Reaching Carbon Neutrality
Reaching Carbon Neutrality
Project Info

Reaching Carbon Neutrality

Editor-in-Chief

Laura Del Vecchio

image

Marek Piwnicki @ Unsplash

Strategies to reach carbon neutrality by 2050, ranging from cutting down emissions to carbon capture and storage.
Strategies to reach carbon neutrality by 2050, ranging from cutting down emissions to carbon capture and storage.

Due to enhanced CO2 concentration in the atmosphere produced by fossil fuel-intensive activities, the impacts of Climate Change intensify. The modification of climate conditions is intrinsically related to changes to forest biodiversity, rainfall, air temperature, plants resistance to pests and disease, forests susceptible to fires, droughts contingencies, etc.

Despite the slightly reduced carbon emissions since the COVID-19 pandemic, carbon dioxide levels are still rising and the below 2°C goal of the Paris Agreement is not achievable anymore. And the consequences of Climate Change have brought us already to a threshold. Warmer oceans, expanding deserts, water scarcity, uncontrollable fires, floods, storms, etc., and all of these events have entered the standard vocabulary of everyone's daily discussions.

Entire ecosystems are collapsing, and some are threatened with complete extinction. Indeed, the leading climate indicators are aggravating, with disturbing figures facing consistent growth. According to Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, "[…] science tells us that unless we cut fossil fuel production by 6 percent every year between now and 2030, things will get worse. Instead, the world is on track for a 2 percent annual rise."

⚠️

How can we act, however, if evidence does nothing but intimidate us?

CO2 is in the air

Callum Shaw @ Unsplash

CO2 is in the air

Callum Shaw @ Unsplash

Society must take this as a warning, and international organizations must start to work together. Recent signs of cooperation, like the Carbon Neutral Coalition, have emerged, showing us some hope that collaboration can lead us to a chance of positive transformation. However, after almost six years since the adoption of the Paris Agreement, signed among the most powerful nations and those committed to mitigating the effects of Climate Change, many experts argue this deal is insufficient, as "[...] there are too many loopholes when it comes to operationalization, too much room for interpretation of how these efforts must be conducted and shared."

Moreover, mitigation of climate change by solely reducing emissions, will not make us achieve the goal of the Paris Agreement or even come close. Hence, we have to look into measures by actively sequestering carbon from the atmosphere.

Nonetheless, besides international conventions, real change will only happen if action is taken at all levels, from individual to collective decisions. Opportunely, we count on a crucial ally in doing so: technology.

Planet over profit.

Markus Spiske @ Unsplash

Planet over profit.

Markus Spiske @ Unsplash

As an effort to draw possible solutions to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050, Envisioning, together with GIZ, decided to create a series of editorial pieces focused on elaborating ideas for reducing atmospheric carbon with the help of emerging technologies. These pieces include an interview with Hansjörg Lerchenmüller, Chairman of the Board of the European Biochar Industry, a sci-fi chronicle disclosing the impacts of emerging technologies in the climate, and a list of the top five techs working as an engine towards carbon neutrality.

These pieces are expected to give us a wealth of ideas to approach our worldly crises, pulling strings to protect worldwide biomes and ecosystems, fauna, flora, and the integrity of human society.

14 topics
Adapting to Climate Change
Agriculture
Biological Diversity
Energy
Environment Policy, Economics, and Management
Green and Climate Finance
Global Health
Forest
Green Economy
Mitigation of Green House Gas Emissions
Land Governance
Natural Resources
Prevention and Management of Acute Crises and Disasters
Waste Management and Circular Economy, Resource Efficiency
8 SDGs
03 Good Health and Well-Being
07 Affordable and Clean Energy
09 Industry, innovation and infrastructure
11 Sustainable Cities and Communities
12 Responsible Consumption and Production
13 Climate Action
17 Partnerships for the Goals
15 Life On Land

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1 editorial projects
5 technology domains
4 technology methods
  • Pyrolysis
  • Enhanced Weathering
  • Pyrolysis Chemical Recycling
  • Carbon Upcycling
6 technology applications
4 industries
  • Agriculture
  • Energy
  • Environment & Resources
  • Retail & Logistics
14 topics
  • Adapting to Climate Change
  • Agriculture
  • Biological Diversity
  • Energy
  • Environment Policy, Economics, and Management
  • Green and Climate Finance
  • Global Health
  • Forest
  • Green Economy
  • Mitigation of Green House Gas Emissions
  • Land Governance
  • Natural Resources
  • Prevention and Management of Acute Crises and Disasters
  • Waste Management and Circular Economy, Resource Efficiency
8 SDGs
  • 03 Good Health and Well-Being
  • 07 Affordable and Clean Energy
  • 09 Industry, innovation and infrastructure
  • 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities
  • 12 Responsible Consumption and Production
  • 13 Climate Action
  • 17 Partnerships for the Goals
  • 15 Life On Land