News Highlights:
- According to the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute(CMFRI), India’s marine fisheries produced 1.32 tonnes less carbon dioxide (CO2) per kilogramme of fish in 2016 than the 2 tonnes average for the world.
- CMFRI is the largest marine fisheries research institute in India. Headquarters: Kochi, Kerala.
Key Findings of CMFRI:
- Study findings:
- The findings were discussed at a review meeting of the fisheries component of the National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA), a research project launched in 2011.
- The study reveals active fishing consumes more than 90% of the fuel used in the fishing sector, contributing 4,934 million kilograms of CO2 emissions annually.
- It says the country’s carbon emissions from the marine mechanised fisheries sector is 16.3%, lower than the global level.
- While the use of fossil fuels has increased the availability of fish to fisheries, the dependence of the fishing sector on fossil fuels raises concerns related to climate change.
- Factors Promoting lower Carbon Footprint:
- The carbon footprint from Indian marine fisheries is smaller because they depend largely on the human force.
- Large mechanised fishing boats were introduced in India in the late 1950s, but the fleet size is growing. Their number increased to 72,559 in 2010 from 6,708 in 1961.
What is Carbon Footprint?
- About:
- A carbon footprint is the total amount of Greenhouse Gases – GHGs (especially carbon dioxide and methane) released into the atmosphere by different human activities.
- Carbon footprints can be associated with an individual, an organisation, a product or an event, among others.
- According to the World Health Organization (WHO), a carbon footprint is a measure of the impact people’s activities have on the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) produced through the burning of fossil fuels and is expressed as a weight of CO2 emissions produced in tonnes.
- Carbon footprints are usually measured in equivalent tons of carbon dioxide – CO2e, during the period of a year.
- Greenhouse gases counted in the carbon footprint:
- Carbon dioxide (CO2)
- Methane (CH4)
- Nitrous Oxide (N2O)
- Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs)
- Perfluorocarbon (PFCs)
- Sulphur hexafluoride (SF6)
- Types of Carbon footprints:
- Organizational – Emissions from all the activities across the organisation such as energy use, industrial processes and company vehicles.
- Product – Emissions from the extraction of raw materials and manufacturing right through to its use and final reuse, recycling or disposal, i.e. over the whole life of a product or service.
Impacts of Carbon Footprint on Marine Ecosystems:
- Acidification of oceans:
- When carbon dioxide dissolves in seawater, it forms carbonic acid, which lowers the pH of the water.
- This can make it difficult for many marine organisms to build and maintain their shells and skeletons, which can have serious consequences for their survival.
- Effects on Marine Food Webs:
- Increasing carbon footprint can lead to changes in the distribution and abundance of plankton, which form the base of the marine food web.
- This can affect the growth and survival of fish, marine mammals, and other species.
- Bleaching of Coral reefs:
- Coral reefs are highly sensitive to changes in water temperature and chemistry, and increasing carbon footprint can cause widespread coral bleaching.
- Depletion of Species Diversity:
- Marine ecosystems are changing due to an increase in the intensity of cyclones, sea-level rise and the warming of the Indian Ocean.
- The diversity of species is changing.
- For example, during coral bleaching, reef-associated fish deplete.
Global Initiatives to Reduce Carbon Emissions:
- Global Programme of Action (GPA):
- The GPA is the only global intergovernmental mechanism directly addressing the connectivity between terrestrial, freshwater, coastal and marine ecosystems.
- MARPOL convention (1973):
- It covers pollution of the marine environment by ships from operational or accidental causes.
- It lists various forms of marine pollution caused by oil, noxious liquid substances, harmful substances in packaged form, sewage and garbage from ships, etc.
- The London Convention (1972)
- Its objective is to promote the effective control of all sources of marine pollution and to take all practicable steps to prevent pollution of the sea by the dumping of wastes and other matter.
- Greenpeace:
- It is an environmental NGO that is dedicated to conserving the oceans and marine life across the globe.
- Its grassroots efforts have resulted in the ban on destructive fishing practices, companies changing their fishing policies, and the creation of whale sanctuaries.
Pic Courtesy: Freepik
Content Source: Down To Earth