Despite overwhelming evidence that the planet is warming at an unprecedented rate, there is currently a school of thought that UK efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions make no difference to climate change and the UK should scrap its Net Zero initiative commitments because of their effect on economic growth.
Dukeries Eco Watch members disagree. They believe that allowing our heavy industries to close, relocating manufacturing of goods to countries such China and India under lower environmental standards and then shipping those goods back to us, isn’t better for our economy and doesn’t mean we are somehow not responsible for those emissions.
Science indicates that climate change is accelerating and attribute this primarily to increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, largely from human activities like burning fossil fuels, industrial processes, and deforestation. These activities release gases like carbon dioxide and methane, which trap heat and cause the planet to warm. As the planet warms, melting permafrost is releasing stored carbon, further exacerbating the problem.
So, it follows that if we can reduce emissions of greenhouse gases, we can reduce the rate that the planet is warming.
The Net Zero initiative aims to cut carbon emissions by 2050 to the level of residual emissions that can be absorbed and durably stored by nature, leaving zero surplus in the atmosphere. Science shows clearly that, in order to avert the worst impacts of climate change and preserve a liveable planet, global temperature increase needs to be limited to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. The Net Zero aim is to hold back warming to no more than 1.5°C by reducing emissions by 45% by 2030 and reaching net zero by 2050. Time is running out – 1.5°C was exceeded for the first time in 2024.
A growing coalition of countries, cities, businesses and other institutions are pledging to Net Zero.
Transitioning to net zero is one of the greatest challenges the world has faced, calling for a complete transformation of how we produce goods, what we consume, and how we travel. The energy sector is the source of around three-quarters of greenhouse gas emissions today and holds the key to averting the worst effects of climate change.
Replacing polluting coal, gas and oil-fired power with energy from renewable sources, such as wind or solar, would dramatically reduce carbon emissions but the startup costs are large and the technology has yet to be developed to cut costs and make the renewable energy source sustainable.
Dukeries Eco Watch believe that does not mean that we should abandon the effort, or rely solely on technology. They argue that modifying behaviour by consuming fewer emissions-intensive products cuts emissions but is rarely mentioned because of economic impact. Yet, COVID-19 restrictions demonstrated this was possible and it proved that when the world acts as one, it can have a significant effect.
Commitments made by governments to date fall far short of what is required. Net Zero, though flawed, is still the only global initiative offering us any way of limiting just how warm the planet will get or how severe future climate impacts will be. Scrapping it now would be disastrous, say Dukeries Eco Watch.
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Pauline Meechan