Climate Change: Challenges to Reduce Global Warming and Role of Biofuels

Abstract

The increasing level of population growth, industrialization, and prosperity is leading to extensive use of energy. The use of fossil fuels produces a major share of greenhouse gases (GHG). Almost 88% of this energy comes from the burning of fossil fuels. This is contributing to the increase in CO2 levels. The CO2 level in 2012 was about 40% higher than it was in the nineteenth century. CO2 is a major contributor to greenhouse gases. Besides these three major non-CO2 groups of gases CH4, N2O, and fluorinated gases (F-gases), including CF4, HFCs, and SF6 also contribute to GHG emissions. The increased levels of greenhouse gas emissions are leading to climate change and its adverse effects are reported to cause floods, droughts, forest fires, and melting of glaciers at a faster rate besides other natural calamities. During the Conference of the Parties (COP21), at the Paris Climate Conference (2015), a legally binding and universal agreement on climate change was achieved, with the aim of keeping global warming below 2 °C. Achieving this goal will require drastic emission reductions to stabilize GHG concentration in the atmosphere. Replacement of fossil oil with biofuel derived from plant biomass has the potential to greatly reduce greenhouse gas emissions.