Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Recent monthly mean CO 2 at Mauna Loa
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fiGure 21.1 CO 2 concentration in the atmosphere (ppm) measured at mauna Loa Observatory Hawaii [3]. The dashed line with diamond
symbols represents the monthly mean values, centered on the middle of each month. The line with the square symbols represents the same,
after correction, for the average seasonal cycle.
Atmospheric CO 2 at Mauna Loa observatory
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Scripps Institution of Oceanography
NOAA Earth System Research Laboratory
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fiGure 21.2 monthly mean atmospheric CO 2 at mauna Loa Observatory, Hawaii [3]. The CO 2 data (sinusoidal curve) is measured as the
mole fraction in dry air; the other curve represents the seasonally corrected data.
There is a clear relationship between the increase in global average temperature and the concentration of CO 2 in the
atmosphere. Countries like the United States, China, and India with populations of 2.953 million to 2011 million (41.6% of
world population) generate just over 52% of CO 2 emissions [4]. Figure 21.3 shows the relationship between the population and
CO 2 emissions in 2011.
Figure  21.4a shows greenhouse gas emissions by sector in the United States. Using this categorization, emissions from
electricity generation accounted for the largest portion (33%), transportation activities accounted for the second largest portion
(27%), while emissions from industry accounted for the third largest portion (20%) of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions in 2010.
The global picture is not far behind (Fig. 21.4b). The generation of electricity and heat was by far the largest producer of CO 2
emissions and was responsible for 41% of world CO 2 emissions in 2010.
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