Environmental issues greenhouse gases

Although in principle stationary and transport-specific energy chains can be analysed, here the assessment of the latter is explained in more detail, and is then referred to as well-to-wheel (WTW) analysis. The primary focus of WTW analysis in Europe is on global environmental impact, i.e., greenhouse-gas emissions expressed as C02-equivalents. Other issues of interest are (a) primary energy demand (which equals resource utilisation), (b) local pollutant emissions and (c) full energy or fuel supply costs. Well-to-wheel analysis covers the entire fuel supply chain from feedstock extraction, feedstock transportation, fuel manufacturing and fuel distribution to fuel use in a vehicle. 

Obviously, acute or chronic toxicity is not an issue with the use of C02. Similarly, the ecological impact of carbon dioxide is negligible when used as a solvent, and C02 is—by definition—not regulated as a VOC. The application of C02 as a solvent in chemical synthesis would not generate any additional carbon dioxide and therefore would not contribute to greenhouse gas emission. Even for large-scale applications, no toxic or environmental risk would arise in case of any accidental contamination of the immediate environment with the solvent C02 if sufficient ventilation is provided. 

Carbon capture and sequestration is a technology that is being explored to curb the anthropogenic emission of C02 into the atmosphere. With the environmental issues and energy crisis problem associated with greenhouse gas effect being more and more prominent, CO2 capture-fixation-conversion has been a worldwide hot topic for sustainable development [1-12]. 

There are a variety of reasons that corporations adopt voluntary environmental actions to address greenhouse gas emissions or other environmental issues. Some companies have attributed these actions to sustainable development goals or environmental stewardship policies (Margolick and Russell 2001). However, it is often difficult to separate these goals from economic motives (Kolk and Pinske 2004). 

VOCs, which are present mainly in the gas phase, play important roles in a range of environmental issues. These important roles involve their global greenhouse effect, their toxic or carcinogenic human health effects, their accumulation and persistence in the environment, and their role in secondary aerosol formation. The definition of VOC is often very diffuse. In physicochemical terms, the term VOC refers to those organic compounds that are present in the atmosphere... 

Global climate change has been identified as perhaps the most important environmental issue of this century." Greenhouse gas emissions are not exactly the same as combusted fossil fuel emissions, because several noncombustion gases can contribute to global climate change as well. For example,... 

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