The Roadmap to Net-Zero: Key Milestones in the Journey of Decarbonization

With the rapidly growing technologies and industrialization to meet the ever-growing consumer demands, environmental pollution is increasing as well. It is not only having adverse effects on climate change but also brings a lot of challenges for a greener future. That’s why the concept of ‘net zero’ is gaining significance in modern times.

Here’s what you need to know about the roadmap to net zero; key milestones in the journey of decarbonization.

Net Zero.

Net-zero is a concept of achieving a balance between the number of greenhouse gases released by industry into the atmosphere and the amount of it removed from the atmosphere simultaneously. In an ideal scenario, net zero will occur when the same amount of greenhouse gases emitted are efficiently captured and removed from the atmosphere at the same time.

Net zero is a crucial step towards limiting global warming by managing the climate change temperature not to be more than 1.5 degrees Celsius. It is outlined in the Paris Agreement. As a result, having a control over;

1. Extreme weather events.
2. Sea-level rise.
3. Unexpected climate changes.
4. Biodiversity loss.
5. Wastage produced.
6. Greener environment.

Decarbonization.

Decarbonization, on the other hand, is the concept of either reducing or removing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from industries and various other sources that produce (CO2) as a residual gas.

Decarbonization works by transitioning the operational procedures to renewable energy and sustainable practices.
Thus, net zero and decarbonization work together to control the effects of industrialization towards climate change.

Source of greenhouse gas emissions and their effects on global warming.

The major sources of greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere are;

• Burning fossil fuels for energy.
• Industrial processes.
• Agriculture methodologies.
• Deforestation.

All of these scenarios create an enormous amount of greenhouse gases in the environment that are hazardous to human health and climate alike. Such as;

1. Carbon dioxide (CO2). It is the major continuator of all of it.
2. Methane (CH4).
3. Nitrous oxide (N2O).

Who doesn’t know the adverse effects that climate change brings? Let it be frequent and intense heatwaves, untimely rains, unexpected weather conditions persisting above average periods, intense storms, droughts, or wildfires.

So if we want to control all of that for better ecosystems, economies, and human health – net zero is to be achieved for decarbonization.

How to achieve net zero; key milestones in decarbonization.

Use of renewable energy sources.

The first step towards achieving net zero is the use of renewable energy sources for industrial, commercial and residential purposes. It is the transition from the use of coal, oil, and natural gas for energy production to eco-friendly sources like;

• Solar energy.
• Wind energy.
• Hydropower.

Doing so will not only reduce greenhouse gas emissions but also these sources of energy have zero reliance on the burning of fossil fuels for energy production.

Better policies.

• Policymakers need to introduce more efficient rules and regulations that monitor the use of traditional energy production procedures and control greenhouse gas emissions. The Paris Agreement is one of the prominent examples of it that aims to limit global warming temperature scale to not be more than 1.5 degrees Celsius.
• Better policies for carbon pricing mechanisms, renewable energy targets, and emissions trading schemes.
• Industries must invest in using renewable energy sources for power production and decarbonatization.
• Carbon taxes and/or cap-and-trade systems, further provide economic incentives for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Implementation of more efficient technologies.

Implementation of more efficient technologies on small scale and large scale also helps to achieve decarbonization. These technologies can be for installation in buildings and appliances or industrial processes. Such as;

• Insulation to regulate indoor temperatures (reducing the use of Air conditioners in summer and heaters in winter).
• LED lighting because of their lower wattage and higher efficiency.
• Appliances using inverter technologies.
• Smart heating systems, etc.

EVs as a future of transportation.

EVs (Electric Vehicles) are no doubt the future of the transportation industry. We can see a lot of people shifting towards EVs in modern times. As these electric vehicles rely on renewable energy sources, they help eliminate greenhouse gas emissions.
EVs will significantly contribute to achieving net zero with the use of electric or solar-powered trains, cars, and buses. All in all, improving the air quality.

Collaborative efforts.

Industries, businesses, government, academia, and civil society – all need to collaborate to achieve net zero and proceed towards decarbonization. It can be in the form of;

• Educating the public about the benefits of sustainable energy resources for their health and climate.
• Reduction in tax caps that lie on EVs and other renewable energy sources.
• Industrial alliance through supply chains to cut down emissions for transportation.
• Use of green technologies on the commercial and residential levels.
• Hefty penalties for industries and individuals violating the green energy/environment policies implemented in the region.

Sustainable use of land and its resources for agriculture.

Sustainable use of land and its resources for agricultural purposes can also help in decarbonization. For example;

• Regenerative agriculture practices.
• Preservation of forests.
• Restoration of neglected lands.
• Implementation of green technologies for agriculture machinery used.

CCUS (Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage).

CCUS (Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage) is the industrial process that captures CO2 emissions from industrial sources i.e. power plants, cement factories, etc. and keeps them from entering the atmosphere by naturalizing them before emission. This captured carbon can then be used for;

• Enhanced oil recovery.
• Production of carbonated beverages.
• Converted into valuable products i.e. plastics or building materials.

Overcoming difficulties faced in the process.

Investment in a sustainable infrastructure and renewable energy resources brings a higher upfront cost. Therefore, policymakers should try and introduce policies that benefit the consumer for the adaption of these technologies in the form of subsidized prices, reduced taxes and better availability.
In addition, achieving a future with net zero carbon emissions requires renewed consumer behaviours, lifestyle choices, and societal norms for which education, awareness campaigns, and incentives hold great significance.

Accountability.

For the accountability of industries, it’s essential to invest in a system that monitors, reports and verifies the emissions reductions to the relevant authorities.

• Transparent and accurate data from the industrialists and agriculture sectors further help to evaluate the performance of decarbonization methodologies employed to identify gaps in them and adjust strategies accordingly.
• Holding governments, businesses, and other stakeholders accountable also helps in the responsible use of energy resources and transition to renewable energy technologies for net zero goals.
• Strict policies should be introduced for the stakeholders violating Net-zero and decarbonization policies (specific to their region).

These are the key milestones required for decarbonization and achieving net zero emissions.