Historic carbon rise alarming

Governments are now acting to minimize the rise in carbon emissions that has reached a historic high worldwide, according to published reports.

Published reports by the Paris-based International Energy Agency said that CO2 in the  atmosphere increased by 1.4 percent to 31.6 billion tons in 2012.  China, the IEA also said, leads the rise in global carbon dioxide emissions.

With this development, governments are acting to neutralize the menace which has not spared the city-state of Singapore that prides itself of clean environment and usually enjoys clear skies, its air quality deteriorating to unhealthy level.

The question is, “what is the government doing about it?” The government should intensify its campaign against old factories, smoke-belching jeepneys, trucks and buses responsible for 70 percent of carbon dioxide emissions. Two major approaches can be considered for mitigating climate changes: carbon reduction and climate adaptation.

In the United States, President Barack Obama has proposed to use government authority under the Clean Air Act to regulate emissions from existing coal and gas-fired power plants. They account for 40 percent of the country’s carbon pollution.

China unveiled strong measures against companies it blames are causing pollution and rejects industrial projects it suspects will pollute the atmosphere. China pledges to cut green house emission in four years by 40 percent.

Taiwan, on its part, pledges to cut green house gas emission by at least 30 percent below business as usual (BAU) level by 2020. The country also pledges to assume its responsibility under the Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAS) of the United Nations.

On our part our company is contributing to climate change mitigation with its hydrogenated Jecel diesel fuel, the clean motor fuel that reduces engine emission by 60 percent based on findings  by the DENR. — GONZALO CATAN Jr., Makati City