what is net zero?

Hopefully everyone reading this has heard about global warming and how it could impact the planet we live on but just in case you haven't, keep reading! We release about 55 gigatons of GHG emissions into the atmosphere every year through activities like combustion of fossil fuels for natural gas and oil, transportation, energy and industrial processes like manufacturing as well as methane from landfills. These gasses end up staying in our atmosphere and trap the heat from the sun which begins to warm our planet, eventually resulting in a changing climate. If we continue at the current rate we are going at it will result in erratic weather patterns such as floods, heatwaves, severe storms, loss of polar ice, rising sea levels and community displacement.

So how do we stop this? Well the most obvious answer would be to stop all emissions but unfortunately that could cause a lot of economic disruption around the world, especially for countries that are just starting to lift their citizens out of poverty. This is where Net Zero comes in.  The concept of net zero GHG was first popularized by the Paris Agreement, a deal that was agreed upon at the UN Climate Change Conference COP21 to limit the impact of greenhouse gasses. Net Zero means achieving the balance between the emissions being produced and being removed from the atmosphere to stop global warming. This short video below does a great job of explaining a little more about the concept of Net Zero.

 

 

Now, you're probably wondering what we can all do to be a part of the Net Zero Journey, and actually, there is quite a bit that can be done once we start to think about how our actions and the work that we do affect the natural environment. Here is what we need to happen:

• Reduction of emissions, can come through companies/corporations opting for renewable energy sources over non-renewable energy sources
• Corporations need to support and invest in decarbonization projects and carbon-capturing technologies
• We need to plant more trees, by planting more trees, we can create bigger natural carbon sinks that will help remove the carbon from the atmosphere
• We need to divert landfill waste, instead of throwing everything in the landfill, lets find ways to repurpose/recycle the waste
• Understand your current emissions, measurement is key when trying to understand impact!

The world is changing and not only do we have to adapt but we have to be proactive and understand how we can contribute to a more sustainable future, and the way we run our organizations is vital to this.

 

We are nowhere close to perfect, but we are trying our best! If you have any questions or concerns related to this article please reach out to us at sourcing@yannai.ca. Your feedback is valued and encouraged!