Net Zero has become one of those sustainability buzzwords like “greenwashing”, “low-carbon”, and “eco-friendly” that are thrown around frequently without much explanation.
Terms such as “the race to zero”, ‘’net zero by 2050”, and “transition to net zero” are frequently used by governments, NGOs and corporations when discussing reaching climate change goals. Net zero targets have also been set at international, national and corporate levels, with the most notable net zero targets being set as part of the Paris Agreement.
With all the talk about reaching net zero, there is also confusion about what it actually means to be net zero. What is Net Zero referring to? What does being Net Zero actually look like, and why is it so important?
Net Zero: The definition
When politicians discuss the ‘Race to Net Zero’ or’ Net Zero targets,’ they talk about the amount of greenhouse gas emissions emitted. At its core, net zero refers to total emissions of zero overall.
But right now, emitting nothing is impossible. Modern society relies on greenhouse gas emissions to heat our homes, produce food, clothes, and products, and generally fuel our everyday lives. So that’s where Net Zero comes in.
Net Zero aims to balance out the emissions a country, company or individual produces. This is done by measuring the total volume of emissions per year and then taking action to remove that amount of GHG emissions from the atmosphere each year. It’s a balancing act. Eliminating emissions from the atmosphere is seen as a way to cancel out any emissions.
For example, if a company produces 60 Tonnes of GHG per year, it would also remove 60 tonnes of GHG from the atmosphere yearly, making its overall emissions zero.
So, if you were to think of net zero as an equation, it would be:
NetZero = The amount of GHG emitted per year – the amount of GHG removed per year
How are greenhouse gasses removed from the atmosphere?
To reach net zero emissions, companies need to be removing the equivalent amount of GHG from the atmosphere as they are emitting. They do this through carbon offsetting practices, carbon capture and storage processes or carbon credits.
How will Net Zero targets be met?
Reaching net zero is dependent on:
- Governments, executives, and leaders are making commitments to net zero. However, many governments or companies have yet to make such commitments. Climate action needs collective change to be successful.
- Out of those who have committed to net zero, many entities have yet to make meaningful actions towards change.
- Many corporations or governments have yet to accurately measure their GHG emissions, so net zero is hard to track
- Removing carbon from the atmosphere can be controversial, with many carbon removal practices being unsuccessful or not full-proof yet. For example, there are many criticisms of carbon credits.
- Net Zero is not an excuse to emit as much as you want because you can remove it later. Governments and corporations still need to actively reduce their initial emissions.