In our series “EcoHomeLife Explains” we look at common terms and concepts surrounding sustainability and explain them briefly and simply. In this edition we ask: is net-zero achievable?
If you are interested in reducing the impact you have on our environment, you probably have come across the concept of net-zero.
Most countries have net-zero strategies and targets, including the UK. So do some companies and organisations.
Becoming net-zero is a great way to live a sustainable life, but what is all this about and more importantly: is net-zero achievable?
What Is Net-Zero?
Before we look closer at our question “is net-zero achievable?”, let’s first find the answer to another question: what is net-zero?
According to the Cambridge Dictionary online, net-zero in the context of environment means:
(of a country, city, etc.) removing as many emissions (= gases that cause the earth to warm up) as it produces
Cambridge Dictionary Online
This means a country that has achieved net-zero does not add any additional greenhouse gases (GHGs) into our atmosphere. The total amount of GHGs in the atmosphere will not increase as a result of this country’s actions.
Here is a simple example to explain the concept: imagine you have a bowl with 1 litre of water. To be net-zero, you have to ensure that the bowl does not gain more water, no matter what you do.
If you add 100ml of water, you have to remove 100ml of water at the same time. You know that the water will evaporate slowly, so you could add the 100ml at the same rate as the water evaporates.
You could heat the water to speed up the process. If someone else takes out 100ml from the bowl, you will be able to add your water while still being net-zero.
And it’s the same when it comes to net-zero in terms of greenhouse gas emissions.
As you can see, being net-zero doesn’t necessarily mean that no emissions can take place at all, although this would be the easiest way.
Why Net-Zero Is Important
Before we look at the question “is net-zero achievable?”, we want to briefly explain why it matters.
When the sun’s radiation encounters the earth, some of the heat is reflected back, some is absorbed by the gases in our atmosphere.
Through the absorption of some of the heat, our planet warms up. This in itself is not a problem, because we need the warmth of the sun for life to prosper. Think of plants that grow faster in summer when it’s warm.
But if there are too many greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide, that absorb the heat, the temperature will increase by more than is good for life on earth. This is called the greenhouse effect.
It then causes what we call global warming, which in turn causes climate change. If the temperature rises by too much, our planet becomes less habitable for many plants, animals and us humans.
Devastating extreme weather events, such as wildfires, floods and heatwaves, are a direct result of global warming.
Scientists have calculated that we have to keep the temperature of the earth below 1.5°C above temperatures before the industrial revolution.
The only way to achieve this is by not adding any more GHGs to our atmosphere, which means becoming net-zero.
So Is Net-Zero Achievable?
Now that we know what net-zero is and why it is so important, let’s get to it: is net-zero achievable? The short answer is: yes.
But how this can be achieved is a much more complicated affair. So many things that we do in our daily lives produce carbon emissions, including using a computer, driving a car, heating our homes and producing things.
Scientists have said that the most important thing to achieve net-zero is to stop burning fossil fuels. But unless we all stop driving cars, flying, heating our homes and using electricity, this is rather difficult.
We have to decarbonise the infrastructure of the world. This means:
- Switching to electric vehicles
- Switching to low-emissions heating systems such as heat pumps
- Switching to producing only renewable energy, such as wind and solar
- Switching to biofuel for planes/developing electric planes
- Switching to plant-based materials to manufacture plastics, chemicals, etc.
- Switching to a more plant-based diet and eat less meat
- Reduce waste
All this won’t happen overnight and will cost a lot of money. And these are only some measures that will reduce our carbon emissions; we still have to remove GHGs from our atmosphere to balance out any emissions we do still produce.
Measures to do this include:
- Natural: planting more trees, restoring forests and conserving existing forests; conserving the health of our oceans and other ecosystems
- Technology: using new technologies such as carbon capture and storage and direct air capture
While we have some technologies that can remove carbon dioxide from our atmosphere and store it away safely, these projects can’t be scaled up yet.
This means only small amounts can be removed using this technology.
So the answer to our question “is net-zero achievable?” is yes. But it is difficult, takes time and costs money as well as the good will of all the people, governments and leaders around the world.
And while we can all do our bit individually, by reducing our own carbon footprint, only if the whole world comes together can we achieve net-zero.
