Abstract

Paris Agreement-compliant / IPCC-vetted temperature trajectory modeling is shown here.  1000 TWh/year is about the electricity consumption of Japan or the Russian Federation.  This illustrates the trade-offs between carbon dioxide and methane emissions for two policy options: coalfired vs gas-fired electric power generation.  The atmospheric concentration and temperature effect of methane decays within a few decades after cessation of emissions.  Carbon dioxide lingers in the atmosphere for centuries, locking in temperature increases even after emissions stop. Coal vs LNG: Global Temperature Increase 1000 TWh/year-50 Year Powerplant Lifetime Environmental/Economics Issue: Can global greenhouse gas emissions be reduced by shipping liquefied natural gas to China, or by encouraging China to use locally-produced coal in their electric power plants? This is a trillion-dollar decision with global environmental impact. Scientific Question: How can we accurately assess the global warming effects of emitting various combinations of carbon dioxide and methane?  Carbon dioxide and methane are the two most important greenhouse gases.