Page 19 - Managing Global Warming

Why do we have global warming? 13

If there is the necessary political will to do so, we can replace the fossil-fuel-
derived electricity with renewable forms of energy or nuclear energy or hydropower.
However, we do have a problem with replacing transport fuel. We could 1 day have
electric cars replace petrol vehicles and possibly even diesel vehicles, but replacing
fossil fuel for air travel and sea travel is difficult if not impossible. Furthermore, some
industrial processes such as cement manufacture, involving the heating of CaCO 3
resulting in the waste product, CO 2 , are also problematic. Attempts at replacing petrol
in transport with renewable fuel derived from biomass (sugar cane as done in Brazil or
corn as done in the United States for petrol, and palm oil in Malaysia for biodiesel) has
had some success, but the overall contribution has been relatively small [40]. In 2016,
the biofuels contributed 4% to the world’s transport fuels. The United States, Brazil,
and Malaysia are the world leaders in biofuels.
All of this does indicates that the world is not on top of solving the global warming
problem, in spite of the steady increase in the deployment of renewable forms of
energy. The changeover from fossil fuel to renewables is just too slow. It is predicted
that renewables will increase their share of electricity production from 21.9% in 2012
to 29.2% in 2040 (<0.3% per year) (see Table 1.5). We will have to work very much
harder to replace fossil fuel as the main driving force of our energy industry.
One slight glimmer on the horizon is the fact that natural gas, methane (including
shale gas) is better for the planet than burning coal, and in many countries coal is being
replaced by natural gas. The reason why natural gas is better than coal is that the
amount of CO 2 produced from burning CH 4 per unit of energy (50g/MJ) is less than
it is for coal (92g/MJ); moreover, coal burning produces particulates. Of course, the
burning of CH 4 still produces CO 2 :

CH 4 +2O 2 ¼ CO 2 +2H 2 O

1.8 Conclusions

We believe that we do understand the underpinnings of global warming and that
greenhouse gases and CO 2 , in particular, are the root causes. We know that renewable
forms of energy and possibly nuclear MUST replace fossil fuel where possible and
that this must be done soon. There are limits to what can be replaced as we unfortu-
nately depend on fossil fuels for transport both now and in the foreseeable future.
Other areas such as electricity production using fossil fuel can and should be
phased out.
Much depends on governments around the world having the will and energy to
drive a nonfossil fuel policy. It should be a basic moral decision for the sake of future
generations. Governments should not be driven by short-range decisions that benefit
the few (including parliamentarians and also shareholders in fossil-fueled industries).
They should be bold and brave enough to create a legacy for our children and our chil-
dren’s children.