Global Environmental Problems

Climate Change.

Potential impact of human activities on climate changes is in the scope of the world’s community since early 1980, furthermore has come to a conclusion about contraction of gas emissions, prevention a catastrophic climate change, that is creating ecological backlash, on socio- economic sector, foodstuffs, water resources, and -human health also.

The essence of climate change is that everyday human activities promote an increase in so- called greenhouse compounds in the atmosphere, hindering the propagation of thus provoking the processes of global warming of the planet.

Table 1

In order to avoid these 150 countries signed the UN Frame Convention on Climate Change in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, according to which the participant states take responsibility for reducing emissions of greenhouse gases in their countries.

In October 1994, Georgia became a party to the UN Framework Convention (UNFCCC). In September 1996, under presidential Decree No. 680 a State Committee on the Problems of Climate Changes. To coordinate its implementation, a National Climate Change Center was set up within the Department of Hydrometeorology of the Georgian Ministry of the Environment. Since January 1997 the Center has managed the project on Enabling Georgia to Fulfill, its Commitments to the UNFCC assisted by the UNDP and with financial support from the Global Environmental Foundation. To provide the Convention Secretariat with relevant data an inventory of greenhouse emitted in Georgia in 1980-1997 was developed. (The above-stated data are shown in the table №2)

Table 2

Summery characteristics of greenhouse gases emitted in Georgia

According to the emission inventory, the total per capita emission of greenhouse reached its maximum in 1985. Recalculated as carbon dioxide (CO₂) equivalent a figure of 8.6 tones per year has obtained. In 1992- 1996, the value reduced to 2.6 tones. Since 1997 in conditions of economic recovery, the emission level had started to rise and by the end of that year reached 3.8 tones.

The main component of greenhouse gases emitted in Georgia is carbon dioxide originating from fuel burning. Although from 1990-1997, proportion of the greenhouse effect reduced from 78 to 65%. In conditions of recent economic regeneration, a rising trend in emission of carbon dioxide exists. The contribution of transport related carbon dioxide emissions increase

The national Center for Climate Studies has evaluated the intensity of climate changes in Georgia, related damage to sensitive ecosystems and the impact of the latter on Georgia’s economy. The pattern of average air temperature and precipitation levels within the last 80-100 years period has been analyzed. Common trends of average temperaturevariations were identified – a rise in temperature by 0.5⁰C in East Georgia; a reduction by 0.3⁰C in the West; 10-15% increase of precipitation in some lowland regions; 15-20% reduction of precipitation level in the mountainous region of the Caucasus, in particular in its eastern part. If these trends persist great damage to agriculture may be incurred.

In the case where the temperature rises by only 1⁰C, the loss of wheat and corn harvest in East Georgia may be 30%, while a decrease of the average temperaturein the West of Georgia will affect traditional tea growing in the region. Significant economic damage may occur in the coastal strip where the trend of rising sea level (by 4-5 mm/sec) has been observed in the Poti- Supsa section. The phenomenon incurs risk to facilities that are to be constructed in the area.

Work on the National Program for Climate Changes and the Action Plan revealed some priorities for investment projects:

• Implementation of projects for adaptation to the climate change in the Black Sea coastal zone;
• Implementation of projects for utilization of renewable sources for heat and electric power production (hydro power, solar, geothermal, wind and biomass energy);
• Execution of measures for reduction of greenhouse gasses emission from industry.

Ozone Layer Depletion

Observation conducted since 1970 worldwide show that the amount of ozone (O₃) in the stratosphere is constantly reducing. Today there is no doubt that the problem occurs because of increased content of chlorine and bromine compounds in the stratosphere mainly through emission of chlorofluorocarbons (CFC_S) and bromochlorocarbons (BCC) which are used in refrigeration and air-conditioning and are presents in aerosols, cleaning materials, firefighting tools, etc.

Depletion of stratospheric ozone leads to an increase in ultraviolet radiation (UVR) reaching the earth’s surface where it can initiate undesirable chemical and biological processes treating the health of living organisms. Ultraviolet radiation may cause skin cancer, cataracts, and immune suppression, and stimulate other dangerous for health processes as well as affect flora and fauna spices and natural landscapes.

Georgia supports the efforts of the world community to reduce the process of ozone layer depletion. The authorities in Georgia deem to co-operation on international level for solving the ozone problem. In 1995, Georgia ratified the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer (Vienna, 1995) and the Montreal Protocol on Substances of Ozone-Depleting Potentials (Montreal, 1987). Ratification of the London, The Copenhagen and the Montreal amendments to the latter is ton agenda.

Based on an official request from the Georgian Government (Letter N 5-351 forwarded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 17 October, 1996), Georgia was classified as an Article 5 country (developing country for purposes of the Montreal Protocol) at the Eighth Meeting of the Parties, held in November 1996 (Decision VIII/29. UNEP/Oz.L.Pro.8/12). This means that Georgia will be supported financially by the multilateral fund for the implementation of the Montreal Protocol.

With support from the Global Environmental Facility (GEF), the Country Program for Phasing out Ozone Depleting Substances in Georgia was prepared for Georgia in October 1997. The Georgian Ministry of the Environment, with technical and financial support from UNEP IE, and on the basis of discussions with other Ministries, industrial sectors, private businesses, academic circles and Non-Governmental Organizations, has set up a National Ozone Team, which has a leading role in the implementation of the Country Program and the National Action Plan.

During the preparation of the Country Program it was identified that the consumed amount of ozone depleting substances in 1996 in Georgia constituted 25.95 ODP tons. It has also elicited that the major consumer of ODS is the refrigeration sector – 24.55 ODP tons (94.6%), while in the agriculture sector 1.4 ODP tons (5.4%) is being consumed.

Out of a total of 24.55 ODP tons of ODS consumed in the refrigeration sector:

• Domestic refrigerators accounts for 16.56 ODP tones (63.9%),
• Commercial refrigerators -for 3.19 ODP tones (12.3%),
• Mobile and domestic air-conditioners for 3.38 ODP tones (13%),
• Industrial refrigerators for 0.05 ODP tones (0.2%),
• Large air conditioners for 0.01 ODP tones
• Others- for 1.36 ODP tones (5.2%).

Georgia does not produce any ozone-depleting substances regulated under the Montreal Protocol, but it does import them. Of the total amount of imported substances, CFCs (Annex A, Group I) amount to 23.48 ODP tones (CFC-12 only). Imports: of HCFC-22 (Annex C) and methyl bromide (Annex E) amount to 1.07 and 1.4 ODP tones respectively. Altogether, Georgia's population of 5,476 000 consumes approximately 0.004 kilograms per capita of Annex A and Annex B substances. As we see, the most part of these indexes is necessary on repair the freezing apparatus and on service sector. The plan of coolants management of was accordingly formed, the functions of which to increase the control above import of coolants, training technicians for freezing apparatus, fitting and recycling of used coolants. At 2005, the National Program and Plan indicates to stop the Annex A of Montreal Protocol and was approved along with the following investment projects:

1. Training for Technicians in the Refrigeration Sector (UNEP);
2. Programs for the Collection and Purification of Refrigerant Agents (UNEP).
3. Institutional Capacity Building (UNEP);
4. Training in the Monitoring and Control of ODS (UNEP);

In order to fulfill Georgia's current obligations under the Montreal Protocol on Ozone Depleting Substances, the Government of Georgia has undertaken to support, to the greatest possible extent, all organizations involved in implementing the projects.

Acidification.

Some decades ago, industrial and energy development reached its peak; acid rain became a major threat in Georgia. By 1988, emissions of SO from industries and energy facilities amounted to 660,000 tones. This is a considerable amount for a small country as Georgia. Nitrous oxide emissions in 1988 reached about 169,000 tones. 130, 000 tones were from industries and energy facilities, and 39,000 tones from automobiles (including trucks and buses). The high levels of precipitation and the peculiarities of the relief exacerbated the evident threat of acid rain.

The situation was the most serious in the Tbilisi-Rustavi region, where the majority of industrial enterprises and automobiles are concentrated. Matters were made worse by the fact that Tbilisi is located in the closed depression, which prevents emitted gases from being washed away by rain.

The situation changed during the 1992-1995 economic crises, when most businesses were paralyzed, with the remainder operating at partial capacity. Because of the catastrophic increase in fuel prices, most cars were not run. This resulted in a sharp decrease in air pollution until 1994: that year, sulphuric anhydride emissions from industry and energy facilities amounted to 30,000 tones, an eleven-fold reduction compared to 1988. Atmospheric emissions of nitrous oxides in the same year amounted to 18,000 tones, a sevenfold drop since 1988. Automobile emissions dropped 16-fold to 2,400 tons.

In 1995 saw a marked increase in the number of operational enterprises and automobiles, which was naturally followed by an increase in emitted gases. In 1996, nitrous oxide emissions from industries and energy facilities increased 2.5 times to 46,000 tons, while automobile emissions reached 36,000 tons. Sulphuric anhydride emissions remained almost unchanged over the same period. As the number of automobiles increases with the anticipated upturn in the industrial and energy sectors in the very near future, emissions of polluting substances, namely sulphuric anhydride and nitrous oxides, will also increase. However, the indices should be much lower than in 1988.