gas is derived by multiplying the tons of the gas by the associated global warming
potential, i.e., MMTCO 2 Eq ¼ (million metric tons of a gas) * (GWP of the gas).
Carbon dioxide fertilization is the enhancement of the growth of plants as a result
of increased atmospheric CO 2 concentration. Depending on their mechanism of
photosynthesis, certain types of plants are more sensitive to changes in atmospheric
CO 2 concentration.
Carbon footprint is the total amount of greenhouse gases that are emitted into the
atmosphere each year by a person, family, building, organization, or company. A
person’s carbon footprint includes greenhouse gas emissions from fuel that an
individual burns directly, such as by heating a home or riding in a car. It also
includes greenhouse gases that come from producing the goods or services that the
individual uses, including emissions from power plants that make electricity, factories that make products, and landfills where trash gets sent.
Carbon sequestration is a process involving the storage of carbon through natural
or technological processes in biomass or in deep geological formations. Terrestrial or
biological carbon sequestration is the process by which trees and plants absorb
carbon dioxide, release the oxygen, and store the carbon. Geologic sequestration is
one step in the process of carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) and involves
injecting carbon dioxide deep underground where it stays almost permanently.
3.1.2 Methane
Methane (CH 4 ) is a colorless, odorless, flammable hydrocarbon (CH 4 ) gas. It is a
product of decomposition of organic matter and of the carbonization of coal.
Methane is one of the greenhouse gas chemical compounds. It is one of greenhouse
gases with a global warming potential most recently estimated at 25 times that of
carbon dioxide (CO 2 ). Methane is produced through anaerobic (without oxygen)
decomposition of waste in landfills, animal digestion, decomposition of animal
wastes, production and distribution of natural gas and petroleum, coal production,
and incomplete fossil fuel combustion.
Natural gas is the underground deposits of gases consisting of 50–90 percent
methane (CH 4 ) and small amounts of heavier gaseous hydrocarbon compounds such
as propane (C 3 H 8 ) and butane (C 4 H 10 ).
3.1.3 Nitrous Oxide
Nitrous oxide (N 2 O) is a powerful greenhouse gas with a global warming potential
of 298 times that of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ). Major sources of nitrous oxide include
soil cultivation practices, especially the use of commercial and organic fertilizers,
fossil fuel combustion, nitric acid production, and biomass burning. The GWP is
from the IPCC’s Fourth Assessment Report (AR4). Natural emissions of N 2 O are
mainly from bacteria breaking down nitrogen in soils and the oceans. Nitrous oxide
is mainly removed from the atmosphere through destruction in the stratosphere by
ultraviolet radiation and associated chemical reactions, but it can also be consumed
by certain types of bacteria in soils.
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L. K. Wang et al.
potential, i.e., MMTCO 2 Eq ¼ (million metric tons of a gas) * (GWP of the gas).
Carbon dioxide fertilization is the enhancement of the growth of plants as a result
of increased atmospheric CO 2 concentration. Depending on their mechanism of
photosynthesis, certain types of plants are more sensitive to changes in atmospheric
CO 2 concentration.
Carbon footprint is the total amount of greenhouse gases that are emitted into the
atmosphere each year by a person, family, building, organization, or company. A
person’s carbon footprint includes greenhouse gas emissions from fuel that an
individual burns directly, such as by heating a home or riding in a car. It also
includes greenhouse gases that come from producing the goods or services that the
individual uses, including emissions from power plants that make electricity, factories that make products, and landfills where trash gets sent.
Carbon sequestration is a process involving the storage of carbon through natural
or technological processes in biomass or in deep geological formations. Terrestrial or
biological carbon sequestration is the process by which trees and plants absorb
carbon dioxide, release the oxygen, and store the carbon. Geologic sequestration is
one step in the process of carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) and involves
injecting carbon dioxide deep underground where it stays almost permanently.
3.1.2 Methane
Methane (CH 4 ) is a colorless, odorless, flammable hydrocarbon (CH 4 ) gas. It is a
product of decomposition of organic matter and of the carbonization of coal.
Methane is one of the greenhouse gas chemical compounds. It is one of greenhouse
gases with a global warming potential most recently estimated at 25 times that of
carbon dioxide (CO 2 ). Methane is produced through anaerobic (without oxygen)
decomposition of waste in landfills, animal digestion, decomposition of animal
wastes, production and distribution of natural gas and petroleum, coal production,
and incomplete fossil fuel combustion.
Natural gas is the underground deposits of gases consisting of 50–90 percent
methane (CH 4 ) and small amounts of heavier gaseous hydrocarbon compounds such
as propane (C 3 H 8 ) and butane (C 4 H 10 ).
3.1.3 Nitrous Oxide
Nitrous oxide (N 2 O) is a powerful greenhouse gas with a global warming potential
of 298 times that of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ). Major sources of nitrous oxide include
soil cultivation practices, especially the use of commercial and organic fertilizers,
fossil fuel combustion, nitric acid production, and biomass burning. The GWP is
from the IPCC’s Fourth Assessment Report (AR4). Natural emissions of N 2 O are
mainly from bacteria breaking down nitrogen in soils and the oceans. Nitrous oxide
is mainly removed from the atmosphere through destruction in the stratosphere by
ultraviolet radiation and associated chemical reactions, but it can also be consumed
by certain types of bacteria in soils.
6
L. K. Wang et al.