What is global warming?

Why is it so dark during the day? Why is it snowing so early? Why are there so many extreme weather events in recent years? Bill McGuire, a world-renowned natural disaster expert, put forward in his "Save the Earth in 7 Years" that if greenhouse gases are not controlled, the earth will enter an irreversible vicious circle in 20 15 years, and various disasters including war, plague, drought, flood, famine and hurricane will sweep the earth, causing human beings to encounter "doomsday catastrophe".

As early as 1995, many scientists of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change have pointed out that the potential climate change is beyond doubt. In some areas, extreme high temperature weather, floods and droughts will become more frequent, and the ensuing fires, insect outbreaks and ecological destruction are inevitable.

Think of those "climate refugees" who are facing the disappearance of their homes-how much of their disaster is because of you? If all this is related to "carbon", will you still feel that low carbon is far away from you?

1. "Last chance to save mankind"

The United Nations Climate Change Conference opens in Copenhagen.

On February 7, 2009, 65438, the United Nations Climate Change Conference was held in Copenhagen, Denmark. World political elites from 192 countries are here to discuss good strategies to cool our planet.

The full name of the United Nations Climate Change Conference is15th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and 5th Conference of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol, which is another crucial self-salvation after human beings begin to realize their mistakes.

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1988-the first warning of global warming.

1988 In the summer, 69 cities in the United States set a record for the highest single-day high temperature. In Los Angeles, the mercury column of the thermometer pointed to 43℃, and 400 transformers exploded in one day. At the same time, the midwest of the United States also suffered the worst drought in history. In that unusual summer, the United Nations Environment Programme held a meeting in Toronto, established the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, and began to prepare for the upcoming conference on environment and development in Rio de Janeiro from June 65438 to June 0992. This is one of the most influential conferences in the last 10 year of the 20th century, which sounded the alarm of global warming.

At the first press conference of the conference, Lavita, a representative from Fiji, said that her country was in danger of disappearing because of rising sea level. She shed tears at the meeting and touched the whole world. Lavita said: "I have a hope that in 15 years, I can have my own children and they will have a home." Then, we will have a beautiful island. " Behind Lavita's tears are endless worries about losing her home and endless desire to protect it.

2. Beauty that is about to disappear

According to the climatologist's prediction of global warming, in fact, not only Fiji Island where Lavita is located, but also countless natural beauty or wonders will disappear in the world. It is the most beautiful place and the most fragile place in the world that is most likely to disappear or undergo drastic changes.

Beauty that is about to disappear

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The World Earth Day

Earth Day originated in America. 1On April 22nd, 970, more than two million Americans spontaneously launched a massive mass environmental protection movement. Since then, American NGOs have proposed to designate April 22nd as "Earth Day" every year, aiming at arousing people's awareness of caring for the earth and protecting their homes, and promoting the coordinated development of resource exploitation and environmental protection. In 2009, the 63rd UN General Assembly unanimously adopted a resolution to designate April 22nd as "Earth Day". The theme of China 20 10 to commemorate Earth Day is: "Cherish the Earth's resources, change the development mode, and advocate a low-carbon life."

Tuvalu is the second smallest country in the world after Nauru, covering an area of 26 square kilometers and consisting of 9 coral atolls. The highest altitude in the country is only 4.5 meters. 17 During the period from 1993 to 20 10, the total sea level in Tuvalu increased by 9.12cm. According to this figure, the sea level will rise by 37.6 cm in 50 years, which means that at least 60% of Tuvalu's land will be completely submerged in seawater. Some scientists believe that Tuvalu will be the first country to sink to the bottom of the sea.

Australia's Great Barrier Reef is the largest coral reef area in the world, consisting of 2,900 coral reefs. Overlooking the Great Barrier Reef from the air, it is like a pearl shining with blue and pure white light, and is called "the transparent and clear wild kingdom on the sea". Due to overfishing, coastal development, sewage and pesticide pollution into the sea and global warming, a large number of local coral reefs have collapsed. Every 65438 0℃ increase in seawater temperature in coral growing area will cause coral bleaching and accelerate its death. If coral reefs begin to regenerate naturally, it will take at least 200 to 500 years to recover to their present scale. The Dead Sea in the Middle East, Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa and the Amazon rainforest in South America are also facing the same dilemma. According to the study by the Hadley Center of the British Met Office, if the temperature rises to 4℃, 85% of the Amazon rainforest will no longer exist.

Scientists speculate about the future climate.

Sea level change in China in 2009 (data quoted from China Ocean Bulletin 2009 of the State Oceanic Administration)

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20 10 is the most abnormal year in China.

In 20 10, extreme high temperature and heavy precipitation events occurred frequently, with large intensity and wide range, which was rare in history and was the most abnormal year in China since this century. The annual average temperature is 0.7℃ higher than normal, which is the 10 warmest year since 196 1 and the 14 continuous high temperature year. The annual precipitation is too high, the seasonal and regional distribution is uneven, and drought and flood disasters occur alternately. Extraordinary droughts and heavy rains in southwest China frequently hit south China's Jiangnan and Hainan, and rare precipitation and heavy precipitation triggered Zhouqu mudslide. In 20 10, the loss caused by climate disaster in China was the highest since this century, exceeding 500 billion yuan, and more than 4,800 people died as a result of the disaster. The direct economic losses and deaths are the highest in 10 years. (Data quoted from China Climate Bulletin 20 10)

Global warming, but to what extent? According to the data released by the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the global average surface temperature increased by 0.74℃(0.56~0.92℃) during 2005 1906 ~ 100, and the increase rate reached 0.65℃ during the 50 years from1956 to 2005. For ordinary people, the temperature difference of only 0.74℃ in a day is almost imperceptible, but for the whole earth, this difference in average surface temperature is no small matter.

In the near future, what will we see: the Alps, known as the "European water tower", will lose 70% of the snow on its top in 2050; Glaciers in the Himalayas, the roof of the world, will all melt in 2035; Glaciers on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, known as the "China Water Tower" and the birthplace of great rivers in China, will decrease by 1.3 1.4 square kilometers every year.

Rising temperatures and melting glaciers will lead to rising global sea levels. In the 20th century, the global sea level rose by about 0. 17m. In this regard, scientists all over the world use 3 1 complex climate model to predict the global climate change in the future 100 under six representative greenhouse gas emission scenarios. The results show that compared with 1990, the global average surface temperature will increase by 1.4~5.8℃ in 2 100. According to the latest observation results released by China Meteorological Bureau, from 1908 to 2007, the average surface temperature in China has increased by 1. 1℃ in recent hundred years. In recent 30 years, the average sea level rise rate along the coast of China is 2.6 mm/year, showing a fluctuating upward trend, which is higher than the global average sea level rise rate.

4. Why is carbon dioxide the chief culprit of climate warming?

Schematic diagram of greenhouse effect of carbon dioxide

Greenhouse gases include carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs) and sulfur hexafluoride (SF6). The warming effect of carbon dioxide molecules is not the biggest. The warming effect of 1 methane molecule is 2 1 times that of1carbon dioxide molecule. Why is carbon dioxide the chief culprit of global warming?

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Greenhouse effect principle

The electromagnetic wavelength emitted by the sun is very short, which is called solar short-wave radiation. The electromagnetic wavelength emitted by the earth becomes longer because of the low temperature, which is called ground long-wave radiation. The atmosphere is almost transparent to solar short-wave radiation, but it absorbs ground long-wave radiation strongly. While absorbing long-wave radiation from the ground, the atmosphere itself radiates long-wave radiation with longer wavelength (because the temperature of the atmosphere is lower than that of the ground). The part that goes down to the ground is called inverse radiation. The ground will heat up after receiving inverse radiation, or the atmosphere will keep the ground warm. This is the principle of atmospheric greenhouse effect.

That's because the content of carbon dioxide on the earth is much higher than other gases, and its life span in the atmosphere is quite long, so its greenhouse effect is the biggest. Carbon dioxide absorbs the infrared radiation of the earth, causing the temperature of the near-surface atmosphere to rise. When the atmosphere warms, the evaporation on the ground will increase, which will lead to the increase of water vapor in the atmosphere. The increase of water vapor will further enhance the absorption of infrared radiation from the earth by the near-surface atmosphere. As a result of this interaction, the increase of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has changed the original atmospheric heat balance and caused global warming.

Experts estimate that for every 25% increase in carbon dioxide content in the atmosphere, the near-surface temperature will increase by 0.5 ~ 2.0℃; If the carbon dioxide content in the atmosphere increases by 100%, the near-surface temperature will increase by 1.5 ~ 6.0℃. If this estimate is correct, then the impact of carbon dioxide on the global climate can not be ignored after the mid-20th century.

5. What is the carbon cycle in nature?

Carbon (C) is the basic element of biological protoplasm, which is extremely abundant in nature. Carbon cycle is the cycle of carbon-containing substances in the whole nature, including the fixation and regeneration of carbon dioxide. Taking the carbon cycle in the biosphere as an example, green plants hydrate carbon dioxide in the atmosphere into organic substances such as sugars through photosynthesis. Synthetic carbon-containing organic compounds are used by animals and plants, and release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere through respiration during their life activities. The remains of plants or animals are decomposed into carbon dioxide by microorganisms and finally discharged into the atmosphere, and the carbon dioxide produced after decomposition returns to the atmosphere. In addition, coal and oil transformed from ancient animal and plant remains were exploited by people, and a large amount of carbon dioxide was discharged into the atmosphere through combustion, which also joined the carbon cycle of the ecosystem.

Schematic diagram of natural carbon cycle

The concentration of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide is increasing day by day.

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Influence of modern industrial development on carbon cycle

Before being disturbed by human activities, the CO2 content in the atmosphere was quite stable. With the rapid development of modern industry, human beings burn a lot of fossil fuels such as coal and oil, so that the carbon accumulated in the stratum after millions of years is released in a short time, and the amount of CO2 produced increases by 4.8% every year. This will lead to the increase of CO2 concentration in the atmosphere, break the balance of carbon cycle, form a "greenhouse effect" and lead to climate anomalies.

It can be seen that the carbon cycle between biological community and inorganic environment mainly exists in the form of carbon dioxide. With the global cycle, the carbon cycle is global.

6. What is a low carbon economy?

Under the background of global warming, "low-carbon economy" based on low energy consumption and low pollution has become a global hotspot. Low-carbon economy refers to changing the development mode of high-carbon emissions under the guidance of the concept of sustainable development, and reducing the consumption of high-carbon energy such as coal and oil and greenhouse gas emissions as much as possible through various means such as technological innovation, institutional innovation, industrial transformation and new energy development, so as to achieve green, sustainable and healthy development with low energy consumption, low pollution and low emissions, and achieve a win-win situation for economic and social development and ecological environmental protection.

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Misunderstanding of low-carbon economy

The first misunderstanding is that low-carbon economy is a poor economy. Developing a low-carbon economy is not poverty, but prosperity on the premise of protecting the environment and climate. Through technological innovation, people should reduce carbon emissions while improving their lives. The second misunderstanding is that once a low-carbon economy is established, heavy industry with high energy consumption and high emissions will not develop. In fact, the low-carbon economy should rely on the adjustment of industrial structure and the development of new energy technologies to improve carbon efficiency and reduce carbon emissions. The third misunderstanding: think that the low-carbon economy is a matter for the government and has nothing to do with individuals. The low-carbon economy is around us, and its benefits are tangible and can be implemented in practical actions.

Specifically, it includes: ① low-carbon production mode. Through low energy consumption and intensive utilization of energy resources, the emission of greenhouse gases in the production process is reduced, and the pressure brought by economic growth on the ecological environment and climate change is alleviated. ② Low-carbon energy supply and consumption system. Develop new and renewable energy, increase the supply of low-carbon and carbon-free energy, and control the use of fossil energy. ③ Low-carbon lifestyle. Through social energy conservation and emission reduction, the consumption of energy-intensive products will be restrained, people's high-carbon consumption tendency and preference will be changed, and the sustainable consumption mode of low-carbon survival will be realized.

7. Development course of low-carbon economy

The growth rate of global greenhouse gas emissions has attracted the attention of all countries in the world. 1On May 22, 1992, the climate change convention reached by the United Nations Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee was adopted at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (Earth Summit) held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on June 4, 1992. Thereafter, the Conference of the Parties to the Convention will be held once a year.

Development course of low-carbon economy

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The first country to legislate for greenhouse gas emission reduction targets

The Climate Change Act promulgated in 2008 made Britain the first country in the world to legislate for greenhouse gas emission reduction targets, and established the corresponding Ministry of Energy and Climate Change. According to the law, the British government must devote itself to developing a low-carbon economy and achieve the goal of reducing emissions by 80% by 2050. Britain is also the first country in the world to introduce and start collecting climate change tax.

1997 At the Third Conference of the Parties to the Convention held in Kyoto, Japan, 159 countries signed the Kyoto Protocol, legally requiring 4 1 industrialized countries to control and reduce the emissions of six greenhouse gases, and setting emission reduction limits for these countries. The goal is that during the period from 2008 to 2065, 438+02 industrialized countries will take this as an important step for people in the global village to protect climate resources and an important and concrete action taken by the international community to protect the global climate.

On February 24th, 2003, the British Department of Trade and Industry released a white paper on energy with the theme of "Our Energy Future: Creating a Low-carbon Economy". This is the first time that a low-carbon economy has appeared in government documents.

Emission reduction targets of major carbon dioxide emitting countries in Kyoto Protocol

8. The Milestone of Mankind's Response to Climate Change-"Bali Road Map"

On February 3rd, 65438, the world-famous United Nations Climate Change Conference was held in Bali, Indonesia. 65,000 representatives from 92 parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change/KLOC-0 and 76 parties to the Kyoto Protocol/KLOC-0 attended the meeting, aiming at seeking international support for climate change and global warming.

After more than ten days of fierce confrontation and difficult compromise, the General Assembly finally adopted a resolution called "Bali Road Map". The main contents include: significantly reducing global greenhouse gas emissions, and setting specific greenhouse gas emission reduction targets for all developed countries (including the United States) should be considered in future negotiations; Developing countries should strive to control the growth of greenhouse gas emissions, but do not set specific targets; In order to deal with global warming more effectively, developed countries have the obligation to help developing countries in technology development and transfer and financial support. Bali road map is regarded as a new milestone in the history of human response to climate change.

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China has made its own contribution to drawing the Bali road map.

China regards environmental protection as a basic national policy. According to the provisions of the Convention, combined with China's economic and social development planning and sustainable development strategy, the National Plan for China to Address Climate Change was formulated and promulgated, and a national leading group for addressing climate change was established, and a series of laws and regulations were promulgated. China's efforts have been well received by all countries.

9. Ways to achieve a low-carbon economy

Developing low-carbon economy is the inevitable choice of today's society. Low-carbon economy is an economic model based on low energy consumption, low emission and low pollution, and it is another great progress of human society after primitive civilization, agricultural civilization and industrial civilization. Its essence is to improve energy utilization efficiency and create a clean energy structure, and its core is technological innovation, institutional innovation and the change of development concept. Developing low-carbon economy is a global revolution, involving production mode, lifestyle, values and national rights and interests.

There are two ways to realize low-carbon economy: one is to change the structure of energy use; The second is to improve energy efficiency. Specifically, changing the energy structure is to reduce dependence on fossil energy, increase the proportion of non-fossil energy such as solar energy, wind energy, nuclear energy, biomass energy and hydropower in primary energy use, and achieve the purpose of reducing carbon emissions. Improving energy efficiency refers to using energy-saving technologies in all aspects of industry and life, reducing energy use and realizing carbon emission reduction.

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Ways to realize the development model of low-carbon economy in China

The development of low-carbon economy is influenced by the geography, energy structure and environmental resources of different countries. For our country, coal is the main energy source, which is different from the way and form that western countries mainly adopt oil. The ways to realize low-carbon economy are: reducing the proportion of coal in the national energy structure and increasing the proportion of coal purification; Storing atmospheric greenhouse gases in biological carbon pool through land use adjustment and forestry measures; Improve energy efficiency, focusing on improving the energy consumption structure and efficiency of cities; Participate in international emission reduction activities, strengthen international economic and technological cooperation and so on.

10. the voice of China in a low-carbon world

Carbon dioxide emissions of major countries in the world in 2008

After Copenhagen Climate Change Conference, "low carbon" became a hot topic, and China's attitude became the focus of global attention. On the eve of the Copenhagen Climate Change Conference on June 26th, 2009, China made a responsible commitment to the world: by 2020, China's carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP will be reduced by 40%~45% compared with 2005. This is an independent action taken by China according to its own national conditions, and it is also a great effort made by China for the global response to climate change.

Faced with this commitment, China has made great efforts to shut down 50 million kilowatts of small thermal power units, eliminating 654.38 billion tons of backward ironmaking capacity and 55 million tons of backward steelmaking capacity. At the same time, it will accelerate the development of circular economy and improve the efficiency of energy resources utilization; Accelerate the development of renewable energy.

By 2020, China will install 300 million kilowatts of hydropower, 30 million kilowatts of biomass power generation and 30 million kilowatts of wind power generation. By then, the proportion of renewable energy in China will increase from 7.5% in 2005 to 15%, and the forest coverage rate will increase from 18.2% to 20%. Even in the face of the impact of the international financial crisis, the China government has not relaxed its efforts in energy conservation and emission reduction. Among the 4 trillion new investments made by the central government, the investment related to climate change, environmental protection and ecological construction has reached 580 billion yuan, and the investment devoted to environmental protection is 200 billion yuan (data quoted from Guangming Daily).

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Geological research on global climate change boosts China's right to speak in international carbon emission reduction negotiations.

Since 2000, China has conducted a geological survey of climate change in more than 1000 caves in karst areas of Guizhou, Yunnan, Hunan, Guangxi and Sichuan provinces, and accurately obtained the soil carbon storage in the survey area. The national average soil organic carbon storage is 15339 tons /km2, which indicates that China soil carbon pool has great carbon sequestration potential. It is found that karst can absorb carbon dioxide, which is about 600 million tons worldwide and 70 million tons in China. The above results provide an important basis for China to gain the right to speak in international carbon emission reduction negotiations.

1 1. Climate warming crisis and its mechanism

Climate warming has led to a series of ecological problems, and human beings are facing a major ecological and environmental crisis. Under the trend of global warming, countries have responded to the call and put forward new strategies and policies to develop low-carbon economy. These policies and measures mainly include: transforming traditional high-carbon industries and strengthening low-carbon technological innovation; Actively develop renewable energy and new clean energy; Use market mechanism and economic leverage to urge enterprises to reduce carbon emissions; Strengthen international cooperation on carbon emission reduction. At present, the world's major developed countries focus on new energy development, energy-saving technology, smart grid and other fields, and take low-carbon economy and low-carbon technology as new strategic growth points.

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Seven "sins" of global warming

In recent years, scientists have done a lot of research on the impact of global warming. Although we can't fully predict the changes that global warming will bring to the earth, human beings have a deeper understanding of the negative effects of global warming. Scientists have listed seven "sins" of global warming:

(1) The fate of the island country is worrying; (2) The threat of natural disasters is increasing; (3) The biological chain is disrupted; (4) Infectious diseases are rampant; (5) The contradiction between supply and demand of water resources has intensified; (6) frequent heat waves in summer; (7) Economic development casts a shadow.

On July 8, 2009, the G8 Summit proposed that by 2050, the total greenhouse gas emissions of developed countries will be reduced by more than 80% on the basis of 1990 or one year later, and the global greenhouse gas emissions will be reduced by at least 50% by 2050. In order to achieve this goal, the global economy must be transformed into a low-carbon economy. This indicates that the low-carbon economy will be an important embodiment of national competitiveness and enterprise competitiveness in the next 40 years from now to 2050.

It can be judged that the world economy is moving towards low carbon after industrialization and informatization, and the era of low carbon economy has arrived. This international background is both a challenge and an opportunity for China. Therefore, how to explore a low-carbon energy path, especially the low-carbon path of fossil energy, has become an important topic that the current society must face.