Emissions Reduction Strategy to get us to Net Zero

To achieve the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions required to keep average global temperature increases to 2 degrees or less will require a coherent, multi-faceted strategy. As ChatGPT put it “It's important to note that achieving net-zero emissions requires a comprehensive and integrated approach, combining multiple strategies across various sectors.”

Within this all-encompassing strategy it is important to understand how the different elements come together and create the synergies needed. The diagram above aims to illustrate a key dimension of this which is timescale – some of the elements play a vital role in starting to turn the tide and gain positive momentum which can then be maintained and then further developed using some of the less immediate interventions, noting that many of these have quite a long lead time before they start to have a substantive impact (a summary description of the interventions identified is provided at the end of this article).

Looking at the measures which can be expected to have an immediate impact, these are primarily “soft” behaviour change interventions aimed at encouraging and facilitating individuals to reduce their consumption and hence their emissions. Much of this can initially be achieved by reducing waste and unnecessary spending, though barriers (or hurdles – ) https://www.dhirubhai.net/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7054232641759277056?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop) to change still need to be overcome. “Reduce” has been developed to attain some of these immediate impacts, with important secondary benefits such as a reduction in climate anxiety and a reduction in spending and which can help people suffering from the effects of the cost of living crises.

The importance of making an impact as soon as possible is illustrated by the diagram below which shows how the negative impacts of climate change can be expected to increase at an exponential rather than linear rate. There is already evidence of this with the higher than expected increase in ocean temperatures and the record breaking temperatures witnessed already in 2023 before the effects of El Ni?o are felt (Record ocean temperatures put Earth in ‘uncharted territory’, say scientists | Climate crisis | The Guardian (ampproject.org)).

However, the immediate and short-term interventions can only be expected to achieve a 10-15% reduction in emissions, less than half that needed. Given the uncertainties and challenges associated with most of the medium and long-term interventions it is essential that these are pushed forward at pace, making use of the breathing space provided by the immediate and short-term measures.

Although there are plenty of technological and political challenges to overcome, possibly the single biggest challenge is leadership. For the strategy to work all parties need to be working in the same direction, with everyone feeling that “we’re in this together”. Fortunately there’s a lot that can be achieved by local leadership and a “bottom up” movement, the hope being that once the value of what’s achieved at a local level is recognised those at the top level of government will take up the mantle and help push forward some of the less popular but necessary policies involving taxation or constraint.

The underlying message here is that tackling the #climatecrises is a daunting prospect which can feel overwhelming, but there are things that everyone can do to start to make a difference and with the right encouragement and support enough of an impact can be made to provide hope and start to create positive momentum.?

List of interventions aimed at getting us to Net Zero

#reduce #climatechange #climateacation #climateemergency #behavioralscience?