The emission of other gases that contribute to global warming much more than carbon dioxide needs to be reduced as well. Fluorochlorohydrocarbons (FCKWs) absorb infrared light at wavelengths that are completely open. Therefore, they have a global warming potential that is 15000 higher than that of carbon dioxide. Banning FCKWs, which were widely used in air-conditioning units, does not only safe the ozone layer but is also beneficial for the climate.
The often as biogas advertised methane, that is produced in the stomach of cows and released from their behind, in the process of decomposing organic waste, or by growing rice has a 20 fold global warming potential than carbon dioxide, due to its absorbance of infrared light in an open wavelength range. It should therefore be of great concern that since the beginning of the 20th century the concentration of methane in the atmosphere has increased by 120%.
No matter how much energy we can save, no matter by how much we can ultimately reduce carbon dioxide emission, one thing has to be made very clear: if we will not be able to change and at the same time dramatically increase our energy ressources - estimates from various sources agree that by the year of 2050 the world energy demand will at least double - the carbon dioxide level will increase, from currently 380 ppm to anywhere between 550 and 750 ppm. However, we will not be able to meet the demand of energy, even by continuing to use fossil fuels at the current rate and increase to the maxmimum available alternative energy ressources such as nuclear power, biomass, wind and water energy and phtovoltaic techniques.
However, solar indeed must be the key to find a solution to the energy problem. Covering 8% of the Sahara desert would be enough to meet the world's energy demand. While unrealistic, this should give you an idea how effective solar power could be. Two processes known in nature must be mastered by humans in the future, and inventions in chemistry will play the major role here: photosynthesis, e.g. converting carbon dioxide to carbon and oxygen, or photochemically splitting water to oxygen and hydrogen - the reversed process of a hydrogen fuel cell - seem to be the only sustainable scenarios in the future, solving both the energy problem and greenhouse gas emission. Investing into the development of such techniques will be more valuable than putting money into sometimes more than doubtful approaches to sequester carbon dioxide.
