1. Air: Climate and Pollution
Chapter 9

2. Outline: Atmosphere and Climate Climate Change Climate and Pollution
El Nino
Human Causes
Climate and Pollution
Kinds of Pollution
Sources
Transport
Effects of Air Pollution
Air Pollution Control

3. Climate and Air Pollution
Over the past 20 years, developed countries have made progress in improving air quality.
Unfortunately, air quality in the developing world has been getting worse.

4. Major Air Pollutants: Problems
Sulfur dioxide - acid rain, health damage, visibility reduction
Nitrogen oxides - acid rain, eutrophication, growth of weedy species
Carbon monoxide - inhibited respiration
Lead and mercury - neurological damage
Chlorofluorocarbons - ozone depletion
Particulate matter - lung damage, cancer
Volatile organic compounds – isoprenes, terpenes, methane, & benzene, chloroform, etc oxidized to CO, CO2 in the atmosphere

6. Los Angeles

7. Natural AND human pollution

9. Indoor Air Pollution
Smoking - diseases related to smoking responsible for 20% of deaths in the U.S.
In less-developed countries, poorly ventilated heating and cooking fires represent the greatest source of indoor air pollution.

11. Interactions Between Climate Processes and Air Pollution
Long range transport
Stratospheric ozone depletion
Montreal Protocol

12. Jet Streams & Jet Streaks

13. Long range transport of pollutants

14. Circumpolar winds transport air pollution from heavily industrialized regions to the Arctic, where high levels of smog accumulate.

15. Ozone Depletion

16. CFC Production

17. Production of chloroflurocarbons (CFCs) Montreal Protocol passed in 1987

19. Effects of Air Pollution
Human health
Plant pathology
Visibility reduction
Acid deposition

20. Ecosystem damage caused by sulfur dioxide
emissions and acid rain.

21. Acid Precipitation, 2000

24. Air Pollution Control
Early approach: “Dilution is the solution to pollution”
Particulate removal - air filters
Sulfur removal - scrubbers
Nitrogen oxide reduction - catalytic converters
Hydrocarbon controls - afterburners

25. Automobile Emission Control System

26. CLEAN AIR LEGISLATION
Clean Air Act (1963) - First national air pollution control.
Clean Air Act (1970) rewrote original Act.
Identified critical pollutants.
Established ambient air quality standards.
Primary Standards - Human health
Secondary Standards - Materials, environment, aesthetic and comfort.

27. Conventional Pollutants
US Clean Air Act designated seven major (conventional or criteria) pollutants for which maximum ambient air levels are mandated.
Sulfur Dioxide
Carbon Monoxide
Particulates
Hydrocarbons
Nitrogen Oxides
Photochemical Oxidants
Lead

28. Clean Air Act Revision (1990) - Included provision for:
Acid Rain
Urban Smog
Toxic Air Pollutants
Ozone Protection
Marketing Pollution Rights
Fugitive emissions of volatile organics
Ambient ozone, soot, and dust.
NOx emissions
Clear Skies ( 2002) – market-based approach

29. Greenhouse Gases Carbon Dioxide - Fossil-fuel burning.
Atmospheric levels increasing steadily.
Methane - Ruminants, Coal-mines
Absorbs more infrared than CO2.
Chlorofluorocarbons (CFC’s) - Refrigerants
Declined in recent years
Nitrous Oxide - Burning organic material
Sulfur Hexafluoride - Electrical insulation

30. International Climate Negotiations
Kyoto Protocol
(proposed 1997 & begins 16 February 2005)
industrialized countries are to reduce their combined emissions of six major greenhouse gases during the five-year period from 2008 to 2012 to below-1990 levels.
For many countries, achieving the Kyoto targets will be a major change that will require new policies and new approaches.

31. International Climate Negotiations
Re: Kyoto Protocol
Green Party Co-Leaders Jeanette Fitzsimons and Rod Donald will this afternoon be visiting the US Embassy and the Australian High Commission to deliver letters calling on their governments to ratify the Kyoto Protocol on Climate Change. ()

32. Science and Policy in the Kyoto Protocol

33. Current Conditions and Future Prospects
Developed vs.
Developing
Countries

34. CURRENT AND FUTURE CONDITIONS
In the United States, air quality has improved dramatically in the last decade in terms of major large-volume pollutants.
Cities where pollution is largely from traffic still have serious air quality problems.
Major metropolitan areas of many developing countries are growing at explosive rates, and environmental quality is very poor.

35. Some Good News: U.S. Trends
% % % % % %

39. Summary: Atmosphere and Climate Climate Change Climate and Pollution
El Nino
Human Causes
Climate and Pollution
Kinds of Pollution
Sources
Transport
Effects of Air Pollution
Air Pollution Control