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1. DEVELOPING A COMMON LANGUAGE:

• EXPONENTIAL GROWTH is growth which becomes ever more rapid in proportion to the growing total number or size. (Oxford Languages)
• CLIMATE FORCING happens when the energy balance changes and forces a change in climate.
• CLIMATE FEEDBACKS either dampen or amplify the effects of climate forcing.
• A CARBON SOURCE is anything that releases more carbon into the atmosphere than it absorbs. (clientearth.org) Examples are burning of fossil fuels, burning of forests, melting of permafrost.
• A CARBON SINK is anything that absorbs more carbon from the atmosphere than it releases, for example, plants, the ocean, and soil. (clientearth.org)
• The amount of carbon dioxide and other carbon compounds emitted due to the consumption of fossil fuels by a particular person, group etc. is called the CARBON FOOTPRINT (Oxford Languages).

2. CONTRIBUTION OF GREENHOUSE GASES BY SECTOR

Human sources of greenhouse gases are:

Electricity production   25%

(When coal and natural gas (methane) are used to produce electricity, CO2 is released into the atmosphere.)

Food, Agriculture, land use   24%

(This figure includes burning of forests(deforestation) to create places to grow food for animals that we eat, methane produced by livestock, and nitrous oxide produced by over fertilization).

Industry, making things    21%

(Fossil Fuels are burned to create the high temperatures needed to create steel and other products.  The chemical process to make cement also releases large amounts of CO2.)

Transportation of ourselves and our goods   14%

(This figure includes road vehicles 10%; air travel 2%; boats, trains, etc. 2%)

Buildings   6 %

(This figure includes heating, cooling and hot water for personal dwellings 4% and public buildings 2%)

Other     10%

(These greenhouse gases are a result of leakage in the energy industry, in refining,    transporting and other miscellaneous areas.)

Video: Project Drawdown’s "Climate Solutions 101, Unit 3, Reducing Sources"

Unit 3: Reducing Sources

3. A CLOSER LOOK AT SOME OF THE SECTORS IN OUR DAILY LIVES

(from Our World In Data; stats are from 2016)