5. ENVIRONMENT
Black Carbon
Why in news?
A recent study by the Dehradun- based Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology (WIHG) has found that black carbon travelling from Mediterranean countries during the western disturbances and wind trajectories may be one of the contributing factors leading to pollution and receding snowline in the Himalayas.
More on News
• The high concentration of black carbon in January and February is not originating from local sources because life remains near standstill as almost the entire population in these areas migrates to the plains for the winter.
• Increase in GHG gases and global warming has been affecting the ecosystem in Himalayas.
About Black Carbon
• Black carbon is a potent climate- warming component of particulate matter formed by the incomplete combustion of fossil fuels, wood and other fuels.
• Black carbon is a short-lived climate pollutant with a lifetime of only days to weeks after release in the atmosphere. During this short period of time, black carbon can have significant direct and indirect impacts on the climate, glacial regions, agriculture and human health.
Impact of Black Carbon
• Climate impact
o Black carbon is an important contributor to warming because it is very effective at absorbing light and heating its
surroundings.
50
o It also influences cloud formation and impacts regional circulation and rainfall patterns.
o When deposited on ice and snow, black carbon and co- emitted particles reduce surface albedo (the ability to reflect sunlight) and heat the surface. The Arctic and glaciated regions such as the Himalayas are particularly vulnerable to melting as a result.
• Health impact
o Black carbon and its co-pollutants are key components of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) air pollution.
Brown Carbon: It originates primarily during the combustion of organic biomass and coexisting with Black Carbon. It has similar climate effect as Black Carbon due their light absorbing property.
Blue Carbon: It is the carbon stored and sequestered in coastal ecosystems such as mangrove forests, seagrass meadows or intertidal saltmarshes.
o It has been linked to a number of health impacts including premature death in adults with heart and lung disease, strokes, heart attacks, chronic respiratory disease such as bronchitis, aggravated asthma and other cardio-respiratory symptoms.
• Impact on Vegetation and Ecosystems
o Black carbon can affect the health of ecosystems
in several ways: by depositing on plant leaves and increasing their temperature, dimming sunlight that reaches the earth, and modifying rainfall patterns.
o Changing rain patterns can have far-reaching consequences for both ecosystems and human livelihoods, for example
by disrupting monsoons, which are critical for agriculture in large parts of Asia and Africa.
o Increased black carbon has effects like decreased snow cover area near the snowline as well as vanishing of valuable medicinal herbs.
Control measures for Black Carbon
• Replace traditional cooking to clean burning modern fuel cook stoves like clean-burning biomass stoves, LPG
etc.
• Modernize traditional brick kilns to vertical shaft brick kilns in Industries.
• Fast transition to Bharat Stage VI vehicles and soot-free buses and trucks and eliminate high pollution emitting diesel vehicles.
• Ban open-field burning of agricultural waste.
• Capture and improve oil flaring and gas production.
• Ban open burning of municipal waste.
Black Carbon
Why in news?
A recent study by the Dehradun- based Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology (WIHG) has found that black carbon travelling from Mediterranean countries during the western disturbances and wind trajectories may be one of the contributing factors leading to pollution and receding snowline in the Himalayas.
More on News
• The high concentration of black carbon in January and February is not originating from local sources because life remains near standstill as almost the entire population in these areas migrates to the plains for the winter.
• Increase in GHG gases and global warming has been affecting the ecosystem in Himalayas.
About Black Carbon
• Black carbon is a potent climate- warming component of particulate matter formed by the incomplete combustion of fossil fuels, wood and other fuels.
• Black carbon is a short-lived climate pollutant with a lifetime of only days to weeks after release in the atmosphere. During this short period of time, black carbon can have significant direct and indirect impacts on the climate, glacial regions, agriculture and human health.
Impact of Black Carbon
• Climate impact
o Black carbon is an important contributor to warming because it is very effective at absorbing light and heating its
surroundings.
50
o It also influences cloud formation and impacts regional circulation and rainfall patterns.
o When deposited on ice and snow, black carbon and co- emitted particles reduce surface albedo (the ability to reflect sunlight) and heat the surface. The Arctic and glaciated regions such as the Himalayas are particularly vulnerable to melting as a result.
• Health impact
o Black carbon and its co-pollutants are key components of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) air pollution.
Brown Carbon: It originates primarily during the combustion of organic biomass and coexisting with Black Carbon. It has similar climate effect as Black Carbon due their light absorbing property.
Blue Carbon: It is the carbon stored and sequestered in coastal ecosystems such as mangrove forests, seagrass meadows or intertidal saltmarshes.
o It has been linked to a number of health impacts including premature death in adults with heart and lung disease, strokes, heart attacks, chronic respiratory disease such as bronchitis, aggravated asthma and other cardio-respiratory symptoms.
• Impact on Vegetation and Ecosystems
o Black carbon can affect the health of ecosystems
in several ways: by depositing on plant leaves and increasing their temperature, dimming sunlight that reaches the earth, and modifying rainfall patterns.
o Changing rain patterns can have far-reaching consequences for both ecosystems and human livelihoods, for example
by disrupting monsoons, which are critical for agriculture in large parts of Asia and Africa.
o Increased black carbon has effects like decreased snow cover area near the snowline as well as vanishing of valuable medicinal herbs.
Control measures for Black Carbon
• Replace traditional cooking to clean burning modern fuel cook stoves like clean-burning biomass stoves, LPG
etc.
• Modernize traditional brick kilns to vertical shaft brick kilns in Industries.
• Fast transition to Bharat Stage VI vehicles and soot-free buses and trucks and eliminate high pollution emitting diesel vehicles.
• Ban open-field burning of agricultural waste.
• Capture and improve oil flaring and gas production.
• Ban open burning of municipal waste.
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