Student Rareș Șușală, Teacher Iuliana Roman

Zinca Golescu National College

Romania's Greenhouse Gas Reduction Strategy:

Collaboration for Climate Education

Inclusion of Environmental Education

Consultative Technical Group on Disaster Risk Reduction

Contributing to a group focusing on cultural heritage adaptation to climate change.

Addressing the impact of extreme weather events on cultural heritage preservation.

Enhancing Public Awareness

Strengthening Institutional Capacities

Policy Implementation and Legislation:

Participating in global initiatives to combat climate change.

Aligning with the goals of international organizations like the UN and EU.

Research and Innovation: Developing tools for monitoring climate impact on cultural heritage.

Investing in research to assess and mitigate climate risks.

Sharing knowledge and best practices for climate adaptation and disaster management.

Long-term Planning and Adaptation:

Planning for long-term adaptation to climate change impacts.

Anticipating future climate scenarios and their effects on cultural heritage and disaster management.

Advocacy and Public Engagement: Advocating for climate action and resilience-building measures.

Engaging communities in climate awareness campaigns and capacity-building activities.

https://www.mmediu.ro/app/webroot/uploads/files/Long%20Term%20Strategy%20of%20Romania.pdf

Zinca Golescu National College

The statistic shows the level of carbon dioxide emissions in Romania from 2000 to 2022. Emission levels mostly decreased during the period, falling from 98.3 million tons of carbon dioxide emitted in 2006 to 65.7 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emitted in 2022.

Student Bianca Nicula, teacher Iuliana Roman

Zinca Golescu National College

Greenhouse gases act like greenhouse walls: they absorb the sun's heat reflected off the Earth's surface, trap it in the atmosphere, and prevent it from reaching space. The greenhouse effect keeps the Earth's temperature warm at an acceptable level, supporting life on Earth.

We can see their effect in this simulation:

https://phet.colorado.edu/sims/html/greenhouse-effect/latest/greenhouse-effect_all.html

Many greenhouse gases occur naturally in the atmosphere, but human activity contributes to their accumulation. As a result, the greenhouse effect in the atmosphere is enhanced. It alters our planet's climate, leading to changes in snowfall and rainfall patterns, an increase in average temperatures, and extreme weather events such as heat waves and floods.

There are different types of greenhouse gases and their global warming potential varies.

Gases found naturally in the atmosphere - but also generated by human activities - include carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O).

Fluorinated greenhouse gases (F-gases) are artificial gases used in industry with a high global warming potential, often several thousand times stronger than CO2. These include hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs), sulfur hexafluoride (SF6), and nitrogen trifluoride (NF3).

F-gases are often used as substitutes for ozone-depleting substances - man-made chemicals that, once emitted, reach the upper atmosphere and destroy the protective ozone layer. Unlike ozone-depleting substances, F-gases do not damage the atmospheric ozone layer.

Zinca Golescu National College

The EU's climate law sets binding targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions: they should fall by 55% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels, and the EU should reach net zero emissions by 2050.

To achieve these goals, the EU takes a wide range of measures:

• reduce transport emissions

• sets energy saving rules and invests in renewable sources

• prevents greenhouse gas-emitting industries from relocating outside the EU to avoid strict standards

• consolidates the world's first major carbon market - the European Emissions Trading System

• sets reduction targets for each EU country

• supports forests and other carbon sequestration areas

Zinca Golescu National College

The CO2 emissions reduction fair.

On 28 November 2019, the European Parliament adopted a resolution that solicits the UE to reach climate neutrality by 2050 under the Paris Agreement and setting a 55% emission reduction target by 2030.

Civil aviation produces 13.4% of the total CO2 emissions of the EU transport sector. The EU also wants to eliminate free aviation allowances by 2026.

România Recorder a 6.6% increase in carbon dioxide emissions generated by burning fossil fuels in 2021 compared to 2020.

For context, we must understand that these emissions are accounted for under the law of the country where the fuel is burned to generate electricity.

I think you all asked yourself this question: What is the purpose of COP26?

The United Climat Change Conference is a major event that brings together leaders from all countries of the world to agree on ways to step up global action to tackle climate change.

Student Alexandru Neacșu, Teacher Iuliana Roman

Zinca Golescu National College

Human activities are responsible for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, which in turn lead to anthropogenic climate change. The European Union (EU) is actively engaged in global efforts to combat climate change and reduce GHG emissions, with a commitment to achieving climate neutrality by 2050.

Between 1990 and 2021 (the most recent year for which data officially reported to UNFCCC are available), GHG emissions in the EU have decreased by 28%. The year 2020 witnessed a significant decline primarily due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, by 2021, GHG emissions began to rise again, returning to the levels consistent with the long-term trend. Key factors contributing to the sustained reduction in total GHG emissions include advancements in energy efficiency and changes in the energy mix.

Approximately three-quarters of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions stem from fuel combustion activities. This encompasses a variety of processes, such as generating electricity and heat (in energy industries), manufacturing goods and constructing buildings and infrastructure (in manufacturing industries and construction sectors), heating buildings and water (in households, commerce, etc.), and transporting freight and people.

The remaining portion, roughly one-quarter of total GHG emissions, originates from other activities that predominantly do not entail fuel combustion. These include industrial processes and product uses, agricultural practices, and waste management.

https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php?title=Climate_change_-_driving_forces#Total_emissions.2C_main_breakdowns_by_source_and_general_drivers

Zinca Golescu Național College

Greenhouse gases constitute a group of gases contributing to global warming and climate change.

The Kyoto Protocol, an environmental agreement adopted by many of the parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in 1997 to curb global warming, nowadays covers seven greenhouse gases:

the non-fluorinated gases:

• carbon dioxide (CO2)

• methane (CH4)

• nitrous oxide (N2O)

• the fluorinated gases:

• hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs)

• perfluorocarbons (PFCs)

• sulphur hexafluoride (SF6)

• nitrogen trifluoride (NF3)

Converting them to carbon dioxide (or CO2) equivalents makes it possible to compare them and determine their individual and total contributions to global warming.

https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php?title=Greenhouse_gas_emission_statistics_-_emission_inventories