Global Race to Net-Zero Emission is ON; All have to Win!
Why is Net-Zero Important?
The global race for Net-Zero is ongoing and it is a must to win for all the countries. Here we are talking about climate change which is no more a reality only on paper now but happening on the ground affecting the whole world without any boundary. The consequences like a heatwave, wildfire, flooding, etc. cause heavy damage to nature, infrastructure, people, and biodiversity. It has been proved that the cost of repairing if at all possible or building back is much more than the cost of having concrete steps to curb the causes of such consequences.
Again, some of the effects of climate change havoc are irreversible like complete submerge of low-lying areas, displacement of huge population, desertification, soil erosion, changes in river path, etc. impacting on the huge population on the global scale especially affecting life and livelihoods.
Everyone is Involved – Scientists to Political Leaders
The climate change issues are all about science and consequences are becoming tangible as more and more time is being passed. The climate activists raising the issues and making everyone aware and alert. All these have brought the issue into the center stage of discussions and decisions. All the nations to take drastic steps like “Now or Never kind approach” to act on it with the objective of restriction of the temperature rise beyond 2 degrees C on the pre-industrial level. Even the non-responsive countries are being pressurised to take action through peer pressure.
Commitment from countries
And the effect of all these is the race to net-zero emission commitment by various countries. Most of the countries have the target year of 2050. Some nations have shown great ambition with the target like Norway has committed to having net-zero by 2030, Finland by 2035, etc. Some of the countries have taken up the target above 2050. The pledge of top 03 biggest emitters of Green House Gas Emissions are: –
- China – 2060
- USA- 2050
- India – 2070
Interestingly, there are also countries like Suriname and Bhutan that have already negative emissions.
What is Net-Zero?
Targeting net-zero does not mean that a country’s emission to be brought down to zero. Net-Zero is a state in which the country’s emission is compensated by absorption & removal of Green House Gases (GHGs) from the atmosphere. Paris Agreement (COP 21) underlined the need for Net-Zero emission. Now, there should be actions in alignment to curb the temperature rise within 2.0 deg C compared to pre-industrial time.
Importance of the Year 2030 and 2050
To avoid the worst climatic impacts, Global GHG emissions need to be slashed by 50% by the year 2030 and reach Net-Zero around mid-century, the year 2050. This is the reason why a huge number of countries commit to taking the Net-Zero Emission target as 2050.
What to do to achieve the Net-Zero Emission target?
Need to do two things. First, we must reduce our emissions to as close to zero as quickly as possible; also called anthropogenic emissions, to phase out coal-based applications, invest in clean energy technologies, shift to electric vehicles, protect the forest, reduce food loss & waste, usages of the renewable form of energy, etc. Secondly, we need to pull just as much carbon out of the atmosphere as we pump into it. This can be done by planting trees that absorb carbon, also, by developing emerging technologies such as taking carbon out of the air and stores in geological formations underground.
As we conclude, the net-zero target does not assign any emission reduction target to any country. Since Paris Agreement, 2015, still now, there has not been much progress by most of the countries towards net-zero emission commitment. The 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow has assembled all the top leaders, climate scientists, activists, and other key stakeholders to discuss and take deliberate choices what should define the future of the globe. The most encouraging in this context is that that the global citizens are getting aware of the climate change effects and solutions which is all about science and reality. Hope this will be a push on the respective governments and reminders also from time to time take concrete steps and walk the talk as per their commitments to win the Net-Zero Race.
