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Tropospheric ozone

Tropospheric ozone emissions sources and impacts

WHAT IS TROPOSPHERIC OZONE?

Ozone (O3) is a reactive gas that exists in two

layers of the atmosphere: the stratosphere
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(upper layer) and the troposphere (at ground
level and up to 15km). In the stratosphere,
ozone protects life on Earth from the sun’s
ultraviolet radiation. In contrast, at lower levels,
it is an important greenhouse gas and air
pollutant, which is harmful to human and
ecosystem health. It is also a major component
of urban smog.

Tropospheric ozone is a short-lived climate pollutant with an atmospheric lifetime of hours to

weeks. It does not have any direct emissions sources, rather it is a secondary gas formed by
the interaction of sunlight with hydrocarbons – including methane – and nitrogen oxides,
which are emitted by vehicles, fossil fuel power plants, and other man-made sources.

Strategies to prevent the formation of tropospheric ozone are primarily based on methane
reductions and cutting the levels of atmospheric pollution arising from man-made sources,
such as agriculture and fossil fuel production and distribution.

K E Y FIGU R E S

Hours-weeks 79–121 million 1 million

Tropospheric ozone has an Estimated global crop Long-term exposure to

atmospheric lifetime ranging production losses owing to ozone air pollution is linked
from a few hours to a few ozone total 79–121 million to 1 million premature deaths
weeks in polluted urban tonnes, worth USD 11–18 per year due to respiratory
regions billion annually diseases

PRIMARY SOURCES OF TROPOSPHERIC OZONE

In the troposphere, ozone is the product of the atmospheric reaction of a number of

precursor pollutants, which have both natural and man-made sources. Precursor pollutants
created by human activities include hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides, which are largely
emitted by cars and other vehicles, fossil fuel power plants, oil refineries, the agriculture
sector and a number of other industries.

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TROPOSPHERIC OZONE IMPACTS

C L I MAT E I M PAC T S
Ozone absorbs radiation and consequently acts as a strong greenhouse gas. Tropospheric
ozone affects the climate beyond increased warming, having impacts on evaporation rates,

cloud formation, precipitation levels, and atmospheric circulation. These impacts mainly
occur within the regions where tropospheric ozone precursors are emitted, and so
disproportionally affect the Northern Hemisphere.

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H E A LTH I M PAC T S
Tropospheric ozone is a major component of smog, which can worsen bronchitis and
emphysema, trigger asthma, and permanently damage lung tissue. Tropospheric ozone
exposure is responsible for an estimated one million premature deaths each year. Children,
the elderly, and people with lung or cardiovascular diseases are particularly at risk of the
adverse health impacts of ozone.

AG R ICU LT U R E A N D ECO SYSTEM IMPACTS

Tropospheric ozone is a highly reactive oxidant that significantly reduces crop productivity as
well as the uptake of atmospheric carbon by vegetation. Its effects on plants include
impeded growth and seed production, reduced functional leaf area and accelerated ageing.

Studies have shown that many species of plants are sensitive to ozone, including agricultural
crops, grassland species and tree species. These effects impact on the important ecosystem

services provided by plants, including food security, carbon sequestration, timber

production, and protection against soil erosion, avalanches and flooding.

SOLUTIONS

Strategies to prevent the formation of tropospheric ozone are primarily based on methane
reductions.

The relatively short atmospheric lifetime of methane, combined with its strong warming
potential, means that targeted strategies to reduce emissions can provide climate and health
benefits within a few decades.

The Coalition supports implementation of control measures that, if globally implemented by

2030 ld d l b l th
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i i b h 40% S l f th i i 4/9
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2030, could reduce global methane emissions by as much as 40%. Several of these emission
reductions could be achieved with net savings, providing quick benefits for the climate as
well as public health and agricultural yields.

METHANE - 40% emissions reduction potential globally by 2030

AGRICULTURE Improve manure management and animal feed quality

Apply intermittent aeration of continuously flooded rice paddies

Improve animal health and husbandry by combining herd and health

management, nutrition and feeding management strategies

Introduce selective breeding to reduce emission intensity and

increase production

Promote farm-scale anaerobic digestion to control methane

emissions from livestock

Adopt guidelines on healthy dietary choices

FOSSIL FUELS Carry out pre-mining degasification and recovery and oxidation of
methane from ventilation air from coal mines

Reduce leakage from long-distance gas transmission and distribution

pipelines

Extend recovery and utilization from gas and oil production

Recover and use gas and fugitive emissions during oil and natural gas
production

WASTE Separate and treat biodegradable municipal waste, and turn it into
MANAGEMENT compost or bioenergy

Upgrade wastewater treatment with gas recovery and overflow

control

Improve anaerobic digestion of solid and liquid waste by food

industry

Upgrade primary waste water treatment

Divert organic waste

Collect, capture and use landfill gas

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INITIATIVES

HOUSEHOLD ASSESSMENTS FINANCE HEALTH SNAP

ENERGY

RELATED RESOURCES

2015
|
Scientific Publications
Itahashi, S., H. Hayami, & I. Uno

Comprehensive study of emission source contributions for tropospheric ozone

formation over East Asia

Emission source contributions of tropospheric ozone (O3) were comprehensively

investigated by using the higher-order decoupled direct method (HDDM) for sensitivity
analysis and the...

2021
|
Reports, Case Studies & Assessments
Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC), United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

Global Methane Assessment (full report)

The Global Methane Assessment shows that human-caused methane emissions can be

reduced by up to 45 per cent this decade. Such reductions would avoid nearly 0.3°C of
global warming by...

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RELATED NEWS

WHO releases new, stricter, Air Quality Guidelines to save lives

22 September, 2021

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Reducing Methane Emissions is One of the Most Powerful Tools in

the Global Fight Against Ecosystem Degradation

5 June, 2021

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Methane’s links to respiratory diseases strengthens the case for its

rapid reduction.

22 March, 2021

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