Climate Project

start

By: Giancarlo & Mia

9.5: Canadian Emissions of Greenhouse Gases

An International issue

Canadian sources of Greenhouse Gases

Canadian Forests: Sources or sinks?

Burning fossil fuels & Methane

greenhouse gas emissions

Outline

What are they & what do they do?

Greenhouse Gas Emissions

• The emission into the Earth's atmosphere of any various gases. (i.e: carbon dioxide)

• Cause cimate change by trapping heat in Earth's atmosphere.

• Lead to respiratory issues due to the smog and air pollution.

• Transportation causes the extreme release of gas emissions.

Where do Canada's Greenhouse Gas Emissions Come From?

Canadian Sources of Greenhouse Gases

• On average, individual Canadians emit more greenhouse gases than most.

• Ontario is Canada's second largest producer of greenhouse gases.

• Ontario releases more than 200 million tonnes of greenhouse gases per year.

• Canadians rank in the top three of greenhouse gas emissions per person on a global scale.

Table 1: Some Canadian Sources of Greenhouse Gases

This is because of the massive fossil fuel plants in this province.

Alberta is Canada's largest greenhouse gas emitter.

• Exposure to high levels of methane can cause a plethora of health issues and can also reduce the amount of oxygen breathed in from the air.

• When fossil fuels are burned, it releases a very large amount of gas emissions into the air.

• In Canada (specifically Alberta), there are many fossil fuel plants that release methane, cause air pollution, and cause climate change.

• Methane is a greenhouse gas, so emissions of it increase concentrations of greenhouse gases.

+info

What are they & How are they Harmful?

Burning Fossil Fuels & Methane

+info

In 2019...

Our total emission rate was 730 megatonnes in 2019. This was a slight increase from 2018. In Canada for the last twenty years, emission rates have been the highest in our history. This atrocious number continues to rise.

730 Mt

What is Canada's total Greenhouse Gas Emission Rate?

+info

Sources or Sinks?

Canada has about 400 million hectares of forest. When our forests are cut down, greenhouse gases (methane & carbon dioxide) are released. Healthy Canadian forests are carbon sinks. Our forests can be sources of greenhouse gases because of insect damage, wildfires, and deforestation.

Canadian Forests

sink

source

Figure 5: Greenhouse Gases from Canadian Forests

Russia

China

USA

Russia, China, & the United States are the three largest emitters of Greenhouse Gases on an international level.

Who are the largest emitters globally?

What can we do?

• Reducing our use of fossil fuels is the most important form of action to limit future negative changes in our climate.

• Greenhouse gases produced globally affect our climate. Therefore it is important that we reduce our dependence on fossil fuels.

• Emission levels in Canada affect the future climate globally.

An International Issue

Kahoot!