Net-Zero is the newest buzz word around climate change and is being used across the world. This has stemmed from The Paris Climate Conference where over 100 countries pledged to reach Net Zero targets by 2050. You can read more on how to reach Net Zero in our previous blog.
The truth is, Net Zero is leading to questions of credibility in certain areas. There is no doubt that the focus on Net Zero has catalysed companies thinking more about their carbon consumption. However, it can be argued that it is easy to latch on to saying you are committed to Net Zero – but is enough actually being done? Should we be developing an established short-term plan for companies and councils to follow?
A starting point to questioning the credibility would come from the fact that there is not a universal definition for Net Zero or how it should be communicated. Edie and the IPCC (International Panel on Climate Change) state that the definition of carbon neutrality is the same as Net Zero whereas, Pledge to Net Zero stated that carbon neutrality is more focused on purchasing carbon offsets rather than authentically reducing emissions.
As well as the confusion with the definition, there is also a lack of standardisation with Net Zero goals. Research has shown that 7 out of 10 senior professionals are making or considering a commitment towards Net Zero, however, 82% of them said they would need more guidance to achieve it. Many businesses have been put in a situation where they lack the expertise of processes such as detailed carbon mapping or forecasting and are left without a plan of how they will achieve their targets. Just 10% of firms have set interim science-based targets to stay on track of achieving climate goals.
However, it can be said that the focus on the pandemic put a slight hold on businesses establishing a Net Zero method. In a survey conducted by Edie, three-quarters of respondents said that the pandemic has had a moderate to severe impact on their organisation’s sustainability/CSR strategy. As the strains of the pandemic are beginning to ease in the UK, it will be interesting to see if these organisations regain their focus on sustainability and Net Zero targets.
It is not just businesses committing to Net zero. It has been discovered that 23% of English Councils have insisted they will be carbon neutral in just 9 years’ time. A quarter of those councils are yet to measure their current carbon emissions. It is questionable as whether this is, again, due to lack of expertise and support or whether ‘greenwashing’ is coming into play.
At current, the UK government is a long way off-track for our 2050 Net Zero goal. As 2050 is almost 30 years away, it may be that the urgency to achieve this, has not kicked in. There are also limited short-term goals to motivate companies and councils to reduce their emissions in stages. There is no doubt that Net Zero does represent a powerful movement that changes the way we treat our planet however, companies, councils and the government need to increasingly demonstrate if they are truly making progress.
