Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions

GLOBAL ACTION ON CLIMATE NEEDED NOW TO REACH NET ZERO

10+ Point Plan to Reach Net Zero GHG Emissions by 2050

 

Green City Times has developed a guide of climate change mitigation policies & strategic actions that must be implemented to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) globally. In order to effectively act on climate, all nations, states, and countries in the entire world must achieve the climate targets put forth by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

GHG reduction targets were first outlined in the Paris Climate Accord. GHG reduction targets have since been made more ambitious, so as now to include net zero and carbon neutrality goals.

Climate Solutions

 

Governments around the world (at the national, regional, state, and city levels), must ramp up climate change mitigation policies. One essential system, of several high-priority climate action policies musts, is carbon pricing. A full list of climate action solutions to choose from is below (the 10+ point plan to reach net zero by 2050).

Establishing carbon markets is a policy must in order for the clean energy transition to be successful globally. Carbon markets are formed with - Cap & Trade (otherwise known as an Emissions Trading System - ETS), a Carbon Tax, or both an ETS and a Carbon Tax within a given nation.

Policies establishing carbon markets are fundamental for every country/ state that is serious about tackling climate change through clean energy programs.

Other than putting a price on carbon, cities around the world are well-advised to mandate low and zero-emission zones like those in London, Paris, and Oslo, or a complete internal combustion engine (ICE) car ban similar to the one proposed in Oslo.

Worldwide, there must be an increasing level of public-private clean renewable energy investment in programs such as:

  • feed-in tariffs
  • tax credits and other tax incentives for renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies
  • direct subsidies for sustainability technologies
  • renewable portfolio standards
  • net metering (in coordination with energy utilities)
  • R&D of emerging net zero emission, low carbon, and carbon-neutral energy technologies (advanced energy storage, carbon capture, advanced nuclear, clean hydrogen)

GHG Reduction Goals   

 

Paris Climate AccordGreen City Times has independently developed a guide of aspirational policies and strategic climate actions for the global public-private sector to effectively reduce GHGs.

The IPCC, reflecting the broad international scientific consensus on the issue, has set specific guidelines to avoid the worst effects of climate change.

Most prominent among these guidelines, is the goal to keep global warming under 2°C (3.6°F) by mid-century, and ideally to an even lower warming cap of 1.5°C (2.7°F). Worldwide temperatures must be stabilized. The list of measures outlined below is a guide for the entire planet to implement to limit GHGs, global temperature rise, and mitigate anthropogenic climate change.

The path to net zero GHGs throughout the majority of the world includes reaching net zero in most major GHG-emitting sectors of the global economy. To stabilize global GHG emissions, and in turn, global temperatures, countries worldwide must strive to achieve the climate change mitigation priorities from the list below.

Net Zero Goals

 

As climate science has evolved over the last few years, GHG reduction targets have become more ambitious; and this is reflected in ambitious targets such as the European Union's pledge to cut carbon emissions to 55% of 1990 levels by 2030; on its way to net zero by 2050. President Biden has pledged that the United States will have 100% carbon-free energy on its electric grids by 2035; on its path to net zero by 2050.

The US, the UK, the EU (and many European nations individually), Canada, Japan, and Australia, among other countries, have mandated their countries reach net zero GHG emissions by 2050 (Sweden and Germany aim for net zero emissions by 2045). China aims for net zero by 2060, and India has a goal of reaching net zero by 2070.   

 

10+ Point Plan to Reach Net Zero GHG Emissions by 2050

 

Green City Times would like to see as many points from the below list successfully developed worldwide in order to most effectively fight climate change, but only 10 points total are needed>>>

10+ Point Plan

  • #1 climate priority (2 points) - All countries, states, regions, provinces, and administrative jurisdictions in - North and South America, Asia, and Australia, implement (or ramp up, if a national carbon price has already been implemented) a Carbon Tax and/ or Carbon Cap and Trade; as well as the above indicated high priority climate change mitigation policies.
    • The EU and several European countries independently already have carbon pricing. The EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) is the most significant example of carbon pricing in the world. (NOTE: the EU ETS and all carbon pricing throughout the world must be ramped up substantially; the price of carbon worldwide must be increased substantially from current levels. The EU ETS has ramped up its carbon pricing to around €80-100 per metric ton of CO2).
  • 1 point - solar - achieved when at least 20% of the world's electricity generating capacity is from solar.
  • 1 point - wind - when at least 20% of the world's electricity generating capacity is from wind.
  • 1 point - for an additional 500+ GW of installed global energy storage capacity.
  • 1 point - most (over 50%) new vehicles manufactured and sold globally are electric vehicles, hybrids, and plug-in hybrids. All new vehicles sold are fuel-efficient.
  • 1 point - electrification of public transportation/ vehicle efficiency/ sustainable public mass transit. All public transit vehicles globally are to be fuel-efficient, and most (over 50%) of the world's public mass transit is to be electric (or electric-biodiesel hybrids).
  • 1 point - green building - ALL new residences and new buildings incorporate (at least 3 of the following technologies): heat pumps, LEED, Energy Star, Home Energy Management(HEM), smart meters, smart energy appliances, and smart tech-related infrastructure, as well as district heating where feasible.
    • Existing buildings globally - retrofit buildings worldwide, where feasible, to incorporate the energy efficiency technologies listed above into residences and buildings [especially in developed countries]. The majority of commercial buildings globally are to be retrofitted to incorporate energy efficiency technologies.
  • 1 point - recycling: achieved when most countries in the world recycle or turn their waste into biomass renewable energy sources - for at least 1/2 of all recyclable waste.
  • 1 point - conservation and wildlife habitat protection efforts in most countries should increase by 200+% for wilderness, public green spaces, forests, freshwater, and marine habitats.  [Also read: yourbassguy.com/overfishing for more on marine conservation]
  • 2 points - reduce by over 1/2 - tropical deforestation, and implement reforestation globally of the size of the Amazon rainforest (in total reforestation contributions from all of the world's countries).
    • This is an efficient way to create a carbon-neutral world. Forests act as carbon sinks and naturally sequester carbon.
  • 1 point - sustainable agriculture is to be practiced in the majority of the world's agriculture systems; as a potentially major source of carbon sinks worldwide.
  • 1 point - carbon capture and storage (CCS)* and integrated gas combined cycle (IGCC). At least 25% of the world's fossil fuel power plants have CCS and IGCC technologies. (*CCS is yet to be commercially available at scale).
  • 1 point - at least 200+ GW of advanced nuclear* - to be 3rd and 4th generation nuclear; and small modular reactors (SMRs). [*4th gen nuclear is only theoretically possible at this point, SMRs and other advanced nuclear technologies are only in demonstration phases]

Another set of technologies to be mentioned here is clean hydrogen and hydrogen fuel cells. Clean hydrogen will play an important role in the cement, steel, and manufacturing industries, energy storage, long-haul shipping (and hopefully, aviation), and transportation for heavy vehicles.

Although it's certain clean hydrogen will play an important role in net zero goals and providing low carbon solutions for industries, clean hydrogen is just getting started in the global energy marketplace, so it's too early to tell how big of an impact it will have.

Visit the link here>>> for a comprehensive set of public policy plans to implement the above climate actions (actions that are needed to create a sustainable world).

Please also see GCT's article on>>> What makes a city sustainable