Continuous Emission Monitoring, 3rd Edition

CHAPTER 14GREENHOUSE GAS MONITORING

The reality of radiative forcing by gases such as CO₂, CH₄, and N₂O has been of considerable concern to the scientific community for over 35 years (Hansen 1986). The increased atmospheric concentrations of these and other gases has led to changes in the atmospheric energy balance through the greenhouse gas effect and a consequent increase in the global temperature. Atmospheric carbon dioxide measurements taken at the Hawaiian Mauna Loa observatory showed a rise in CO₂ concentration from 315 ppm in 1958 to 411 ppm in 2020. These concentrations are in contrast to levels of approximately 280 ppm prior to the industrial revolution of the late 1700s and have not been seen in the fossil record for 800 000 years. After noting a rise in global temperature of 0.8 C since 1880 (Goddard Institute for Space Studies), further global temperature is projected to increase from 2 to 3 °C by 2100 if steps are not taken to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Programs designed to reduce carbon and other greenhouse gas emissions must first evaluate their magnitude and then continue to track them to evaluate the progress of mitigation activities.

Irrespective of the promulgation or lack thereof, of government programs to reduce national levels of greenhouse gas emissions, industries recognize that the realities of climate change must be addressed in long‐term planning. The public response to carbon neutrality has already had and will have future consequences for ...