Climate or carbon neutrality is achieved when the same amount of carbon dioxide is emitted (CO2) into the atmosphere as it is removed by different means, achieving a zero balance, and is also known as a zero carbon footprint.
More About Carbon Neutrality
- The 2015 Paris Agreement has mentioned the need to achieve climate neutrality by the end of the century.
- The terms ‘net zero emissions’ and ‘carbon neutrality’ are interchangeable. The core meaning of both is the need to achieve ecological balance between activities that emit climate pollution and processes that reduce the impact of that pollution to zero or close to zero.
- Some of the more significant attempts at carbon neutrality have been made in electricity and transportation which, combined, make up almost half of global emissions, according to the Centre for Climate and Energy Solutions.
Means to Achieve Climate Neutral Economy
- Energy efficiency
- Deployment of renewables
Besides the environmental benefits, this move would also help boost energy security and domestic employment levels.
- Clean, safe and connected mobility
Curbing this substantial footprint will require prioritizing sustainable urban mobility alternatives, such as public transport or cycling, as well as improving existing vehicles and means of transport, favoring the use of low or zero emission technologies.
- Competitive industry and circular economy
Modernize industrial production in order to curb its greenhouse gas emissions. This includes recycling as a key element to promote an efficient use of resources.
- Bioeconomy
Biomass can play a key role in replacing the most polluting materials in heat production applications, due to the possibility of transforming it into biofuels or biogas.
- Capture and storage of CO2 emissions
Promote research aimed at improving carbon capture and storage technologies. These technologies, capable of separating, storing and isolating the industry’s carbon emissions, are currently extremely expensive.
