En-en adult card 7 co2 emissions

Card #7: CO₂ emissions

CO₂, or carbon dioxide, is the main anthropogenic (produced by human activities) greenhouse gas in terms of emissions. These emissions come from our use of fossil fuels and from deforestation.

Correction

Causes

• Fossil fuels Coal, oil and natural gas emit CO₂ during combustion.
• Deforestation emits CO₂ because a large proportion of deforestation caused by man is achieved by burning the forests.

Consequences

• Carbon sinks

Wrong links

Wrong consequences

• Concentration of CO₂ The correct link is via the carbon sinks card.
• Ocean acidification The correct link is via the carbon sinks card.

Current energy mix

Global

The global energy mix is 85% dependent on fossil fuels and today renewable energy sources tend to add capacity rather than replace fossil fuels.

France

In France in 2018, the final energy consumption (at consumer level) split by primary energy source was as follows:

• Fossil fuels: 67.4% (coal 1.9%, oil 44.0%, natural gas 21.5%)
• nuclear: 17.7%
• renewables: 14.9% (biomass-waste 9.8%, hydropower 3.0%, wind 1.2%, solar 0.5% (mainly photovoltaic), other 0.3%).