At COP26 in 2021, India pledged to be net-zero by 2070. The summit saw many countries recommit to the progress made during the Paris Climate Accords in 2015. The Paris Accords were signed by 196 parties and were focused on reducing the present and future damage caused by climate change. The primary agreement of the accords was for all the countries involved to reduce their emissions and eventually achieve net-zero emissions.
But what is net-zero?
According to one definition, net-zero means reducing greenhouse gas emissions to as close to zero as possible. Any emission that remains, could then be re-absorbed from the atmosphere, like through oceans and forests. Simply put, it means the amount of greenhouse gasses we add to the atmosphere is no more than the amount we can successfully remove from the air.
Net-zero is important because the emission of greenhouse gasses is a significant reason behind the global temperatures continuing to rise. The increases in global temperatures could have potentially devastating effects on humanity and our daily lifestyle. This ranges from the melting of ice caps resulting in rising sea levels to continuous periods of erratic weather. These erratic weather patterns could further lead to extended periods of drought and faster resource depletion, resulting in a complete disruption of supply chains.
To mitigate the impact of these gasses, net-zero aims to reduce the total emissions through various means, like adopting cleaner mobility alternatives like Electric Vehicles (EVs). EVs replace the existing fossil fuel-powered mobility solutions which continue to degrade the environment.
To achieve net-zero, countries have also conceived technological innovations like Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS) and the usage of green hydrogen. CCUS involves the capturing of CO2 from industrial and non-renewable energy processes and then transporting these gas either to be reused to create products or to be stored deep underground. Concrete, furniture, and metal alternatives can all be made from stored CO2.
As it is pragmatically impossible to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to zero, the net-zero strategy also aims to create sustainable solutions to balance out the emissions that cannot be avoided. These sustainable solutions rely on the power of nature to naturally remove CO2 from the atmosphere. Examples of sustainable projects to curb emissions include large-scale reforestation, domestic biogas production, and wastewater treatment.
Many countries have already begun their journey to net-zero and a few have already achieved net-zero emissions. Suriname and Bhutan are examples of two countries in the world currently that have achieved net-zero emissions.
Bhutan was the first country to be carbon negative, meaning they took in more CO2 than they created. They accomplished this primarily due to 70 percent of the country being covered in trees, which offsets CO2 emissions. Bhutan’s government has also enacted laws prohibiting log exports, amended the constitution to ensure that forested areas do not fall below 60%, and provided free hydroelectric power to reduce the country’s dependence on coal-based power. Thus, Bhutan became carbon negative through the conservation and sustainable use of nature.
Bhutan is not the only country that is amending its constitution to create net-zero emission laws. Larger countries, primarily in Europe, have also enacted similar laws to achieve net-zero emissions.
Suriname, a country on the northeastern coast of South America, is one of the most forested countries in the world and does not emit large amounts of greenhouse gasses, allowing it to attain net-zero emissions.
Another country in South America, Uruguay, is set to achieve net-zero emissions by 2030. Uruguay has moved closer to the target of the Paris Climate Accords by preserving its well-known pastures and ensuring its total energy matrix is made of 98 percent renewable energy resources.
Among the larger countries, Sweden has pledged to achieve net-zero emissions by 2045. Sweden in June 2017 announced a comprehensive climate policy framework that involves the reduction and the removal of emissions. This includes state-owned enterprises reducing their emissions, and an increase in the investment into technology that removes CO2 from the atmosphere.
Nations such as Canada, Japan, South Korea, and the UK have all conceptualized laws to promote net-zero emissions. These countries aim to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.
As you can see from the countries above, the road to a net-zero future begins with the individual adopting a more sustainable lifestyle and for policies to be enacted at the highest level.
Mobility-powered by fossil fuels remain among the main obstacles to reducing emissions. As we go forward, we are likely to see more and more countries shift away from conventional resources and opt for sustainable energy and mobility options. And one of the most important factors that will help countries achieve net-zero is by having dense public transport systems. These systems will further be complemented by shared mobility options that connect them point-to-point and thus can be an effective replacement for personal vehicles. This would in turn make shared mobility people’s first choice for commuting.
As citizens too, one of the immediate and practical ways we can help achieve a net-zero future is to shift away from conventional modes of transportation. Instead of relying on traditional vehicles, we could switch to sustainable and shared mobility services like Yulu. With Yulu’s electric vehicles, we can not only reduce our overall carbon footprint, but also begin the journey to a net-zero future.
Because the road to net-zero begins with us!