An
agreement known as the Paris Agreement was made during the 2015 United Nations
Climate Change Conference to reduce the consequences of climate change by
achieving carbon net zero by the second half of the twenty-first century. Here,
we examine the actions being made to achieve a balance that is essential for
the generations to come.
Climate
change is mostly caused by emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2). The carbon stored
in so-called fossil fuels, including as coal, oil, and natural gas, has been
used by humans more and more since the start of the Industrial Revolution. When
these fuels are burned, CO2 is emitted. In May 2019, its atmospheric
concentration hit a record high of 415 parts per million.
The
earth’s surface warms due to the absorption of solar radiation by CO2 and other
greenhouse gases (GHG). More frequent and serve droughts, severe storms and
heatwaves, rising sea level, melting glaciers, bio diversities loss, and
significant life changes, including climate migration, are just a few of the potentially
disastrous consequences of global warming in the ensuring decades.
What
is Carbon Net zero?
A
zero balance, or zero carbon footprint, is achieved when the same amount of CO2
is released into the atmosphere as is taken out by various methods, according
to the European Parliament. But what does "carbon footprint" actually
mean? A person, organization, service, or product's total GHG emissions are
referred to as this.
We
can achieve the balance we are discussing in a variety of ways. Producing more
CO2 than the world's forests and plants can naturally absorb is the healthiest
course of action. Through the process of photosynthesis, these plants absorb
CO2 from the atmosphere and convert it into oxygen, thereby reducing emissions.
The
Carbon
net zero training that teaches a
practical approach to reporting and estimating carbon footprints. It contains
carbon calculation Excel sheets and case studies. The course covers carbon
neutrality, offsetting, various emission scopes, and fundamental GHG
principles.
In
a 2020 speech, UN Secretary-General António Guterres outlined the essential
elements needed to achieve climate neutrality:
·
Establishing an
actual international alliance in support of carbon net zero by 2050.
·
Coordinating
international financial support for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
and the Paris Agreement.
·
Making
significant strides in climate change adaptation and resilience
The
Distinctions Among Carbon Neutral, Carbon Negative, and Carbon Positive
We
can move on to two related ideas that frequently lead to misunderstandings when
employed incorrectly after discussing carbon net zero, or carbon neutral;
Carbon
Negative: An activity is said to be carbon
negative if it removes more CO2 than it releases, exceeding carbon net zero.
Microsoft recently declared that by 2030, it will have zero carbon emissions.
Carbon
Positive: When an activity contributes more
carbon to the atmosphere than it absorbs or offsets, it is said to be carbon
positive and has a detrimental impact on the environment.
What
Steps can We take to Become Carbon Neutral?
Reaching
carbon net zero by 2050 and keeping global warming to 1.5°C is feasible,
according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) expert group.
However, they caution that this goal will require extraordinary social and
political transformation. The United Nations recently outlined our short-term
goals in a communication:
·
To finance the
removal of carbon emissions and the creation of low-emission substitutes,
including renewable energy, a price for carbon emissions should be established.
·
A significant
amount of the emissions is caused by new coal-powered power plants, so stop
building them.
·
Put the onus of
the carbon tax on polluters rather than taxpayers.
·
Require that the
economic risks related to climate change be published.
·
Aim for carbon
neutrality when making economic and financial decisions.
Explain
the Benefits of Reaching Carbon Net Zero
Reaching
carbon net zero benefits communicates and society at large in addition to being
the means of preventing the worst effect of climate change. Among them are;
·
Gains in health
and a reduction in pollutants from the environment
·
An increase
in green employment creation and sustainable economic growth.
·
Reduced
effects of climate change led to increased food security.
·
A reduction
in biodiversity loss and an improvement in ocean quality.
·
The NGO
Carbon Trust claims that businesses can gain immediate advantages from carbon
neutrality as well.
· It
demonstrates the business's dedication to decarbonization and its aim to make
up for any residual effects.
·
It enhances
the business's green credentials, setting it apart as a brand that cares about
the environment.
