If you’ve been wondering whether man-made global warming is real, here’s the official answer. In its latest report, published in September 2013, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change opined: "It is extremely likely [95 percent confidence] more than half of the observed increase in global average surface temperature from 1951 to 2010 was caused by the anthropogenic increase in greenhouse gas concentrations and other anthropogenic forcings together."
So, in a word, yes. Carbon dioxide (CO2) really is heating the earth. And ‘local’ air pollutants – carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides (NOx) and soot – bring no joy either. They cause sickness and death in plants, animals and humans. With world population trending toward 9 billion and most of those to be located in cities, it is no wonder that governments continue to push down the lid on automotive emissions. September 2014, for instance, will see the debut of Euro VI, the sixth revision of European Union (EU) tailpipe standards, which will ratchet down limits another notch.
As emission limits go ever lower, a key question arises for anybody in the Autogas supply chain: how does Autogas compare with other fuels? Comparisons from the past show Autogas to be better than gasoline or diesel on a number of factors – but are these still valid?
The good news is that on CO2 and NOx, they do appear to be valid. Indeed, more valid than ever before, because the depth of available data is now vastly greater than ever before. A new database, compiled by the German government from tests of more than 5 000 cars actually on the market, offers a massive resource for emission comparisons. If you are in the Autogas supply chain, you ought to know about it. Read more here.