbaijan supports, greenhouse gas emissions should be reduced by 35% by 2030. This means that the volume of emissions of heat-trapping gases should decrease to 51.3 million tons compared to 1990.
This requires a reduction of about 12% compared to the levels recorded in 2021. Data from the State Statistics Committee of Azerbaijan indicate that the majority of heat-producing gas emissions in the country are related to the energy sector. In 2021, greenhouse gases released by the energy sector accounted for 81.2% of Azerbaijan’s total greenhouse gas emissions.
The World Bank’s report on climate indicators in Azerbaijan highlights the importance of the country achieving its decarbonisation goals:
“Economic diversification and a more dynamic private sector are required in Azerbaijan to define and implement a clear course on decarbonisation. It should be noted that the sectors important for the green transition, including energy and water supply, are dominated by state-owned enterprises, which employ half of the country’s workforce,” the report states.
From the latest indicators for 2021, it is evident that compared to 1990, greenhouse gas emissions in Azerbaijan have decreased by only 26%.
According to the World Bank’s database, global greenhouse gas emissions increased by about 50% in 2020. In the two largest economies of the world, the United States saw a 3% decrease in emissions between 1990 and 2020, while China experienced more than a fourfold increase.
Events like COP29 and the significant decisions made there to reduce greenhouse gas emissions are very positive. However, everyone can contribute to maintaining the heat and gas balance through small, individual actions. For example, companies can adopt the following practices in line with environmental awareness and sustainability principles:
Utilise renewable energy sources. Companies can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by transitioning from fossil fuels, which constitute a large portion of their energy consumption, to renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, hydroelectricity, and biomass.
Energy efficiency measures should be implemented to reduce energy consumption and thereby decrease greenhouse gas emissions. For instance, energy consumption can be minimised by using building insulation, energy-efficient lighting systems, and high-efficiency appliances.
Maintaining a sustainable supply chain should also be a key objective. Companies can lower their greenhouse gas emissions by considering environmental factors in all supply chain activities, using sustainable materials, and choosing environmentally friendly suppliers.
There are significant gaps in the areas of recycling and waste management. Recycling waste can significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. When waste is recycled, it can be reused, thereby reducing the overall amount of waste and preventing the generation of harmful gas emissions.
Social responsibility is crucial for all these efforts. Companies can reduce traffic and greenhouse gas emissions by adopting environmentally friendly practices and allowing employees to work from home as part of their social responsibility initiatives. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is essential for a sustainable future.
The involvement of countries, presidents, official representatives, and both small and large companies in this effort will be beneficial from both ecological and economic perspectives.
