Sota 1
Keshav SotaDr. MattinglyNJ ScholarsJuly 16th, 2014Analyzing
effects of Black Carbon (BC) on Climate Change
Introduction:Black carbon, also known colloquially as soot, is a
fine particle that currently threatens the stability of Earths
climate. Studies have correlated it to increases in global
temperature, rising sea levels, decrepit human health conditions,
glacier eradication, as well as weather changes. The man made
particle has caused immense damages and poses to continue causing
damage. However, the catastrophic disasters of black carbon can
substantially be averted if humans either reduce emissions or adopt
technologies to moderate it. Analyzing the effects of black carbon
is an important part in addressing the scientific nature of the
issue and establishing it as a serious problem the world faces.
Section 2: Particular Pollution and Black Carbon: The
ProblemParticular Matter is a term for the mixture of tiny solid
and liquid particles that are found in the air. The sizes of the
particles can vary, with some only visible through the use of an
electron microscope. Particulate matter can be found in nature
through two methods: primary and secondary. Primary particles are
particles emitted directly by sources such as fires, construction,
factory emissions, and unpaved roads. Secondary particles are
reactions that occur in the atmosphere through, typically but not
limited to, anthropogenic means. Sulfur dioxides, nitrogen oxides,
and soot emitted through factories react in the atmosphere and
produce a significant portion of pollution. Black carbon, a type of
secondary particle, is a form of fine particulate matter
[footnoteRef:1]that is emitted through the incomplete combustion of
fossil fuels and biomass. Typically created through burning of
fossil fuels, black carbon is being deemed by scientists as a major
catalyst in rising sea levels. Black carbons light absorbing
properties have posed a significant threat to glaciers. Majority of
the ice cover melting, 90%, is caused by excessive aerosol presence
in snow and glacier region, of which at least 30% is black
carbon.[footnoteRef:2] [1: A fine particulate matter is defined as
any particle that has a diameter less than 2.5 micrometers] [2:
Menon, Berkley Labs Black Carbon a Significant Factor in Melting of
Himalayan Glaciers]
Fig 1[footnoteRef:3] [3: MIT. Black Carbon emissions from a
factory]
Section 3: Sources of Black Carbon EmissionsA proposed solution
to fighting the black carbon has been quite simply stated: reduce
the total emissions. However, to cut emissions, identifying the
major sources is as vital as the reduction itself. Thus, scientists
can focus on the inefficiencies and rectify them.
Section 3.1: Residential Cooking and Heating as sources of black
carbon emissionsIn the developing world, over 3 billion people
depend on rudimentary forms of stoves and heat supplies to prepare
their food. 2 The inefficient cooking methods utilized produce
black carbon as a byproduct, accounting nearly 21% of all black
carbon emissions globally. The general phenomenon found in least
developing countries is that citizens do not have accessibility to
electricity and other modern sources for heating. As a result,
local supplies such as wood and coal become primary sources of
fuel. For example, there are over 29 million woods burning
fireplaces used that emit toxic air pollutants including black
carbon.
Section 3.2 Factory Emissions China and India have been
identified as major sources of black carbon emissions. The black
carbon emissions in both countries have far exceeded the exposure
suggested by the World Health Organization. The United States
embassy in Beijing found that the average reading of particulate
matter in Punjab, a province of India, was 473, almost twice of
Chinas high average of 227. Only once in three weeks did Delhi, the
capital of India, have a reading below 300, which is still twelve
times the recommended exposure. [footnoteRef:4] A significant
portion of the emissions in these countries comes from unregulated
factories. In China specifically, 17% of the black carbon emitted
was solely for production use. [footnoteRef:5] Typically, 21% of
these export related emissions could be based in products consumed
in are for the United States. As Zhi Ning, a Professor at City
University of Hong Kongs School of Energy says, Air pollution
doesnt have boundaries. Thus, all of the factory emissions not only
cause an immense concentration of soot to form in China, but also
carries over to other nations such as well. [4: US Embassy in
Beijing ] [5: Bloomberg]
Section 3.3 Diesel as source of emissions Globally, diesel
accounts for about 25% of all black carbon emission, most coming
from on-road vehicles[footnoteRef:6]. Although there has been a
shift towards black carbon reduction, 53% of US black carbon
emissions yearly still comes from diesel engines in the transport
industry. In Asian countries the shift towards reducing black
carbon in transport industries is lagging even more. China, for
example, still has over 15 million diesel vehicles that produce
600,000 tons of particulate matter, of which 80% is purely black
carbon emission[footnoteRef:7]. [6: Diesel Form ] [7: China
Carbon]
Section 4: Effects of Black Carbon The effects of black carbon
are disparate and have immense implications. The biggest impacts
however are on glaciers, weather cycle and health issues. Section
4. 1 Effects of Black Carbon on GlaciersSection 4. 1. 1: Black
Carbon and the Albedo EffectThe albedo effect is the phenomenon
that occurs when a fraction of solar energy is reflected from the
Earth back into space. The more energy that is reflected back into
space, the less UV radiation is absorbed. The ice albedo effect,
specifically geared towards climate change, occurs when the suns
rays hit the white surface of a glacier. If a snow- covered area
warms and the snow melts, albedo decreases and more sunlight is
absorbed. However, when black carbon is present on a glacier, the
ice albedo effect is negated. Essentially, the emissions reduce the
area of the albedo and absorb the UV radiation from the sun.
Instead of reflecting, the black-carbon snow melts the glacier and
runs off into the ocean, raising global sea levels. Even a small
increase can have a devastating effect on coastal habitats- inland
seawater can cause erosion, flooding, and contamination of
aquifers. [footnoteRef:8] Furthermore, millions of people who live
in low elevation areas become more prone to effects of flooding.
Higher sea levels would force refugees to relocate to new areas and
abandon their livestyles.5 Furthermore, experts claim that at the
rate glaciers are melting, the oceans would rise between 2.5 and
6.5 feet, enough to swamp many United States East Coast cities.
Black carbon emissions will have immense impacts on geography
unless it is controlled. [8: National Geographic]
Fig 3[footnoteRef:9] [9: Polar Husky. The Albedo Effect]
Section 4.1.2 History of Black Carbon and GlaciersA NASA team
recently uncovered that soot from the industrialization of Europe
created irreparable damage to glaciers by forcing them into
retreat. The Little Ice Age, defined as the cool period between
14th and 19th century, was the time when the temperature of Europe
dropped by 1.8 degrees. However, even as temperatures continued to
drop, glaciers were still retreating by an average of .6
miles.[footnoteRef:10] Thomas Painter, a snow and ice scientist at
NASA who led the study claimed that, [Glacial Retreat] suggests
that human influence on glaciers extends back to well before the
industrial temperature increases. To ascertain how glaciers were
being affected, ice cores were drilled from European glaciers and
black carbon concentration was measured. Using computer models and
simulations and prior weather conditions, the effect of black
carbon was found to have been related to the economic and
industrialization in Europe during the 1850s. The use of coal to
heat homes and power transportation released immense quantities of
black carbon into the atmosphere. As a result, glaciers were
affected by these emissions and retreated instead of increasing as
expected. The effects of black carbon may prove to be permanent; a
phenomenon scientists have yet to analyze more. Although black
carbon washes out quickly out of the atmosphere, some of the
effects still are residual.[footnoteRef:11] [10: NASA] [11:
Yale]
Section 4.1.3: Himalayas and Black CarbonSpecifically in
isolated examples, clack carbons deposits on Tibetan glaciers have
posed a significant threat to the Himalayan Mountains. In the past
thirty years, temperatures have risen by 1C almost twice the rate
of observed global temperature increases. NASAs Goddard Institute
for Space studies (GISS) has attributed this phenomenon to the
increasing presence of black carbon in the region. A researcher at
Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing found that black carbon
concentrations have increased two-three fold in the region since
1975. In fact, GISS has found that almost 95% of the Himalayan
glaciers are currently in retreat[footnoteRef:12]. According to
current climate models, if the trend continues, the glaciers are
retreating so quickly that they could disappear by the
mid-century.11 However, the destruction of the glaciers also poses
a significant threat to the life in the region. Natives in the
region are very dependent on the melt water of the glaciers, the
primary source of the Ganges and Indus River. Although there are
alternative methods to accrue water, the melt water from glaciers
allows for stability during droughts and seasonal weather changes.
As black carbon emissions are left unregulated in developing
countries such as China and India, the effect of this particulate
matter may become global. A study by the National Academy of
Sciences found that the black carbon emissions from China are
carried across the Pacific Ocean and contribute to the air
pollution in the Western United States.[footnoteRef:13] The paper
cites that the movement of pollutants with production of cheaper
goods has caused a decline in air quality in western countries. The
idea that black carbon emissions have only a local effect is simply
fallacious- as trends indicate, black carbon can threaten countries
that may not be heavy emitters. [12: NASA GISS ] [13: National
Academy of Sciences]
Fig 4[footnoteRef:14] [14: Project Surya Glacial Retreat of
Gangotri over 221 years]
Section 4.2 Black Carbons and Drought in China A joint study
between Columbia University and NASA Goddard Institute for Space
studies took the task to analyze the reason behind Chinas changing
weather patterns.[footnoteRef:15] The study utilized climate
computer models and monitored the effects of black carbon on the
hydrologic cycle over China and India. In four separate
simulations, the study isolated specific factors and analyzed
whether changes in the factor caused an alteration in the
hydrological cycle. The study found that increased black carbon was
the cause behind the increasing drought in North China and the
flooding in South China. Scientists on the study explained the
phenomenon that when soot absorbs sunlight, it heats the air and
reduces the amount of sunlight reaching the ground. As a result,
the heated air generated makes an unstable atmosphere and creates
clouds in heavily polluted area. Meanwhile, the rising air in South
China is balanced by an increase in sinking air in North China,
leading to a severe drought. The study concluded that excessive
anthropogenic black carbon emissions are responsible for the change
in weather patterns in China. [15: Menon et al.]
Section 5: Is Black Carbon even a problem?Since the Kyoto
Protocol of 1997[footnoteRef:16], black carbon has been seen as a
greater catalyst in the climate change that is occurring. However,
black carbon may not necessarily be having only a heating effect.
[16: The Kyoto Protocol is the UN treaty that sets binding
obligations on total emissions of green house gases]
Section 5.1: Black Carbon and Net Cooling EffectBlack carbon can
have multifarious effects on clouds, leading to both a cooling and
heating effect. The effect that black carbon has on cloud covers
[footnoteRef:17] varies based on the altitude of the black carbon.
Black carbon may reduce cloud cover if it is embedded in the cloud;
however, if located below, it instead enhances convection and
therefore, cloud coverage. Similarly, black carbon located above
the cloud layer stabilizes the layers underneath and tend to
enhance stratocumulus clouds. The creation of more clouds blocks
out more UV radiation [footnoteRef:18]from the sun and instead
promotes a net cooling effect. Reports indicate that this
phenomenon counteracts all the warming caused by black carbon and
thus shows that black carbon does not have any effect on climate.
[17: Mass of cloud covering all or most of the sky.] [18: Koch]
Fig 5[footnoteRef:19] [19: IPCC, Page 14 Black Carbon effects
are almost negated by cloud absorption]
Section 5.2 Black Carbon Abatement Technology: Cost-benefit
analysisBlack carbon, as established before, is mostly caused by
ineffective burning methods such as wood and coal. In order to fix
this problem, alternate technologies would need to be implemented.
A cost-benefit analysis [footnoteRef:20]looked at the cost of
abatement technology from inefficient combustion and found that
only few viable economic options were available. For example, a
wood stove worth $3 could economically be replaced with a cleaner
stove worth between $10-100. However, the abatement technology of
inefficient diesel trucks proves to be far more costly. To create a
particle trap on trucks to reduce the amount of black carbon
emission it would require a one-time expense of $5,000 -$10,000
with several thousands in repairs. Black carbon abatement
technologies investments would only prove to be economically
beneficial after 100 years. Therefore, simply waiting for better
technologies to be developed would prove to be a more efficient
plan of action rather than introducing reduction policies or
technologies. [20: Bond et al ]
Section 6: Is black carbon reduction the answer?With United
Nations reports stating the 50% of the emissions causing global
warming, scientists have turned to black carbon as a quick method
to reduce the effects of climate change.[footnoteRef:21] A study
led by Dr. Mark Jacobson of Stanford University decided to test the
benefits of cutting black carbon emissions and found that
reductions could lower Artic temperatures by 1.7 C within fifteen
years.[footnoteRef:22] A similar study by the United Nations found
that the effects of reducing black carbon, which contributes
100-2000 times to warming than carbon dioxide, could easily reduce
global warming by .5 C.[footnoteRef:23] To drastically reduce human
black carbon emissions, one alternative offered is to simply
replace inefficient wood fireplaces and stoves as well as to
educate wood burners. In fact, Aprovecho Research Center found that
cooking with well-made ethanol or kerosene stove would decrease
particle emissions by 99%. 24 Similarly, making the switch to
better technologies seemed to also increase revenue in certain
cases. In third world countries such as India, where brick-making
accounts for 15% of the black carbon emissions, choosing to adopt a
different style of kiln would not only reduce emissions by 80% but
would also generate a profit of $20,000 per year. [footnoteRef:24]
Another method to hamper black carbon emissions is to make cars
more efficient. By educating drivers about the importance of
maintaining constant speed, accelerating gently, and using
low-rolling resistance tires, fuel economy could reduce emissions
by as much as 7%. 24 Reducing emissions requires a simple change
from one person- the collective motion of everyone together is
strong enough to make a significant change [21: United Nations]
[22: Stanford University] [23: United Nations] [24: EPA]
Section 7 Conclusion: Black Carbon affecting our climate is an
established fact that science has proven. However, the issue boils
down to a series of ethical question. As much as science provides
one with evidence, the solution resides in the values that society
embraces. An important question that needs to be asked is: Is it
ones obligation to help out the countries being affected?
Developing countries China and India are large black carbon
emitters, and without much regulation enforcement to limit
emissions, they will continue to put out black carbon into the
atmosphere. Rising sea levels threaten countries with low elevation
such as Bangladesh, which ranks as the nation most vulnerable to
the impacts of climate change. In fact, Black carbon already
affects the lives of people daily in China through soot and smog,
and has become the number two contributors to global warming.
[footnoteRef:25] A Chinese study found a correlation between high
black carbon particles concentration and low birth weights as well
as preterm births.[footnoteRef:26] Another important question to
ask that arises is whether or not black carbon is a relevant issue
in perspective. Although the effects of black carbon may not be
seen in the current generations lifespan, it will become a
prevalent issue as time progresses. With less land available for
agriculture in agrarian societies, crop output would significantly.
For example, in 2008, the Mississippi River flood caused an
estimated $8 billion in damages to farmer- the damages to crop
production would be higher if sea levels continue to rise.
[footnoteRef:27] Finally, if black carbon is an immediate issue,
what solutions are available currently? Would enact new legislation
make a difference? Would the introduction of new technologies to
reduce the emissions be beneficial? All of these questions come
down to the ethical values of society- is it possible that only a
massive global paradigm shift would galvanize action? [25: IPCC]
[26: National Institute of Health] [27: Environmental Protection
Agency]
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