Is Climate Change The Same As Air Pollution?

The sun breaking through
Copyright Environmental Protection Agency

Climate change is a major threat to the health of our planet. Air pollution is closely linked but they are usually treated as separate problems. Rising levels of C02 and other gases increase the greenhouse effect, which in turn raises temperatures and affects global weather patterns.

Doing Something About It

The United Nations agreed a Convention to tackle the problem. Later this was strengthened by the Kyoto Protocol, when developed countries agreed to reduce their emissions of greenhouse gas (GHG) by 5.2% below the 1990 level.

Kyoto Protocol

Under the Kyoto Protocol, Ireland undertook to limit its emissions to an annual average of 62.8 million tonnes (13% above the 1990 levels) over the period 2008-2012.

Total GHG emissions in Ireland increased from 55.52 million tonnes CO2 equivalent in 1990 to 70.73 million tonnes CO2 equivalent in 2001. Following this long period of sustained increase, the emissions decreased to 68.64 million tonnes CO2 equivalent in 2003, a reduction of approximately three percent on their highest level in 2001. However, by 2009 emissions had decreased to 62.31 million tonnes, because of the economic downturn.

Agriculture, energy and transport sectors are major sources - making up 71.3% of the total emission in 2009. The industrial and commercial sector contributed 14.8% in the same year, while residential produced 12% in 2009. Things have changed since 1990, with transport emissions increasing by 156%, while agriculture's share reduced.

The graph below shows Ireland's distance to our Kyoto target.