JAKARTA – Development of oil palm plantations has been often attributed to global warming. It is understandable if such attribution is supported by true and reasonable facts. So, let’s check it with the following facts and description.
The global warming has become the most pressing issue of this century,
especially because of its widespread impacts. It is caused by the increase of greenhouse intensity effect on earth’s atmosphere. Scientifically speaking, the earth atmosphere contains greenhouse gasses (GHG), especially water favor (H2O), carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrogen (N2) with certain natural concentrations. The function of greenhouse gases is to establish a mechanism of natural greenhouse effect on the earth atmosphere to protect and maintain the temperature of earth atmosphere at comfortable level for life.
Through the natural mechanism of greenhouse effect, some of the heat emitted by the sun is trapped within the earth atmosphere, while the rest is reflected into outer space (picture-1). Without such mechanism, all of the solar heat will be reflected into outer space, causing earth temperature very cold (not comfortable for life).
The intensity of greenhouse effect increases if the concentration of greenhouse gas emissions on earth’s atmosphere is higher than its natural concentration. Its causes include the increase of greenhouse gas emissions resulted from human activities and the emissions of man-made gases, such as Chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) and halogen (human enhanced greenhouse effect).
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change/IPCC (1991) reported that concentration of greenhouse emissions in the atmosphere has seen an increase from the pre-industrial period (1800s) until now. According to IPCC (1991) the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere had increased from 280 ppmv (part per million volume) in 1800s to 353 ppmv in 1990. The concentration of CO2 in atmosphere in 2005 increased to 379 ppmv, to 396 ppmv in 2013, to 399 ppmv in 2015, and had been continually rising to 407 ppmv in 2018 (IEA, 2013, 2016, 2019). The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) reported that the level of carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration in the atmosphere in May 2022 increased to 417.6 ppmv.
Meanwhile, during the period of 1800s – 1990, the concentration of other greenhouse gases also increased, namely CH4 from 0.8 ppmv to 1.72 ppmv, N2O from 288 ppbv (part per billion volume) to 310 ppbv, and CFC from zero to 280-484 pptv (part per trillion volume).
In line with the above studies, Olivier et al. (2022) also reported the increase of greenhouse gas emissions (CO2 equivalent) in atmosphere from 32.9 Gt CO2 eq in 1990 to 49.8 Gt CO2 eq in 2020 (picture-2).
During the period of 1990-2020, the biggest increase of emissions was contributed by CO2 emissions, which rose from 22.7 Gt CO2 to 49.8 Gt CO2. Then CH4 also rose from 6.196 Mt CO2 eq to 7.732 Mt CO2 eq, N2O from 2.329 Mt CO2 eq to 2.958 Mt CO2 eq, and F-gas from 352 Mt CO2 eq to 1.328 Mt CO2 eq.
The increase of intensity of greenhouse gas concentration caused the trapped solar heat in the atmosphere to increase higher than the natural level, causing the earth’s air temperature hotter (Soemarwoto, 1992). The increase of temperature in the atmosphere is then known as global warming.
The above description shows that the global warming is not caused by the development of oil palm plantations. The increase of greenhouse gas concentration in the atmosphere was resulted from human activities since the era of pre-industry (1800s) until now, raising the intensity of greenhouse effect in the atmosphere and increasing the trapped solar heat as the cause of global warming. (*)
References:
- Olivier JGJ, Schure KM, Peters JAHW. 2022. Trends in Global CO2 and Total Greenhouse Gas Emissions: 2021 Summary Report.
- Soemarwoto O. 1992. Indonesia in the arena of Global environmental issues. Jakarta (ID): PT. Gramedia Pustaka Utama.
- US Global Change Research Program. tt. Human Influence on the Greenhouse Effect.
Source: Mitos & Fakta Kelapa Sawit –4th Edition | (Mitos 6-01)
