What actually does reaching ‘net zero’ mean?
Every story about climate change, global warming and the environment usually includes the phrase reaching ‘net zero’ by 2050. But what does that mean for governments, industry and the individual?
Midlands green energy expert Ron Fox explained that the phrase means no longer adding to the total amount of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane which increase global temperatures by trapping extra energy in the Earth’s atmosphere.
CO2 is produced when oil, gas and coal are burned in homes, factories and in powering transport while methane is due to farming and landfill.
Ron explained that under the 2015 Paris climate agreement, 197 countries, including the UK, agreed to try and limit global temperature rises to 1.5C by 2100. To achieve this greenhouse gas emissions need to fall by nearly half by 2030 and reach net zero by 2050, according to the UN climate body, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
But, he said, as these figures remain high a new agreement was reached at the COP28 UN Climate Change Conference in Dubai last November when countries agreed the importance of reaching ‘net zero’ by 2050 to avoid the worst consequences of a warmer world.
But Ron pointed out that net zero would not mean a complete end to greenhouse gas emissions. That is because there are already emissions in the atmosphere from previous years and to stop those increasing with any new emissions, they would need to be removed.
This could be done firstly restoring peat lands and secondly by planting many more trees as rapid deforestation across the world means there are fewer trees to absorb CO2.
A third way would be carbon capture where the CO2 produced in power stations and industrial processes is collected before it is released into the atmosphere and stored underground, but this technology is still in its early stages.
“While these technologies could be important in future, they are expensive, and can at the moment only cancel out a very small fraction of greenhouse gas emissions produced,” said Ron, of Noreus Ltd on the University of Keele Science and Innovation Park. “They are not a substitute for making drastic cuts to the use of fossil fuel.”
To help achieve its 2050 target, the UK government has made a series of ambitious pledges, which include:
- Achieving fully “clean” electricity by 2035 by rapidly increasing wind, solar and nuclear power.
- Making 80 per cent of new cars producinng zero emissions by 2030.
- Capturing and storing between 20 and 30 million tonnes of CO2 by 2030.
- Installing 600,000 electric heat pumps a year by 2028.
So far, the UK has made significant progress in cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 50 per cent since 1990.
However, this figure does not show the UK’s full carbon footprint as it includes only emissions generated within the Great Britain, and not those produced from goods manufactured overseas which our country imports.
Also there have been concerns about the UK’s ability to meet its future targets with the government’s independent advisers saying in June 2023 there was “worryingly slow” progress towards its 2030 targets.
As well, there are worries about what other countries are doing. Around 145 nations have, or are considering net zero targets, but not all have set a 2050 deadline. And there are concerns about whether the big emitters of CO2, China, the USA, the EU, Russia and India are doing enough.
Ron concluded that although the most significant changes on net zero need to come from world governments, individuals can play their part by:
- Taking fewer flights.
- Reducing their energy use.
- Improving home insulation and energy efficiency.
Switching to electric vehicles. - Moving from gas central heating to heat pumps
- Eating less meat.
For more details on how individuals can play their part in hitting net zero call Ron on 0845 474 6641 or go to www.noreus.co.uk
Caption: ‘Meating’ the carbon zero target – one way people can help is by eating less red meat as cows and farming produce a lot of CO2.
