Gas emission targets must be met
published :
22 Jul 2021 at 04:00
The science is clear: to avoid the most damaging effects of climate change, the world must reach net-zero greenhouse-gas emissions (GHG) around mid-century. That means reducing human-caused emissions to the lowest levels possible, and balancing any remaining emissions by permanently removing an equivalent quantity of GHGs from the atmosphere. Thereafter, the world must ensure that GHG removal exceeds emissions.
Achieving net zero will require a fundamental transformation of global energy and industrial systems, transport, and infrastructure, as well as of agriculture, forestry, and land use. The next 10 to 15 years are critical. While the world has many ambitious long-term climate targets, it lacks strategies to put the right investments and policies in place.