National Award for Recycling Carbon Technology
Source : PIB
GS II : Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability, e-governance- applications, models, successes, limitations, and potential; citizens charters, transparency & accountability and institutional and other measures

Why in News ?

A Bangalore based startup has received the National Award 2021 from Technology Development Board (TDB) for developing a commercial solution for conversion of CO₂ to chemicals and fuels.

Key Facts

• Breathe Applied Sciences a startup incubated at Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR) developed efficient catalysts and methodologies for the conversion of CO₂ to methanol and other chemicals.
• This helps to enhance the production of chemicals and fuels from anthropogenic CO2 generated from various sources including c
  • Coal and natural gas power generation sectors
  • Steel industry, cement industry, and chemical industries and integrating multiple components involved in the CCUS (Carbon capture, utilization, and sequestration)
• Leads to develop a complete solution for the environmental issues due to global warming.
• The research in the area of CO2 reduction to useful chemicals and fuels from the laboratory scale to pilot scale economically.

What is the Impact of CO₂

Carbon-dioxide is a greenhouse gas. 

• Levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide have increased since the Industrial Revolution.
• The primary causes are deforestation and the burning of fossil fuels such as coal.
• Carbon dioxide accounts for less than 1 percent of the atmospheric gases.
• Carbon dioxide contributes
  • The greenhouse effect
    • Carbon dioxide traps radiation at ground level
  • Contribute to climate change
  • Acid rain
  • Human Health Impacts as hisgh level of CO2 indicate other pollutants in the atmosphere.

Greenhouse Gases

Gases that trap heat in the atmosphere are called greenhouse gases. They let sunlight pass through the atmosphere, but they prevent the heat that the sunlight brings from leaving the atmosphere. 

• Carbon dioxide (CO₂) : Carbon dioxide enters the atmosphere through burning fossil fuels like coal, natural

  

  gas, and oil, solid waste, trees and other biological materials

  • Also as a result of certain chemical reactions like manufacture of cement.
• Methane (CH4) : Methane is emitted during the production and transport of coal, natural gas, and oil.
• Nitrous oxide (N2O) : Nitrous oxide is emitted during agricultural, land use, industrial activities, combustion of fossil fuels and solid waste, as well as during treatment of wastewater.
• Fluorinated Gases : Hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, sulfur hexafluoride, and nitrogen trifluoride are synthetic, powerful greenhouse gases that are emitted from a variety of industrial processes.
• Water vapor (H2O) : Produce by normal Evaporation and Boiling of water. accounts for the largest percentage of the greenhouse effect, between 36% and 66% for clear sky conditions and between 66% and 85% when including clouds
• Ozone (O3) : Its highest concentration high in the ozone layer of the stratosphere, which absorbs most of the Sun’s ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Contribution to warming is 3-4 %. 

Initiative to tackle Global Methane and Global Warming

• United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)
  • International environmental treaty addressing climate change
  • Negotiated and signed by 154 states at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED)
  • Informally known as the Earth Summit held in Rio de Janeiro
• Kyoto Protocol
  • international treaty which extends the 1992 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) that commits state parties to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, based on the scientific consensus
  • The Kyoto Protocol applies to the six greenhouse gases
    • Carbon dioxide (CO2)
    • Methane (CH4)
    • Nitrous oxide (N2O)
    • Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs)
    • Perfluorocarbons (PFCs)
    • Sulfur hexafluoride (SF6)
• International Carbon Action Partnership
  • Founded in 2007 by more than 15 government representatives as an international cooperative forum.

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