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40 © Idiata 2016 | Understanding the Role of Green Infrastructure

hexafluoride, hydro fluorocarbons, nitrogen dioxide is converted into sugars in a process
trifluoride, and per fluorocarbons. (IPCC, 2007 called carbon fixation. Green plants absorb light
& Prather and Hsu, 2008). energy using chlorophyll in their leaves. They
use it to create a reaction between carbon
CO2 is of particular significance because of its dioxide and water to make a sugar called
effect on the Earth’s climate and its permanence glucose. The glucose is used in respiration or
– it is a gas that remains active in the atmos- converted into starch and stored. Oxygen is
phere for a long time. For example, of the CO2 produced as a by-product.
released into the atmosphere, over 50% will
take 30 years to disappear, 30% will remain for Figure 6: showing the stages in photosynthesis
many centuries, and 20% will last for several (source, RSC)
million years (Solomon et al., 2007).
Figure 7: the process of photosynthesis
CO2 Reduction mechanism: - The important (source, en.wikipedia.org)
process by which GI can effectively combat
climate change is in the reduction of carbon
dioxide in the atmosphere, the major factor
responsible for global warming.

The natural process to achieving this is photo-
synthesis. What really is it and how can it help?
This two part question is the core of this paper.

A) What is photosynthesis?

Photosynthesis comes from the Greek phōs,
"light", and synthesis, "putting together" (wiki-
pedia.org). The process of photosynthesis
provides the main input of free energy into the
biosphere and is one of four main ways in which
radiation is important for plant life (Jones,
1992). According to BBC (2014), photosynthesis
is the chemical change that happens in the
leaves of green plants. It is the first step
towards making food—not just for plants but
ultimately every animal on the planet.

During this reaction, carbon dioxide and water
are converted into glucose and oxygen. The
reaction requires light energy, which is ab-
sorbed by a green substance called chlorophyll.

Photosynthesis can be summarized by the word
equation (source, RSC & Govindjee, 1999):

B) How does photosynthesis help? Findings

Photosynthesis can help reduce global warming McGrath (2014), an environment correspondent
in two ways: (1) by using heat from the sun and for the BBC reporting from the Global Carbon
(2) by using up carbon dioxide in the atmos- Project at CSIRO Australia, offers new insights
phere. Photosynthesis by plants and algae uses into how the very intricacies of leaf structure
up carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Carbon and function can have a planetary scale impact.
Findings suggest that vegetation might be able
to take in more carbon dioxide than is currently
modelled. The report continued by saying that

Science Target Inc. www.sciencetarget.com