Stop warming-up the planet
Climate change refers to a long-term, significant change in the earth’s climate system, which impacts all aspects of the environment (earth, air, water, ice, flora and fauna). It is not necessarily human-induced, but the term is often used synonymously with the more precise description man-made global warming. Long-lived, large-scale, far-reaching global climate change is distinct from short-term changes (defined as less than 10 years) in local or regional weather. However, climate determines weather and creates specific weather events.
How does climate change impact the environment?
The planet’s surface temperature is mainly determined by solar radiation, the light and heat of the sun, which is partly absorbed and partly reflected by the atmosphere and the earth’s surface. The patterns of climate change that are currently being observed are mainly caused by greenhouse gases trapping the reflected radiation, leading to increased temperatures within the atmosphere. Other, non-man-made climate change events in the earth’s past were caused by extraordinary incidents including solar intensity variations, volcanic eruptions, tectonic shifts and asteroid impacts.
How will climate change affect us?
Since climate change affects all aspects of the ecosystem, it is already having a significant impact on human life. Scientists largely agree that the following events have already been caused or could be caused in future: an increase in average global surface temperatures, rising sea levels, thawing permafrost and melting ice sheets, desertification, ocean acidification, loss of biodiversity, plus extreme weather events like excessive precipitation or droughts, heatwaves and the ensuing wildfires. In the long run, a continued increase in average temperatures could even seriously threaten life on earth as we currently know it.
Combating climate change with low-carbon technologies
There is no way around it – we must reduce greenhouse gas emissions to keep global warming in check. Global energy demand, however, keeps growing. Switching to carbon-free renewables is a complex process which demands innovation and skillful applications. With its products and services, MAN Energy Solutions operates right where the major drivers of economic and ecological progress are located. The company is aware of this responsibility and therefore already offering system technologies that help its marine, power and industrial customers increase the efficiency of their plants and applications, and reduce emissions.
Minimizing the shipping industry’s contribution to climate change
Like many industries, the maritime industry needs to transition to renewable energy sources – the health of the planet demands it. Therefore, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has introduced regulations that require the shipping industry to reduce its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by at least 50% by 2050 compared to 2008. At the same time, an increase in shipping is projected, driven by the growth of international trade. The IMO predicts that shipping emissions could increase by up to 250% by 2050. In a joint study, MAN Energy Solutions and the Fraunhofer Institute have developed four scenarios that point towards what the shipping industry could look like in 2050.
Green hydrogen opens the door to net zero
Hydrogen is a key element in the energy transition. Together with its derivatives, green hydrogen offers solutions for the decarbonization of many industrial sectors, and is especially important where direct electrification is not possible. MAN Energy Solutions provides holistic hydrogen solutions, enabling both the production of green hydrogen from renewable energy sources and the utilization of green hydrogen and its derivatives as net-zero fuels.