Eco-Rom Ambalaje Magazine Issue No.9 August - October 2013 | Page 6

ecopractic

RE
CY
CLE

Both waste management companies
and those responsible for the recovery
and recycling of various kinds of waste
can have a signi?cant contribution to
the reduction of greenhouse gas
emissions, by implementing the latest
technologies.

to reduce global
warming

G

reenhouse Gases (GHG) are
those gases that absorb and
emit infrared radiations, which is
a fundamental process in the generation
of the greenhouse effect: maintaining a
hospitable temperature on the planet’s
surface. The greenhouse effect is a
natural one and the absence of this gas
could lead to an over 30 degree Celsius
drop in the average temperature of the
Earth’s surface from the current average
temperature of 15 degrees.
Nevertheless, human activities generate
significantly more greenhouse gases
than necessary and this has led to an
ongoing global warming phenomenon
and to other climate changes
associated with this increase in GHG
concentration in the atmosphere. For
instance, the CO2 concentration in the
atmosphere has grown from 315 ppm
(parts per million) in 1959 to 387 ppm in
the present.
Romania’s National Strategy on Climate
Change 2013-2020 states the following:
“The global warming process and its

impact on the climate system are
considered unequivocal, as per the
fourth Evaluation report of the
Intergovernmental Group on Climate
Change published in 2007, and they are
confirmed by a 0.9 C° increase in the
global average temperature, compared
to the average temperature during the
preindustrial age (which has accelerated
over the last 50 years), by an increase in
sea and ocean levels (also more
accelerated in recent years: 3.11
mm/year between 1993 and 2003
compared to 1.8 mm/year between
1961 and 2003), by the accelerated
melting of glaciers and ice caps, by an
increase in intensity and frequency of
extreme weather phenomena, etc.”
The same report talks about an
approximately 80% increase in CO2
emissions between 1970 and 2004
(28% between 1990 and 2004). The
highest increase in GHG emissions
between 1970 and 2004 was reported
in the energy sector (145%), followed by
the transportation sector (120%).

6
Page by dr. eng. mihai florin ?olea, technical manager

By analyzing the National
Inventory of Greenhouse Gas
Emissions (INEGES), the same
strategy identi?ed the economic
sectors that need speci?c
mea sures to reduce GHG
emissions:
• Energy
• Industrial processes
• Agriculture
• Land Use, Changing Land Use,
Silviculture
• Waste management
?e strategic targets accepted
by Romania until 2020, in
comparison with reference year
1990, are as follows:
• reducing greenhouse gas by 20%
• reducing ?nal energy
consumption by 20% by
increasing energy e?ciency
• producing 20% of the necessary
energy from renewable sources