net zero
Newsletter
Credit: Adeolu Eletu/Unsplash
Researchers propose new method to improve corporate climate accountability
New research suggests that tracking companies' influence on policies and conservation efforts could provide a more comprehensive view of their contributions to global net-zero goals.
In short:
- Existing corporate climate targets are often unreliable, with many companies lacking formal net-zero goals.
- A new proposal suggests tracking companies' influence in areas like policy advocacy and conservation efforts.
- This approach could incentivize companies to take broader actions beyond reducing their own emissions.
Key quote:
"We have been leaving a huge amount of impact on the table by failing to encourage or invite companies to be rewarded and compared for their significant efforts beyond their value chain."
— Kaya Axelsson, research fellow at Oxford University
Why this matters:
Current climate reporting standards often miss the broader impact companies could have on global emissions. Encouraging companies to engage in systemic actions may lead to more meaningful progress toward net-zero goals.
Read more: Oil and gas firms hide climate impacts in investments
Keep reading...Show less
Newsletter
New Zealand's climate policy shift endangers 2050 net zero goal
New Zealand is set to miss its 2050 net zero emissions target after the government scrapped key climate policies, new data reveals.
In short:
- New Zealand's coalition government has failed to announce robust new climate policies, leading to projections that the country will miss its 2050 net zero emissions target.
- The government plans to focus on technology and tree planting rather than shutting down productive sectors or implementing pricing regimes without proper tools for farmers.
- Climate scientists warn that the reliance on undeveloped technologies and offsets like tree planting is a high-risk strategy.
Key quote:
"Many of their policies to date will result in higher annual emissions that will not be offset by either planting trees or the emissions reduction scheme."
— Ralph Sims, Professor Emeritus in Sustainable Energy and Climate Mitigation at Massey University.
Why this matters:
Missing the 2050 net zero target risks worsening climate change impacts. Without significant changes, New Zealand may face increased financial costs and environmental damage.
Keep reading...Show less
Newsletter
Credit: David Thielen/Unsplash
Occidental Petroleum's net-zero claims met with skepticism
Occidental Petroleum's strategy to achieve net-zero emissions through carbon capture and other technologies faces significant criticism for potentially increasing overall greenhouse gas emissions.
In short:
- Despite Occidental Petroleum's commitment to net-zero by 2040, critics argue that their reliance on carbon capture technologies may actually exacerbate their carbon footprint.
- The company's plans involve using captured carbon for enhanced oil recovery, which critics say undermines the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
- Independent experts and analyses suggest that the energy-intensive nature of these technologies, primarily powered by fossil fuels, may result in net increases in emissions.
Key quote:
"What we have to do is phase out fossil fuels, not perpetuate their life."
— Marlène Ramón Hernández, expert on carbon removal at Carbon Market Watch
Why this matters:
Critics argue that while carbon capture technologies promise to remove CO2 from the atmosphere, they may inadvertently lead to an increase in overall greenhouse gas emissions. This paradox arises because the infrastructure and energy required to capture and store carbon can itself be substantial. There's also a concern that relying heavily on these technologies could perpetuate the continued use of fossil fuels, as companies might feel justified in maintaining or even increasing production due to the perceived mitigation offered by carbon capture.
Keep reading...Show less
Opinion
Photo by Benjamin Davies on Unsplash
Phillip Inman: To get to net zero, we may have to sell off the UK’s future
Transforming the economy will come at an outsize cost. Worse, it’s an escalating cost that is way beyond the public finances of Britain and possibly even the EU.
Top Story
Image by Chris LeBoutillier from Pixabay
Biden’s paradox: Can a green grid coexist with industrial surge?
Utilities are planning record investments in renewable energy and battery storage. But an increasing number are also proposing thousands of megawatts of new natural-gas-fired generation that works against their plans to achieve net-zero goals.
Photo by Brandi Alexandra on Unsplash
5 key climate change phrases, defined
Often, the highest-stake decisions impacting the planet come down to the simplest phrases.
Photo by Celik Studio on Unsplash
Ad industry grapples with role selling consumption in climate crisis
Does being an effective agency mean helping sell more products or can it mean helping mitigate climate emergency?
ORIGINAL REPORTING
MOST POPULAR
CLIMATE
