En-en adult card 2 industry
Card #2: Industry
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Industry uses fossil fuels and electricity.
It accounts for 40% of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
Explanation
This is the manufacturing of all consumer goods. The industry includes a large number of different industrial sectors, the most important in terms of GHG emissions being: paper, cement, steel, aluminium and chemicals. To reduce emissions from industry, the solution lies in extending the lifespan of products and even reducing their consumption.
Other possible links
Causes
Consequences
- Deforestation This link is possible for wood-consuming industries. However, wood used by a factory in a sustainably managed forest would not be considered as deforestation.
- Other GHGs In fact, methane emissions from industry are equivalent to emissions from agriculture because of fugitive emissions (natural gas leaks in pipelines). This is a point that is little known, so this relationship is not considered strongly relevant. Industry also emits HFCs (refrigerants).
To go further
Buildings
The construction of buildings falls into Industry category, but not their usage.
Cement
Cement production accounts for 10% of the world's GHG emissions. Between 2011 and 2013, China used more cement than the United States throughout the entire 20th century.
To make cement, limestone (CaCO3) has to be burnt, resulting in lime (CaO) and releasing CO2 into the atmosphere.