Introduction

Environmental degradation and climate change are among the greatest challenges facing humanity. The relentless destruction of ecosystems, driven by human activity, poses a serious threat to the future of our planet, the human species, and other living beings. If we do not halt this destruction now, the devastation will become irreversible. However, the problem is even more extensive than we may realize.

In this report, we will examine the real climate and health-related threats, as well as the effectiveness of the actions being taken to prevent catastrophe.

The Current Condition of the Natural Environment

Currently, the natural environment is in a state of crisis. Pollution of water and soil, as well as deforestation, are phenomena that have serious consequences for the climate, human health, and the stability of ecosystems. However, one of the most dangerous killers is greenhouse gases, particulate matter, and other harmful emissions, which are gradually leading to further species loss. Understanding the global impact of air pollution is crucial for making meaningful decisions. As countries grapple with the healthcare costs and environmental consequences, strategic measures and collaboration are essential to optimize outcomes and reduce the economic burden of emission-related diseases.

The Changing Landscape of Atmospheric Composition

Satellite-based monitoring has provided invaluable insights into the evolution of greenhouse gas concentrations in our atmosphere. Data from the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) instrument aboard the Aqua spacecraft has captured the fluctuating levels of carbon dioxide (CO₂) over the period of September 2002 to February 2016.

To contextualize these measurements, consider that a concentration of 400 parts per million (ppm) of CO₂ means that for every one million air molecules, 400 of them are CO₂. The remainder is primarily composed of nitrogen (78%) and oxygen (21%), with trace amounts of other gases.

While greenhouse gases like CO₂, methane, nitrous oxide, and water vapor constitute just 0.1% of the atmosphere, their outsized impact on the planet’s energy balance is well-documented. These gases trap heat within the atmosphere, disrupting the natural exchange of energy between the Earth and space.

Climate Threats

Climate change is leading to extreme weather events such as heat waves, floods, droughts and hurricanes. The increase in Earth’s average temperature is causing glaciers to melt, sea levels to rise and disruptions to hydrological cycles. These changes have a direct impact on the lives of people, fauna and flora.

Greenhouse gas emissions contribute to smog, causing health problems and environmental damage, which further increases economic and social costs.

Threats to Health and Life

Impact on the circulatory and respiratory systems: Air pollution with PM and toxic gases increases the risk of heart attacks, strokes, asthma, bronchitis and lung cancer. Global health care costs: In the United States, annual health care costs related to diseases caused by PM are estimated at $100 billion.

Globally, air pollution from PM alone causes approximately 7-10 million premature deaths annually, prompting the World Health Organization to set a goal of reducing PM concentrations by 50% by 2030.

Data for 2019, source: Burden of Disease – Our World in Data

The burden of disease is measured as Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALYs). The DALY unit is the equivalent of losing one year of good health due to either premature mortality or disability. A DALY unit represents one year of healthy life lost.

Particulate matter air pollution is a serious health problem that includes solid particles and liquid droplets suspended in the air. Negative health impacts include cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, with a significant economic burden on global health systems.

Challenge for Poland: Poland still has very high levels of air pollution in the European Union, contributing to an estimated 50,000 premature deaths per year.

EU initiatives: The European Union has introduced measures to reduce air pollution, including the Air Quality Directive and financial programs such as Clean Air for Europe (CAFE).

Global ranking: Poland ranks 12th in the world in terms of the financial burden of air pollution, with China, the USA and India at the top of the list.

Greenpeace estimates: Greenpeace’s estimate is consistent with the Deloitte report, which highlights the consistency in assessing the costs of smog in Poland.

Global and international context Global rankings: China, the US, India, Germany and Japan lead in the costs of annual air pollution, with Poland and Mexico sharing 12th place.

Economic Consequences

Air pollution, including particulate matter pollution, has significant economic costs, with estimates ranging from billions to trillions of dollars worldwide.

Annual costs: Poland incurs annual costs of $21-38 billion (PLN 79-144 billion) due to air pollution, affecting the economy and individual citizens.

Additionally, Poland allocates significant funds, including the Clean Air program worth PLN 100 billion, aimed at improving air quality.

Health care costs in the US: The annual cost of treating asthma and COPD in the United States is $50 billion.

Health care costs: A comparison of countries with the highest health care costs related to PM diseases shows that China is the biggest spender at $900 billion.

Legal Consequences

Countries like Poland are facing legal consequences and lawsuits for not fighting smog sufficiently, increasing the economic burden.

Not Only CO₂ ..!

Greenhouse gases (GHG) are gases that absorb and retain both thermal radiation emitted by the Earth and influence the passage of various forms of solar radiation (including potentially harmful UV, X-ray and gamma radiation) through the atmosphere, thereby causing atmospheric warming, and other negative effects.

An increase in the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere may cause:

• Increasing the amount of UV radiation reaching the Earth’s surface, which may lead to an increase in the incidence of skin cancer, eye damage and a negative impact on living organisms.
• Greater penetration of X-ray and gamma radiation, which increases the risk of genetic mutations, damage to tissues and organs, and degeneration of the nervous system and, as a result, the development of cancer.
• Disruption of the natural balance and protective functions of the atmosphere, which (as mentioned earlier) may have further ecosystem and environmental consequences.

Carbon dioxide (CO₂) is the most well-known greenhouse gas, but there are others that are much more harmful. These are: methane (CH₄), nitrous oxide (N₂O) and fluorinated greenhouse gases such as fluorinated hydrocarbons and freons.

Note: Nitrous Oxide belongs to the group of Nitrous Oxides (NoX), but it is rarely mentioned in this context.

In the case of combustion of fossil fuels (apart from greenhouse gases), the main harmful by-products are nitrogen oxides (NoX), sulfur oxides (SoX) and particulate matter (PM), but also other unburned hydrocarbons, which, in addition to harming the atmosphere, cause a direct threat for life and health.

Unburned hydrocarbons resulting from the incomplete combustion of petroleum fuels include:

These chemicals are not fully burned during the combustion of petroleum fuels such as gasoline or diesel and remain as unburned particles in the emitted exhaust gases.

Greenhouse gas emissions from human activities related to fossil fuels – transport, industry and agriculture – are the main cause of global climate change. Greenhouse gas emissions measure the total amount of all greenhouse gases emitted, often expressed in carbon dioxide equivalents (CO₂eq), which takes into account the amount of warming each molecule of the different gases produces.

Carbon dioxide equivalents (CO₂eq):

To account for all greenhouse gas emissions, researchers express them in “carbon dioxide equivalents” (CO₂eq). This includes all greenhouse gases, not just CO₂. To express all greenhouse gases in carbon dioxide equivalents (CO₂eq), each is weighted by its global warming potential (GWP).

GWP measures the amount of warming a gas causes compared to CO₂ (CO₂ gets a GWP value of 1). If a gas had a GWP of 10, then one kilogram of that gas would have a warming effect ten times greater than one kilogram of CO₂.

Carbon dioxide equivalents are calculated for each gas by multiplying the mass of emissions of a given greenhouse gas by its GWP. This warming can be expressed on different time scales. To calculate CO₂eq over a 100-year period, we would multiply the mass of each gas by its 100-year GWP (GWP100). Total greenhouse gas emissions, measured in CO₂eq, are then calculated by adding the CO₂eq values ​​for each gas.

What is the CO₂ equivalent of NOx emissions?

1 kg of CO₂ equivalent corresponds to the effect of one kg of CO₂ emissions. The emission of 1 kg of nitrous oxide (N₂O) is equal to 298 kg of CO₂ equivalent, and the emission of 1 kg of methane (CH₄) is equal to 84 kg of CO₂ equivalent. The GWPs of fluorinated gases vary widely and their levels can be significant.

The main greenhouse gases and their 20-year global warming potential (GWP) compared to carbon dioxide are:

1x- carbon dioxide (CO₂)
NOTE: Any amount of carbon dioxide added to the atmosphere will remain in the atmosphere for a long time: from 300 to 1,000 years. Throughout this time, it will contribute to retaining heat and warming the atmosphere.

84 x – methane (CH₄)
The release of 1 kg of CH₄ into the atmosphere is approximately equivalent to the release of 84 kg of CO₂. Methane’s GWP over 100 years is about 28 times CO₂, but it only lasts in the atmosphere for just over a decade. The GWP over 100 years is used to obtain CO₂eq.

298 x – nitrous oxide (N₂O)
The release of 1 kg of N₂O into the atmosphere is approximately equivalent to the release of approximately 298 kg of CO₂. Nitrous oxide has remained in the atmosphere for over a century. The 20-year and 100-year global warming potential are essentially the same.

Main Sources of Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Źródła:
transportenvironment.org/challenges/road-freight/
transportenvironment.org/challenges/cars/
ourworldindata.org/emissions-by-sector
ourworldindata.org/ghg-emissions-by-sector

Main Directions of Action for Environmental Protection

Reduction of Greenhouse Gas Emissions:

• Transition to renewable energy sources (wind, sun, water).
• Increased use of nuclear energy.
• Increasing energy efficiency in the industrial and transport sectors.
  Introduction of legal regulations and carbon taxes.
• Attempts to develop new technologies that offer reductions in existing emissions.

Green Mobility:

• Promoting electric vehicles (EV).
  Development of charging infrastructure.
• Encouraging the use of public transport and bicycles.

Global Initiatives

• Paris Agreement (2015): An international agreement to limit global warming to below 2°C above pre-industrial levels.
• European Green Deal: The EU strategy to achieve climate neutrality by 2050.
• Global Renewable Energy Initiatives: Support programs for renewable energy in many countries, aimed at increasing the share of renewable energy in the energy mix.

Challenges and Difficulties in Reducing Emissions

Despite numerous initiatives, there are many challenges:

• Lack of Sufficient Funds: Many countries, especially developing ones, do not have sufficient financial resources to invest in clean energy.
• Technological Complexity: The transition to renewable energy requires advanced technologies and infrastructure, which is expensive and time-consuming.
• Lack of solutions to immediately reduce emissions to the extent that would stop the ongoing degradation of the environment and prevent a catastrophe whose consequences will be irreversible.

Electricity Production in the World – Domination of Fossil Fuels Despite Renewable Initiatives

While promoting sustainable transport is crucial, the broader context of global electricity production reveals enduring challenges in the transition away from fossil fuels. Despite renewable energy initiatives, fossil fuels still dominate, contributing 60 – 80% of global electricity production in 2023.

The challenges of sustainable transportation go beyond the adoption of electric vehicles and address the broader issue of global electricity production. Fossil fuels,  especially coal and gas, maintain a significant share despite increased attention to renewable alternatives. The coexistence of these challenges highlights the complexity of achieving environmental goals in both the transport and energy sectors.

Important Conclusions:

• Fossil fuels, especially coal and gas, still provide over 80% of global energy needs, as indicated by the British Energy Institute.
• Despite fluctuations, coal maintains a significant role in energy production, providing over a third of global electricity, despite being the most CO2-intensive type of fossil fuel.
• The share of fossil fuels in global electricity production reached 61.27% in 2022, highlighting the economy’s continued dependence on non-renewable sources.
• The summary does not include data on the poorer Far Eastern, African and Indo-European countries, where electricity is largely produced from oil-powered generators.

Additional Difficulties on the Path to Climate Protection

Social Exclusion and Discrimination: The introduction of strict emissions regulations, such as bans on older, high-emission vehicles in city centers, result in less wealthy people who cannot afford to buy new, clean vehicles being “excluded” from many areas of life. This is not only a discriminatory factor, but it leads to a lot of social tension, dissatisfaction and strikes.

Technological Limitations: Many technologies are still under development and not ready for widespread use.

Electric Vehicles – The Myth of Zero Emissions

Electric vehicles are often considered zero-emission, but the production of electricity for charging them still relies largely on the burning of fossil fuels. Additionally, the production and disposal of lithium-ion batteries involves a high consumption of natural resources and emission of pollutants.

Promoting the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) is a key strategy in reducing dependence on fossil fuels and minimizing emissions. However, the sector faces challenges, especially in the context of lithium, a key ingredient in EV batteries. The paradox arises because demand for lithium, driven by the growth of EVs and renewable energy storage, creates environmental and social challenges. The extraction of this “white gold” raises concerns about water use, pollution and potential resource conflicts.

Protests in Argentina’s “lithium triangle” region highlight local opposition to legislative changes promoting lithium mining, predicting environmental degradation and threats to traditional livelihoods.

Exploring alternatives and long-term implications: Despite advances in lithium-ion battery technology, the search for alternatives such as sodium, magnesium and graphene-based batteries continues. However, commercializing these alternatives is a long-term process, and lithium-based batteries currently dominate the market. Dependence on lithium is being compared to historical dependence on oil and coal, highlighting the need for responsible and sustainable practices in the transition to green energy.

Hazards Related to Lithium Mining

Lithium, a key ingredient in electric vehicle batteries, is mainly mined in regions where its exploitation leads to serious environmental problems, including groundwater contamination and degradation of local ecosystems.

Imperfections of Biofuels and Renewable Fuels

Production costs: HVO is more expensive to produce than traditional diesel. Costs may include collection and treatment of biogenic waste, which may translate into a higher final price for consumers.

Infrastructure: While HVO can be used in most existing engines, manufacturing and distribution infrastructure may require adaptation and investment, especially on a global scale.

Limited Availability of Raw Materials: Although HVO is produced from waste, the availability of biogenic raw materials may be limited, especially as fuel demand increases. This may lead to competition for the same raw materials with other sectors, such as food or feed production.

Emissions When Burning: HVO fuels are produced from recovered and processed materials, such as vegetable oils and animal fats, which could otherwise end up in the environment and pollute it. This is certainly beneficial from the point of view of the circular economy. However, during the combustion process of HVO fuels, the emission of harmful substances and particulate matter is not lower than in the case of fossil fuels or biofuels. This depends on many factors, including the sources of raw materials for HVO production.

Emissions of other pollutants, such as nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulate matter, continue to occur. The combustion process of these fuels does not completely eliminate emissions of harmful substances.

Energy Efficiency: Less efficiency. Biofuels, including HVO, may have slightly lower energy efficiency compared to fossil fuels. This means that vehicles may need more HVO fuel to travel the same distance as on traditional diesel fuel, and therefore the actual emissions of harmful gases will increase in proportion to the increase in fuel consumption!

Carbon Footprint of Production: The production process of HVO fuels is also not free of emissions. The entire life cycle of a fuel must be considered to assess its actual impact on the environment.

Chemical Combustion Processes: During the combustion of HVO, like other fuels, chemical processes occur that can generate various pollutants. Here are some key aspects:

Nitrogen Oxides (NOx): Despite reduced emissions compared to traditional diesel fuel, the combustion of HVO can still lead to nitrogen oxide emissions, which are harmful to health and the environment.

Particulate Matter (PM): HVO may emit less particulate matter than traditional diesel fuel, but complete elimination of these emissions is not possible without the use of appropriate additives.

Hydrocarbons (HC): The combustion process of biofuels can also lead to emissions of unburned hydrocarbons, which can contribute to air pollution.

Conclusions

As indicated, if breakthrough solutions to reduce gas emissions are not implemented, despite the most “optimistic” forecasts, the only thing we can count on is a reduction in emissions to a level similar to that from 3 decades ago:

Based on: www.eea.europa.eu

Comments:
– The graph shows the trend in greenhouse gas emissions from the transport sector since 1990 and the forecast until 2040 at EU level (EU-27). The 2023 values are preliminary estimates reported by Member States.

– The given values include all emissions from domestic transport. They do not include international aviation and international maritime transport, or emissions related to the production of electricity used in transport (e.g. trains, trams, electric vehicles).

– The ‘with existing measures’ projection scenario reflects the impact of existing policies and measures on future emissions, while the ‘with additional measures’ scenario also includes further planned policies and measures notified by Member States.

This profound insight set the stage for the development of a transformative solution – one that could finally address the emissions problem at its core, rather than merely treating the symptoms. With unwavering dedication and scientific rigor, the iQiTech team set out to engineer a novel compound that would revolutionize the very nature of fossil fuel combustion. On this basis, the world’s first fuel component was developed, which, by optimizing the combustion processes of petroleum fuels, radically reduces harmful gas emissions while improving engine operating conditions:

In addition to the many advantages of this formula, such as the possibility of immediate implementation without the need for any modifications to existing engines, there is its incredible efficiency:

Now let’s check how these numbers would translate into an actual reduction of the problem in question if Q18 were applied on a mass scale. Let’s take a look at what the previously presented graph of projected emissions would look like, this time after plotting the Q18 reduction data:

Based on: www.eea.europa.eu

Comments:
– The graph shows the trend in greenhouse gas emissions from the transport sector since 1990 and the forecast until 2040 at EU level (EU-27). The 2023 values ​​are preliminary estimates reported by Member States.

– The given values ​​include all emissions from domestic transport. They do not include international aviation and international maritime transport, or emissions related to the production of electricity used in transport (e.g. trains, trams, electric vehicles).

– The ‘with existing measures’ projection scenario reflects the impact of existing policies and measures on future emissions, while the ‘with additional measures’ scenario also includes further planned policies and measures notified by Member States.

– If breakthrough solutions to reduce gas emissions are not implemented, despite the most “optimistic” forecasts, the only thing we can count on is a reduction in emissions to a level similar to that from 3 decades ago.

– Chart Q18 shows the minimum CO₂e reduction (29%). 

It is estimated that if all vehicles in the country started using fuel improved with the Q18 formula, there would be a dramatic 30% drop in CO2 emissions (and other gases and PM, respectively) and the visible effects would be felt by all of us within just 3 months! But these are not the only benefits.

The Q18 formula can be successfully used in other emission-burdened sectors, such as maritime and air navigation, as well as power plants and combined heat and power plants, which further reduces pollution on the global emissions map. Our component causes afterburning of all fractions in the combustion process itself, working perfectly in all heavy oils dedicated to professional power generation.

Now let’s look at the economic side. One of the obvious beneficiaries of such a significant emission reduction will be the state treasury:

Summary

As the world tries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, which are essentially the result of imperfect fuel combustion processes, our innovative solution at iQiTech focuses on improving the combustion process itself. By addressing the root cause rather than merely treating the symptoms, we have developed a novel compound that radically reduces gas and particulate emissions from petroleum-based fuels. This transformative approach holds the promise of mass-scale application and tangible, large-scale impact in the global fight against climate change.

The widespread adoption of iQiTech’s innovative Q18 formula holds immense potential to turn the tide in the global fight against emissions and environmental degradation. By addressing the root causes of pollution through optimized fuel combustion, this transformative solution promises a cascade of benefits – from reduced contamination and enhanced energy efficiency, to tangible financial savings and improved public health.

Moreover, the Q18 compound’s ability to mitigate the environmental toll represents a critical component in the complex, multi-faceted battle to safeguard our climate. Yet, unlocking the full impact of this technology will require a concerted global commitment, international cooperation, and steadfast political and social support. With the collective resolve to enact meaningful change, iQiTech’s pioneering work can play a pivotal role in steering humanity toward a more sustainable future!