Carbon Emissions in Germany

Fritzi WittmannQuarter 4

Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Emissions

The largest amount of human produced CO2 can be found in western Germany.

The region has always been a location of industry (Germany’s coal and steel region)

It is difficult to determine if the CO2 was produced in western Germany or was moved there naturally.

(CO2) levels are also affected by the seasons (In spring and summer the plants absorb the gas and the plants release their excess gas in fall and winter).

Germany is credited with having produced the only instrument in existence that is able to measure the levels of (CO2) close enough to the earth’s surface to ascertain the damage being done.

Using SCIAMACHY, the technology used to measure the (CO2) levels in Germany, researchers at the Bremen University collected their data over three years and created this image. Red indicates higher levels of (CO2), while blue and purple indicates low levels.

Government Participation The German government passed a law whose aim is

to lower green house gas emissions by doubling the amount of power supplied by renewable energy sources.

Angela Merkel, who as environmental minister before she became chancellor, saw this as a victory.

The main sources of energy under the new bill are solar and wind energy.

4.4% of the nations energy is produced by wind mills. Approximately 6% of the nations energy is produced by solar or wind energy.

Co-generation (the production of heat during the production of renewable energy) has also been converted to a source of energy in Germany.

Here are pictures of wind mills. These are the primary producers of renewable energy in Germany as there are over 21,000 wind mills in the country.

Future PlansThe current environmental minister, Sigmar

Gabriel, hopes to reduce electricity use by 11% by 2020.

He is encouraging Germans to take the train more often to cut down on CO2 emissions.

He plans to reduce the amount of heat produced during energy production instead of allowing it to be released into the atmosphere.

This renovation of the German power system would cost over 3 million Euros. ($4.1 million)

Gabriel says that if the rest of world does not follow in Germany’s footsteps their efforts will be for nothing.

These are the trains that Gabriel is urging Germans to opt for instead of cars or airplanes as those modes of transportation release more greenhouse gasses.

QUIZ!1)Which part of German produces the most

amount of Carbon dioxide?a) The western part (industry)b) The south (agriculture)c) The north (ports and harbors)

2) How much would it cost to create a more energy efficient Germany? a) 15 million eurosb) 3 million eurosc) 1 million euros

Answers!

1) The western, industrial part of Germany prodcues the most CO2 in Germany.

2) The energy efficiency plans would cost about 3 million euros ($4.1 million)

Bibliography

http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,3202143,00.html

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/04/world/europe/04iht-germany.4.14247403.html