While the world seems fixated on CO2 as the main culprit of global warming and climate change, they are forgetting there are other greenhouse gases.
In fact, CO2 only accounts for 50% of anthropogenic generated greenhouse gas emissions!
The Copenhagen climate summit is failing to negotiate for the reduction in the other 50% of greenhouse gases which include methane, nitrous oxide, HFCs, and black carbon.
Methane is 25 times more powerful than carbon dioxide, and is produced from

Greenhouse Gases
landfill sites, fossil fuel processing, and agriculture.
Nitrous Oxide is 298 times more powerful than carbon dioxide, and is produced along with CO2 from the burning of fossil fuels in internal combustion engines, from agricultural fertilizers, and the burning of biomass.
Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) are present in all our refrigerators and air conditioners, and were produced as a result of the phase out of CFC chemicals, which were the major cause for the hole in the ozone layer.
Black Carbon or soot is produced from the incomplete burning of diesel and heavy fuel oils used predominantly by shipping.
The forgotten 50% of greenhouse gas emissions are not such a hot potato, as the developed and developing nations continue to clash in Copenhagen over CO2 emissions and curbs.
According to some scientists and environmentalists it would be cheaper to phase out the forgotten 50% greenhouse gases than to tackle CO2, and crucially the effect on reducing global temperatures would be much faster. Methane only remains in the atmosphere for 8-years, and black carbon for only a few weeks, as opposed to 100-years for CO2.
Unless the forgotten greenhouse gas emissions are included in a final treaty at Copenhagen, the effects from reducing CO2 emissions will, I fear, be limited.
I look forward to the day when our leaders stop politicking and posturing, and place our futures to the forefront. The sooner the world unites in this battle against climate change, the sooner we will win it.

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