Fossil fuel derived electricity is the prime contributor to air emissions, which contribute to smog, acid rain, and climate change. With climatic changes, the result is always catastrophic – for instance, the recent Australian bush fire. Deforestation and forest degradation account for 10 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions. Hence, it is evident that the stabilization of global temperatures cannot be achieved without reducing emissions from the forest sector. So we should all work together for zero emission.
Countries such as China, USA, EU28 and India are the top 4 emitters in the G20 nations, which contribute to over 55 percent of the total emissions over the last decade, excluding emissions from land-use change such as deforestation.
According to UNDP, “We need to halve global emissions by 2030, and have carbon-neutral economies by 2050, if we are to avoid an irreversible climate crisis.” This means limiting the global mean temperature increase to 1.5° C above pre-industrial levels. While governments across the globe are meticulously working towards fulfilling their commitment towards the Paris Agreement, however, the gap between what we should be doing and what we actually are has significantly widened.
According to UNEP’s Emission Gap 2019 report, “We now need to reduce emissions by 7.6 per cent every year from 2020 to 2030” in order to restrict global warming to 1.5° C. In case if we falter in our commitments towards reversing climate change, “temperatures can be expected to rise 3.2°C above pre-industrial levels, with devastating effect,” as per the report. Also to move towards zero emission.
It is indeed time for us to take a pause on 21st September and observe Zero Emissions Day or Ze Day! Coined by the Canadian company Sealevel in 2008, the idea was to give Mother Earth a day of rest by reducing our carbon footprint by pausing our emissions for a day. In order to observe this day, one must abstain from burning oil, gas or coal and minimize on their electricity usage.
Shocked at how many day-to-day activities are facilitated by fossil fuels? If we look at this practically, completely avoiding the consumption of any fossil-fuel generated energy for 24 hours is almost unthinkable. Impossible, if one might say.
Observing our Carbon Footprint
According to World Energy Outlook Report, “While the importance of transitioning to a carbon-neutral world is recognized, society is still heavily dependent on fossil fuels and it will remain that way unless major policy changes are made.”
Luckily, we are blessed with technology and science which, will help us shift to a more sustainable and decarbonized energy sources. While the government and regulatory bodies work towards accelerating innovative solutions by promoting clean energy, develop or scale-up new sustainable technologies; we as individuals need to back their goals by committing towards adopting these sustainable changes.
To quote Mr. Satya Tripathi, Assistant General Secretary (UNEP), “We need to think of our footprint as individuals.” By focusing on our individual impact, we can truly make a difference to achieve the 2030 goal.
A leading global scientific panel working on the sustainable management of natural resources reports, that “the carbon footprint of the use and production of cars in G7, China or India would decline by 20% if one in four journeys in these countries is a shared ride.” In a world of UberPool, OlaShare and Lyft, car pool has become an affordable and a lucrative solution to reduce individual carbon footprint. Even if you are sceptical to opt for a pool in the current pandemic scenario, why not opt to car pool with a fellow colleague to go to work?
Zero Emission – A plausible outcome?
Industrial emission makes the second largest carbon footprint after fossil fuels. The question that still lingers in the minds of many business leaders is whether it is feasible for them to align their strategy and comply to help limit global warming to 1.5°C? The answer is a resounding Yes!
Organisations must look at setting targets that are in line with the required level of decarbonization as they play an instrumental role in aiding reach net-zero emissions by 2050. According to Nigel Topping in his HBR article states the perks of “baking carbon reduction into business strategies will see significant benefits such as: increased innovation, competitiveness, risk management, and growth.” Then only we can achieve target of zero emission.
Irrespective of the lockdown in April 2020, India leapt its way from BS-IV emission standards directly to BS-VI (equivalent to Euro 6 emission standards implemented in 2015) to be at par with the developed world in emission norms and battle rising pollution levels. This regulatory change enabled many opportunities for oil industry along with Indian automotive companies to innovate and compete better in the market.
While companies are exploring their way towards being carbon neutral, companies such as Ikea and Amazon are already committed towards making a difference. Ikea, a company where sustainability forms the core of any business strategy, has pledged another 200 million euros to support direct suppliers as they switch over to renewable energy use in order to become carbon neutral by 2030.
Amazon has ordered 100,000 electric delivery vans from electric vehicle start-up, Rivian to honour their pledge to reduce carbon emissions in a bid to be carbon neutral by 2040. While the EV market forms a small part of the car fleet, we are seeing a momentum in other modes of electric travel – with the launch of Tesla’s electric truck, Cybertruck for the niche market.This will definitely contribute in achieving zero emission.
Looking at the EV market in the developing countries, China runs more than 400,000 electric buses on the road compared to the US having just a few hundred. Indians are not too far off from having their EV experience. The Indian market comprises of a million e-rickshaws that make up the second-largest collection of electric vehicles in the world for commuting 60 million Indians!