Net-Zero Emissions: How Can We Get There?

On 22nd April 2021, US President Joe Biden held an unprecedented global summit on climate change, imploring the world to embrace net-zero carbon emissions. As the New York Times put it, it was Biden’s chance to proclaim America’s return to the international effort to prevent the devastating impacts of a warming planet.¹

Specifically, the United States pledged to cut its carbon dioxide emissions by at least 50 per cent below 2005 levels in the next decade. Ultimately, the target is to phase out carbon emissions by 2050.²

What does net-zero carbon emissions mean?

A country or company can claim to be net-zero when it is not adding new carbon emissions to the atmosphere. It may still be responsible for some emissions, but they should be balanced out by absorbing an equivalent amount too.³ Carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) technology may be needed in industries that cannot stop carbon emission quick enough.⁴

Countries and companies cannot solely rely on reducing their greenhouse gas emissions to stop climate change. In fact, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) says global emissions need to reach net-zero around 2050. This would enable us to have a reasonable chance of limiting global warming to 1.5ºC temperatures.⁵ Almost every country in the world has signed up to the Paris Climate Agreement. It commits each signatory to the IPCC recommendations.⁶

Which countries have promised to reach net-zero carbon emissions?

The United Nations states that all countries must be net-zero carbon by 2050 to limit global warming by 1.5 degrees Celsius.⁷ Currently, most major countries around the world have – in theory – promised to get there. Yet, not all have explained how they will get there or even passed legislation committing to the goal.

Key European countries, such as the UK, France, Sweden, Denmark and Hungary, have already passed legislation committing to the goal. Moreover, the European Union and the United States, Germany, India and Japan governments have also publicly committed to the goal. However, they have not yet written it into the law. The Chinese government has committed to phasing out its carbon emissions by 2060.⁸

It is also worth noting that several countries have brought forward their targets to cut carbon emissions. In April 2021, the UK set out a new target in law to cut emissions by 78 per cent by 2035.⁹

The same month, US President Joe Biden announced that the US would cut its carbon emissions in half by 2030.¹⁰

1. Friedman, L. and Davenport, C. (2021). Biden Will Pledge to Cut Greenhouse Gas Emissions Nearly in Half. The New York Times. [online] 20 Apr. Available at: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/20/climate/biden-climate-change.html [Accessed 22 Apr. 2021].
2. Friedman, L. and Davenport, C. (2021). Biden Will Pledge to Cut Greenhouse Gas Emissions Nearly in Half. The New York Times. [online] 20 Apr. Available at: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/20/climate/biden-climate-change.html [Accessed 22 Apr. 2021].
3. UN News. (2020). The race to zero emissions, and why the world depends on it. [online] Available at: https://news.un.org/en/story/2020/12/1078612.
4. Action Aid Recycling. (2021). Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage: Effects on Climate Change. [online] Available at: https://actionaidrecycling.org.uk/carbon-capture-utilisation-and-storage-effects-on-climate-change/ [Accessed 22 Apr. 2021].
5. Energy & Climate Intelligence Unit. (n.d.). Why is it necessary? [online] Available at: https://eciu.net/analysis/briefings/net-zero/net-zero-why.
6. United Nations Climate Change (2017). Paris Agreement – Status of Ratification | UNFCCC. [online] Unfccc.int. Available at: https://unfccc.int/process/the-paris-agreement/status-of-ratification.
7. www.un.org. (n.d.). Net-Zero Emissions Must Be Met by 2050 or COVID-19 Impact on Global Economies Will Pale Beside Climate Crisis, Secretary-General Tells Finance Summit | Meetings Coverage and Press Releases. [online] Available at: https://www.un.org/press/en/2020/sgsm20411.doc.htm.
8. Energy & Climate Intelligence Unit. (n.d.). Net Zero Tracker. [online] Available at: https://eciu.net/netzerotracker.
9. GOV.UK. (2021). UK enshrines new target in law to slash emissions by 78% by 2035. [online] Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-enshrines-new-target-in-law-to-slash-emissions-by-78-by-2035 [Accessed 22 Apr. 2021].
10. Friedman, L. and Davenport, C. (2021). Biden Will Pledge to Cut Greenhouse Gas Emissions Nearly in Half. The New York Times. [online] 20 Apr. Available at: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/20/climate/biden-climate-change.html.