Climate Public Policy at ACS April 2021

Newsletter

Please contact us if your molecules are misbehaving and you desire chemical information on metals and oxides, semiconductors, polymers, natural products, and more!

Details below on 1) indoor air quality, 2) methane, 3) carbon dioxide, 4) misleading information, and 5) SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 Resources.

1) Indoor Air Quality

Ensure the ventilation on trains and busses is operating. Carbon dioxide should not exceed 1,000 ppm CO2 except for brief periods. Outside fresh air is 423 ppm CO2. Increase air exchange and use MERV 13 filters.

2) Methane

The current global market value of methane (natural gas) is $105 billion and is projected to grow at least 5% per year. Methane is second in terms of contribution to the greenhouse gas inventory, between carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide, and accounting for about 30% of the global warming since the industrial revolution; the atmospheric concentration of methane is increasing faster than at any time since record keeping began in the 1980s. Methane’s savior is its mean atmospheric lifetime of about ten years, providing a near-term opportunity to mitigate its atmospheric concentration, the imbalance between natural sources and sinks.

“Based on average natural gas prices from 2017 to 2021, we estimate that around 40% of methane emissions from oil and gas operations could be avoided at no net cost because the outlays for the abatement measures are less than the market value of the additional gas that is captured. Based on the record gas prices seen around the world in 2022, we estimate that about 80% of the options to reduce emissions from oil and gas operations worldwide could be implemented at no net cost. Around USD 100 billion in investment is required to 2030 to deploy all methane abatement measures in the oil and gas sector. This is less than 3% of the net income received by the oil and gas industry in 2022.”

https://www.iea.org/reports/global-methane-tracker-2023/overview

3) Carbon Dioxide

Globally, approximately 50 billion tonnes (50 Gt) of greenhouse gases, as measured in carbon dioxide equivalents, are emitted directly into the atmosphere each year. Energy use (electricity, heat and transport) accounts for 73.2%, direct industrial processes 5.2%, waste 3.2%, and agriculture, forestry and land use 18.4%.

4) Coping with Misleading Information

Information flows to us via many channels. Misleading information is more than an inconvenience, it can create chaos and delay or prevent decisions in public health, environmental action, and the market. Scientific literature enjoys longstanding guardrails to publish peer-reviewed reports and issue retractions when warranted. The popular press and social media proffer in real time and mis- and dis-information can spread like wildfire; if unchallenged, societal polarization can increase and confidence in public institutions can erode. We need to help society understand complex social and technical issues. Frame your activities around who is creating the content, who is amplifying the content, and who is affected by the content.

5) SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19

The coronavirus is airborne, an aerosol. Filters, masks, and vaccines help stop spreading.

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