Air: Climate

and Pollution
Environmental Science
 What is the
Atmosphere?
Earth’s atmosphere consists of gas
molecules, mostly nitrogen and oxygen and
a variety of other trace gases, about 300 mi
above the earth's surface.

Aerosols are suspended in the air.

Four Distinct Zones of the

Atmosphere

Troposphere – layer closest to the

Earth’s surface, experiences weather
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 Weather and Climate

» The daily temperatures,

wind, and precipitation that
we call weather occur in the
troposphere.
» Long-term temperatures and
precipitation trends we refer
to as climate .

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 » Within the troposphere,
air circulates in great
vertical and horizontal
convection currents ,
constantly redistributing
heat and moisture
around the globe

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 Stratosphere and the Ozone
Layer
» In particular, ozone (o3)
absorbs ultraviolet (UV)
radiation (wavelengths of
290–330 nm.
» The stratosphere extends
about 50 km (31 mi) out
from the tropopause.

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 Layers of the
atmosphere vary
in temperature
and composition.

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Aurora Borealis

Aurora Australis
 “
Greenhous
eisEffect”
a common term to
describe the capture of
energy by gases in the
atmosphere.

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 “Greenhou
se Gasses
are molecules in the
atmosphere that block
long-wave energy from
escaping to space.

We have dramatically increased CO2,

CH4, N2O, and other gases since
industrialization began in about
1800.
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 International protocols
have tried to establish
common rules

Kyoto
Protocol
this treaty set different limits for
individual nations, depending on their
output before 1990.

This set an objective of stabilizing greenhouse

gas emissions to reduce the threats of global
warming.
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 International protocols
have tried to establish
common rules

Kyoto
Protocol
committing industrialized countries and
economies in transition to limit and
reduce greenhouse gases
(GHG) emissions in accordance with
agreed individual targets.

The Convention itself only asks those countries

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to adopt policies and measures on mitigation
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 The Paris
»
Agreement
The Paris Agreement builds
upon the Convention and for the
first time brings all nations into a
common cause to
undertake ambitious efforts to
combat climate change and
adapt to its effects, with
enhanced support to assist
developing countries to do so.
» As such, it charts a new course
in the global climate effort.
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 The Paris
Agreement
» The Paris Agreement central aim is to strengthen
the global response to the threat of climate change
by keeping a global temperature rise this century
well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial
levels and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature
increase even further to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
» Additionally, the agreement aims to strengthen the
ability of countries to deal with the impacts of
climate change.
» To reach these ambitious goals, appropriate
financial flows, a new technology framework and
an enhanced capacity building framework will be
put in place, thus supporting action by developing
countries and the most vulnerable countries, in line
with their own national objectives.
» The Agreement also provides for enhanced
transparency of action and support through a more
robust transparency framework.
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 Projection
» Climate change is projected to accelerate
significantly if global emissions of heat-
trapping gases continue to increase.
» The Philippines is one of the countries at
greatest risk from present and projected
climate-related hazards such as tropical
cyclones, floods, landslides, and droughts.
» Observed changes in extreme weather events
and severe climate anomalies include: (1)
increased occurrence of heavy rains causing
floods and landslides; (2) droughts associated
with El Niño Southern Oscillation years
causing massive crop failures, water
shortages, and forest fires in various parts of
the country; and (3) increase in the frequency
of cyclones forming/ entering the Philippine
Area of Responsibility particularly in Visayas
and Mindanao regions.
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 Climate Action
• At the national level, the CCC
continues to monitor the progress of
climate action, producing several
documents such as the Monitoring
and Evaluation Report and the
National GHG Inventory.
• Furthermore, the CCC has improved
its monitoring capabilities with the
enhancement of the National
Integrated Climate Change Database
and Information Exchange System
(NICCDIES).
• With this project in place, the CCC is
in a better position to fulfil its mandate
to monitor and track progress on
climate actions..
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 Climate Action
• The CCC also embarked on the
strengthening of climate finance and
investment system and services
through the People’s Survival Fund,
created under the Climate Change Act
of 2009 as amended by RA 10174.
• This aims to provide LGUs and local
communities with resources to enable
implementation of climate change
adaptation projects.
• Knowledge products in several media
formats were translated in several
languages to ease the process of
accessing PSF for LGUs. As of 2018,
there were six approved projects
funded by the PSF.
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 Climate Action
• In April 2016, the Philippine Green Jobs Act
has been passed into law to scale up
promotion of sustainable growth and decent
job creation, while building resilience against
impacts of climate change, by providing
incentives to enterprises generating green
jobs across all economic sectors.
• The CCC and the International Labour
Organization have been collaborating on a
joint policy development forum to promote
convergence towards pursuing an
environmentally sustainable economy and
society that creates decent jobs and in
ensuring a just transition for all as well as
contribute to the updating of the Philippines’
Nationally Determined Contribution through a
roundtable series on “Green Jobs and Just
Transition to a Green Economy”.
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 Air
Pollutio
n
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 Air Pollution
is the release of pollutants
into the air that are
detrimental to human
health and the planet as a
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» Studies of air pollutants over
southern Asia reveal that a 3 km (2
mi) thick toxic cloud of ash, acids,
aerosols, dust, and photochemical
reactants covers the entire Indian
subcontinent for much of the year.

» Nobel laureate Paul Crutzen

estimates that up to 2 million
people in India alone die each year
from atmospheric pollution.

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 AIR POLLUTION IN THE
PHILIPPINES
» In the southeast Asian region —
where the Philippines is located — the
average PM2.5 concentration is 21
μg/m3 annually, over twice the
recommended value.
» The Philippines’ annual
PM2.5 concentration rests at 18.4
μg/m3, according to the 2016 WHO
report. This value is approximately
80% higher than the safe levels
indicated by WHO. Aside from
national data, WHO also collected
data from the major cities of
participating countries.
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» All of the listed cities also failed to
reach the limit set for particulate
matter of 10 microns in size (PM10).
Baguio ranked highest once more,
with 84 μg/m3 of PM10, which is also
four times the recommended level.
Meanwhile, Cebu, Dagupan, and
Manila also failed, registering values
of 54, 51, and 55 μg/m3, respectively.
While the city of Davao came close to
meeting the prescribed safe level (at
21 μg/m3), it still exceeded the limit.
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AIR POLLUTION IN THE
PHILIPPINES
✔ Baguio City recorded the highest
PM2.5 data at 44 μg/m3 in 2013 —
quadruple the recommended safe
level.
✔ Cebu and Dagupan also recorded
high values, each with an annual
mean of 28 μg/m3 and 27 μg/m3,
respectively. Manila’s 17 μg/m3
and Davao’s 11 μg/m3 also
exceeded the prescribed safety
level.
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 We describe
pollutants
according to
»sources
A point source is a
smokestack or some other
concentrated pollution
origin.
» Primary pollutants are
releasedin a harmful form.

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 We describe
pollutants
according to
»sources
Primary pollutants are
released in a harmful
form.
» Secondary pollutants,
by contrast, become
hazardous after reactions
in the air.

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 We describe
pollutants
according to
sources
»Photochemical
oxidants (compounds
created by reactions
driven by solar energy)
and atmospheric acids
are probably the most
important secondary
pollutants.
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 We describe
pollutants
according to
sources
» Fugitive , or nonpoint-
source , emissions are
those that do not go
through a smokestack.
By far the most massive example of
this category is dust from soil erosion,
strip mining, rock crushing, and
building construction (and
destruction).

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 We describe
pollutants
according to
sources
» Conventional , or criteria,
pollutants are a group of seven
major pollutants (sulfur dioxide,
carbon monoxide, particulates,
volatile organic compounds,
nitrogen oxides, ozone, and lead)
that contribute the largest volume
of air-quality degradation and are
considered the most serious
threat of all air pollutants to
human health and welfare.
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 We describe
pollutants
according to
»sources
The EPA also monitors
unconventional pollutants ,
compounds that are produced
in less volume than
conventional pollutants but that
are especially toxic or
hazardous.
Among these are asbestos, benzene,
beryllium, mercury, polychlorinated biphenyls
(PCBs), and vinyl chloride. Most of these
materials have no natural source in the
environment (to any great extent) and are,
therefore, only anthropogenic in origin.
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 EFFECTS OF AIR
POLLUTION
Air pollution is equally serious
for ecosystem health and for
human health.

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 EFFECTS OF AIR
POLLUTION
Ozone in the stratosphere is
harmed by CFCs
» Long-range pollution transport
and the chemical reactions of
atmospheric gases and
pollution produce the
phenomenon known as the
ozone hole
The ozone “hole,” really a thinning of ozone
concentrations in the stratosphere, was
discovered in 1985 but has probably been
developing since at least the 1960s.
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 EFFECTS OF AIR
POLLUTION
Polluted air damages lungs
and tissues
» Consequences of breathing
dirty air include increased
probability of heart attacks,
respiratory diseases, and lung
cancer.

» The World Health Organization estimates

that 4 million people die each year from
diseases exacerbated by air pollution.
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 How does air
pollution cause
these health
» Because they are strong oxidizing agents,
effects?
sulfates, SO 2 , NO x , and O 3 irritate and
damage delicate tissues in the eyes and
lungs.
» Fine, suspended particulate materials
penetrate deep into the lungs, causing
irritation, scarring, and even tumor growth.
» Heart stress results from impaired lung
functions. Carbon monoxide binds to
hemoglobin, reducing oxygen flow to the
brain.
» Headaches, dizziness, and heart stress
result. Lead also binds to hemoglobin,
damaging critical neurons in the brain and
resulting in mental and physical impairment
and developmental retardation.
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 EFFECTS OF AIR
POLLUTION
Plants are sensitive to
pollutants
» In the early days of
industrialization, fumes from
furnaces, smelters, refineries,
and chemical plants often
destroyed vegetation and
created desolate, barren
landscapes around mining and
manufacturing centers.

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 EFFECTS OF AIR
POLLUTION
Smog and haze reduce visibility

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 EFFECTS OF AIR
POLLUTION
SO 4 and NO x produce acid
deposition
» Acid precipitation , the
deposition of wet, acidic
solutions or dry, acidic particles
from the air, became widely
recognized as a pollution
problem only in the last 20
years.

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 EFFECTS OF AIR
POLLUTION
Buildings and Monuments
Show Clear Damage
In cities throughout the world, air
pollution is destroying some of
the oldest and most glorious
buildings and works of art.

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 Air Pollution Control

The best strategy is reducing

production
» Conservation: reducing electricity
consumption, insulating homes and
offices, and developing better public
transportation could all greatly
reduce air pollution in the United
States, Canada, and Europe.

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 Air Pollution Control
» Alternative energy sources,
such as wind and solar power,
produce energy with little or no
pollution, and these and other
technologies are becoming
economically competitive
» In addition to conservation,
pollution can be controlled by
technological innovation.

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 The Philippine Clean Air
Act
» The State shall pursue a policy
of balancing development and
environmental protection.
» To achieve this end, the
framework for sustainable
development shall be pursued.

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 As such, it shall be the policy of the
State to:
» Formulate a holistic national program of air pollution
that shall be implemented by the government through
proper delegation and effective coordination of
function and activities;
» Encourage cooperation and self-regulation among
citizen and industries through the application of
incentives market-based instruments;
» Focus primarily on pollution prevention rather than on
control and provide for a comprehensive management
program on air pollution;
» Promote public information and education to
encourage the participation of an informed and active
public in air quality planning and monitoring; and
» Formulate and enforce a system of accountability for
short and long term adverse environmental impact of
a project, program or activity. This shall include setting
up of a funding or guarantee mechanism for clean-up
and environmental rehabilitation and compensation
for personal damages.
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