Number One Source of Black Carbon: Forest and Savannah Burning

The greatest source of black carbon emissions is forest and savannah burning, much of which is for land clearing for livestock. A study led by Dr. Tami Bond of the University of Illinois, Urbana Champaign and published in Global Biogeochemical Cycles estimates the sources of black carbon emissions to be:

• 42% Open biomass burning (forest and savannah burning)
• 18% Residential biofuel burned with traditional technologies
• 14% Diesel engines for transportation
• 10% Diesel engines for industrial use
• 10% Industrial processes and power generation, usually from smaller boilers
• 6% Residential coal burned with traditional technologies

Omitting livestock form the picture would give a significantly reduced figure for forest and savannah fires (open biomass burning), substantially reducing the amount (and therefore effect) of black carbon globally.

Source: Historical emissions of black and organic carbon aerosol from energy-related combustion, 1850–2000 – Trautmann et al. – Global Biogeochemical Cycles, 21, GB2018 – Abstract

Date: 30 May 2007