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The term carbon footprint is used to define the effect of greenhouse gases i.e. GHGs. These are present in the atmosphere due to some direct or indirect human activities. Moreover, these greenhouse gases are accountable for global warming which is the leading cause of climate change. Some of the major greenhouse gases in the earth’s atmosphere are CO2 i.e. carbon dioxide, H2O i.e. water vapour, CH4 i.e. methane, O3 i.e. ozone, N2O i.e. nitrous oxide, as well as chlorofluorocarbons.
Of the gases mentioned above, CO2 is the most dominant gas released into the atmosphere. This gas is released due to various factors such as vehicle emissions, power stations, burning fuels in houses, factory smoke, etc. The concentration of CO2’s in the atmosphere has risen from 280 ppm to 406 ppm as reported in the year 2017. Furthermore, CH4 is emitted by the landfill sites and agricultural sites. It is 25 times more potent per kilogram as compared to the carbon dioxide present in the atmosphere.
Background
The activities undertaken by human beings are one of the major causes behind the emission of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. These activities mainly result in climate change which has been occurring since the beginning of the industrial revolution in the year 1820. The greenhouse gases in the environment are increasing due to the usage of fossil fuels, energy, regular deforestation, etc. These activities by human beings are slowly making it difficult to reduce the number of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
Origin of the concept of Carbon Footprint
The concept and the term carbon footprint originated from the notion of an ecological footprint, developed by William E. Rees and Mathis Wackernagel in 1990. The carbon footprint belongs to the family of footprint indicators that includes ecological footprints, land footprints, as well as water footprints. While carbon footprints are generally reported according to the amount of emissions every year, the reporting of ecological footprints depends on what the earth can refurbish. Moreover, the carbon footprint is a part of the ecological footprint.
The innovative idea of a personal carbon footprint was made popular through a huge advertising campaign by a company named BP, which produced fossil fuels in the year 2005. The company was designed by Ogilvy and directed people to evaluate their personal footprints. It also gave multiple ways and methods to people to get a low-carbon diet. This strategy was also employed by other key fossil fuel companies.
Challenges
The concentration of the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere is increasing day by day, resulting in the rise in the temperature of the planet. Moreover, as the UNFCCC i.e. the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change stated, if the global average temperature increases by 20 degrees above the pre-industrial revolution levels, there will be irreversible damage to the earth. Furthermore, as the temperature is increasing speedily, the situation will become way too serious by the year 2050. Therefore, climate changes are going to heavily affect the planet in the coming decades.
Nowadays, all the nations around the globe except Syria and the United States of America recognize this risk of global warming and have united to mutually deal with this issue of climate change. Moreover, India is a tropical country and it will be one of the most affected nations. Global warming has previously increased the melting of glaciers in the Himalayas which is resulting in the raised frequency and gravity of droughts as well as floods.
Melting of Antarctic ice will also result in the increase of the sea levels which will unfavourably affect the ecosystem in the coastal states. Furthermore, it is also acknowledged that sections of the population, who have the smallest contributions to GHG emission, will be most affected from the result of changes in the atmosphere. Since extensive poverty is still a major problem in India, the impacts of the environmental change that occurred due to the increasing carbon footprints will be disastrous.
Conclusion
The greenhouse emissions are increasing day by day in today’s time. In a country like India, it is going to be very difficult to deal with the results of these increasing emissions in the climate. Moreover, this is happening due to various factors and activities for which human beings are accountable. Notably, these activities are surely going to increase global warming in the country and lead to climate change, damaging the ozone layer.
