To simply put, net zero emissions mean that we are not adding new emissions to the atmosphere. Emissions will continue, but they will be offset by absorbing an equal amount of CO2 from the atmosphere.
Almost every country has joined the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, which calls for global warming to be limited to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. However, if we continue to emit greenhouse gases that cause climate change, temperatures will rise far beyond 1.5 degrees Celsius, threatening the lives and livelihoods of people all over the world.
As a result, countries are pledging to achieve carbon neutrality, or “net-zero” emissions, within the next few decades. It is a large task that will necessitate bold actions beginning immediately.
What is Net Zero Target?
To simply put, net zero emissions mean that we are not adding new emissions to the atmosphere. Emissions will continue, but they will be offset by absorbing an equal amount of CO2 from the atmosphere.
It means, to achieve a net zero emission target, all remaining human-caused greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions must be balanced out by removing GHGs from the atmosphere in a process known as carbon removal.
According to the World Resources Institute, this can be accomplished through a variety of means, including forest restoration or direct air capture and storage (DACS) technology.
As of now 58 countries responsible for more than half of the world’s emissions have announced net zero emission targets. United Kingdom and New Zealand have legally binding net zero emissions.
China announced that it will peak its GHG emissions by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060. The US to achieve a net zero economy by 2050.
Issues
- The net zero formulation does not usually specify how net zero emissions are achieved. Net-zero plans that rely on promises of future carbon removal rather than reducing emissions now. Hence it is a risky bet.
- The problem with the term ‘net zero’ is that it allows governments and corporations to make pledges that evade responsibility, postpone real action, and in some cases even increase fossil fuel extraction and emissions.
- For example, any carbon offset (or renewable project) and carbon removal project will be acceptable if it can claim to avoid, or compensate for, carbon dioxide production.
- Too many ‘net zero’ plans depend heavily on unproven technologies that are unlikely to be successful at scale, as well as tree-planting that will necessitate such vast areas that it will drive up costs.
- Targets and accounting for negative emissions should be explicitly set and managed separately from current and future emission reduction targets. Failure to make such a separation has already hampered climate policy, with climate models overstating the expected future contribution of negative emissions.
India and Beyond Net Zero Target
India has been forced to join the net zero club. For India to achieve net-zero emissions by the 2060’s, India’s energy sector will need “profound transformation”. India is fourth largest energy consumer of the world.
However, India’s per capita carbon footprint is just around 2 tonnes CO2equivalent (CO2e), much lower than the global average of 4.8 tonnes and a fraction compared to the footprint of countries like Australia at 17 tonnes CO2e.
Hence, India has not made any moves towards net zero concept, as it brushes over the much bigger issue of climate justice– “common but differentiated responsibility”– the most important principles of 2015 Paris Agreement. This requires developed countries to lead and take historical responsibility for the emissions caused in the past by them.
India, thus, views that climate mitigation policies should be differentiated to put a higher responsbility of mitigation on the developed world.
It says adaptation is a bigger challenge for most developing countries than mitigation is. Developed countries promised to pledge USD 100 Billion every year from 2015 to 2020 to Developing countries to adopt to climate change. However, they have never met the target till now. And there was a pledge to increase the size of this funding significantly in the period 2021-2025.
Way Forward
Achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 or 2060 would need rapid systemic changes across all sectors and sections of society. It will also have to resort to carbon sequestration to an extent of around 1.3 Gt CO2, using nature-based solutions and /or carbon capture and storage (CCS).
This requires significant international financial investments and technological transfer from or technology co-development with the developed world.”
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