News
15 Jan 2020
Updated – May 2024
Climate change is a matter of international importance requiring global support from governments, organisations, and individuals alike. We discuss how meeting the net zero 2050 target, while still ensuring a reliable energy system and affordable supply to homes and businesses, will create many challenges requiring radical changes in to both consumer behaviour and energy infrastructure.
The 2015 Paris Agreement set countries the task of reducing emissions to tackle rising global temperatures. To deliver on their promises these countries will need to introduce laws and policies that combat the use of fossil fuels.
The UK is establishing itself as a leader in environmental management and the fight against climate change, after becoming the first country to pass laws to end its contribution to global warming.
On 27 June 2019 the government committed the UK to a legally binding target of net zero emissions by 2050, paving the way for other countries to do the same.
This has become known as Net Zero 2050.
Since then, the issue of climate change has further accelerated following the publication of the UN Summary of Policy Makers report in July 2021, which revealed that global average temperatures will rise by 1.5°C in the next two decades. Read more here about Climate Change.
This has prompted world leaders and experts to call for more ambitious and coordinated global action to combat climate change.
Climate change is not a new issue.
In fact, in 1965 a US Presidential’s Advisory Committee panel warned that the greenhouse effect is a matter of “real concern”.
In 1987 the Montreal Protocol became the first global environmental initiative with the objective to prevent the production and use of ozone-depleting chemical products. Alterations to refrigerants and aerosol products have successfully started to reverse ozone depletion in the atmosphere.
Three years later, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) produced its first Assessment Report. It concluded that temperatures had risen by 0.3°C to 0.6°C over the last century and that human-based emissions are adding to the atmosphere’s greenhouse gases.
In 1992 during the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, the United Framework Convention on Climate Change was agreed. It had the objective of stabilising greenhouse gas concentrates in the atmosphere.
Nine years later, the IPCC released its third Assessment Report which provided new and stronger evidence that humanity’s emissions of greenhouse gases were the main cause of global warming seen in the second half of the 20th century.
The IPCC’s next report in 2007 concluded that it was more than 90% likely that humanity’s greenhouse gas emissions are responsible for modern day climate change.
A couple of years later, in 2009, China overtook the US as the world’s largest greenhouse gas emitter, although the US remained significantly ahead on a per capita basis.
Data released in 2011 showed that concentrations of greenhouse gases were rising faster than in previous years. The IPCC’s fifth Assessment Report in 2013 stated that scientists are now 95% certain that humans have been the dominant cause of global warming since the 1950s.
Following the publication of the sixth edition of the IPCC’s Assessment Report in 2021, UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ described the report as a “code red for humanity” and said, “The alarm bells are deafening, and the evidence is irrefutable: greenhouse‑gas emissions from fossil-fuel burning and deforestation are choking our planet and putting billions of people at immediate risk. Global heating is affecting every region on Earth, with many of the changes becoming irreversible.”
Net Zero 2050 is an initiative which was launched in December 2015 by the European Climate Foundation and was signed by 195 UNFCCC members – designed to tackle one of the biggest current global issues, climate change.
The Net Zero 2050 initiative has received contributions from a wide range of experts and organisations.
It was adopted by consensus on December 12 2015 and currently 195 UNFCCC members have signed the agreement.
The 2015 Paris Agreement deals with greenhouse gas emissions mitigation, adaptation and finance and it is the Net Zero 2050 initiative that hopes to accomplish those goals.
The plan to reduce all greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050 is a target recommended by the Committee on Climate Change. The practical outcome of this is that any emissions would be balanced by schemes to offset an equivalent amount of greenhouse gases from the atmosphere, such as planting trees or using carbon capture and storage technology.
At Zenergi our Zen Zero framework is our commitment to affecting change and leaving a legacy.
It is our promise to help your organisation reach your net zero targets in a cost-effective, staged approach. In doing so we’ll help you achieve freedom from rising energy costs and waste by taking control of your energy consumption.
The scientific evidence and research for climate change is now becoming undeniable and irrefutable. We can all see and feel how the world, weather and our environment is changing – and changing fast!
Year-on-year, season–on-season the changes are there for us all to see. The research and scientific literature says that even if the earth heats by just 1.5°C there would be a brutal impact on future generations.
To give us the best chance of staving off climate change we must reduce emissions to net zero. By holding global warming at 1.5°C, we stand the best chance of limiting the potentially devastating implications of climate change.
If global warming and climate change aren’t curtailed, we could experience rising sea levels, floods and droughts as well as food and water shortages. If global warming exceeds 1.5°C even by half a degree, it will create risks that any reasonable person would regard as deeply dangerous.
Experts suggest that reducing the temperature increase to 1.5°C compared to 2°C will result in several hundred million people being less exposed to the issues directly linked to climate change. Further to this, experts say that the next 10 years will be absolutely critical in determining what kind of world will exist in the coming centuries.
However, despite global efforts, the UN reported that in 2023 we experienced the hottest July ever, signalling that the “era of global warming has ended” and the “era of global boiling has arrived” according to the UN Secretary-General. He urged the world to “turn a year of burning heat into a year of burning ambition” to stem the worst of climate change.
In an attempt to reduce emissions created by businesses in the UK, the government launched the Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting (SECR) policy, implemented on 1 April 2019 to replace the Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC).
The legislation is designed to simplify energy and carbon reporting and encourage qualifying organisations to implement energy efficiency measures. The scheme has introduced carbon reporting to more organisations than ever before.
Changes to the Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme (ESOS) have also placed more obligation on organisations to commit to energy efficiency measures. Phase 3 has brought in additional requirements, including an ESOS action plan and annual progress report.
We’ve established the gravity and size of the issue and the effort needed to achieve net zero by 2050. But who exactly does Net Zero 2050 affect, and who can help achieve this massive goal? In short, pretty much everyone!
The UK is leading the way by becoming the first major economy in the world to pass laws to end its contribution to global warming by 2050.
On 27 June 2019 Chris Skidmore signed legislation to commit the UK to a legally binding target of net zero emissions by 2050.
The UK is positioning itself as a world leader in relation to global warming and climate change, being the first major economy to halve its emissions – having cut them by 50% between 1990 and 2022 [ii], while also growing its economy by 79%.
However, tackling climate change requires more than just the UK’s effort. It’s a global issue that requires a global solution. The countries that are expected to lead the way are those that have signed the 2015 Paris Agreement.
Controversially, under Donald Trump’s presidency, the USA became the first nation in the world to formally withdraw from the Paris Agreement on 4 November 2020. However, upon his inauguration as the 46th President of the United States of America on 20 January 2021, Joe Biden recommitted the USA to the Paris Agreement once again.
With such a momentous goal it’s critical that industries start making progress as soon as possible.
In order to achieve net zero emissions by 2050, there are a number of policy actions spread across key sectors.
These include: power, industry, transport, buildings, agriculture, forestry and land use, and waste. Some of these sectors are making better progress than others. In the following section we will discuss the progress sectors are making and any milestones which have already been achieved.
Power
The power industry has made good progress and has experienced the most significant reductions in the last five years. The UK power industry has reached a number of coal-free milestones, with change being driven by strong policies that favour using renewable energy. In fact, coal provided just 1% of Britain’s electricity generation during 2023, a 97% reduction since 2013. [ii]
Meanwhile, renewable energy’s share of the EU energy mix is moving steadily towards the 2030 target of 32%, meeting its 2020 target of 20%. Source: Eurostat. Renewables’ share of electricity generation increased to a record 47.3 per cent in 2023. [iii]
Industry
Industry has been set an ambitious industrial decarbonisation cluster mission. The industry policy actions are detailed below in the net zero 2050 road map.
Transport
Transport has the largest volume of emissions of any UK sector, accounting for 26% of all greenhouse gas emissions in the UK in 2021 [iv]. This is being combatted with more fuel-efficient vehicles as well as biofuels.
Aviation emissions continue to be a big sticking point, although they did experience a 10% reduction in 2023 compared to 2019 (the highest annual figure since estimates began in 1990)
The rise of Electric Vehicles has also played a major role in reducing the nation’s emissions, with many major cities deploying electric buses and trams to reduce their carbon footprint. London, for example, has the largest zero emission bus fleet in Western Europe, with more than 1,000 electric buses, which represents one in nine buses now being zero-emission [v].
Building
The building sector is lagging behind sectors such as power, with policy gaps remaining partly or completely unaddressed. In fact, energy-efficient measures are being deployed 20% slower than the recommended rate. Furthermore, implementation of low-energy heat pumps remains lower than required.
Agriculture, forestry & land use
Despite committee-recommended policies being suggested three years ago there has been no change in terms of reducing emissions. Furthermore, tree planting remains well short of targets. A new environment bill should help to improve progress in this sector.
Waste
To achieve net zero emissions the waste sector needs to improve recycling rates by 2025 and prevent biodegradable waste going into landfill by 2035.
Now we have a decent idea of the progress that has been made across all of the major sectors, we can analyse the current roadmap for achieving net zero emissions by 2050.
The Environment Agency’s roadmap aims to cut carbon emissions by 45% by 2030, on the way to organisational net zero by 2045 to 2050.
Electricity
The aim by 2020 was to ensure electricity was largely decarbonised, with generation by renewables and the phasing out of coal-powered generation. The power industry will be hugely influential in impacting the global effort to reach net zero emissions.
Wind generation has played a major role in reducing reliance on fossil fuels, with solar, hydro and biomass also making a significant contribution.
The targets for 2030 in terms of electricity are, firstly, to expand the electricity system and increase electrification. The second major target is to decarbonise peak generation. Deployment of sustainable bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) is the third major target. Deployment will need to start sufficiently early (e.g. by 2030) to allow a more significant contribution from BECCS in the longer term.
Hydrogen and Carbon Capture
The 2020 target was for the industry to be targeting large scale hydrogen power production with carbon capture and storage (CCS). Carbon capture and storage could be an important method to reduce global CO2 emissions in the atmosphere, while assisting the hydrogen industry.
In order to develop the hydrogen option, significant volumes of low-carbon hydrogen must be produced at one or more carbon capture and storage clusters by 2030, for use in industry and in applications that would not require initial major infrastructure changes. More broadly, plans for early deployment of carbon capture and storage must be delivered with urgency – CCS is a necessity, not an option for reaching net zero emissions.
Buildings
One of the major areas in which buildings should improve in order to successfully contribute to Net Zero 2050 is efficiency in domestic heating. This involves improving insulation in older homes and switching some to alternative heating systems. For many, electric heat pumps represent the future of heating buildings. Other potential options to replace carbon-based fuels in heating buildings include biogas, hydrogen or other forms of electric heating such as radiant heating panels.
The expansion of heat networks could prove beneficial in achieving net zero emissions. The expansion will need to continue throughout the 2030s in order to achieve this.
Road Transport
The switch to electric vehicles is the major shift in the transport industry that could have the biggest impact on emissions. To reach net zero emissions by 2050 it will be necessary for HGVs and cars to move away from the combustion of fossil fuels to a zero-emissions solution (e.g. hydrogen, battery vehicles).
Bringing forward the switchover to electric vehicles earlier than 2040 will lead to lower greenhouse gas emissions in 2050 and will improve air quality and be financially beneficial to the UK into the bargain.
Read our ultimate guide to electric vehicles & electric vehicle charging here.
Waste
Waste is a major global issue and a key pollutant. Therefore, waste reduction also needs to be a priority in order to achieve net zero. Increasing recycling rates and landfill bans for biodegradable waste are methods that can be adopted to help the waste sector positively impact the net zero initiative.
By 2030, the target for waste is to limit emissions from combustion of non-bio wastes, while also reducing food waste.
Recent developments in a potential global treaty to cut plastic waste will accelerate efforts in this area and could see a global plastic reduction target similar to the legally binding Paris agreement that aims to limit the global temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.
Greenhouse Gas Removal
The Further Ambition scenario for the UK involves a substantial amount of CO2 removal from the atmosphere, largely through the use of bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS). Under current accounting rules the emissions credit for that removal is allocated where the CO2 storage occurs, rather than where the biomass is grown. Access to CO2 storage, and the most suitable sites for BECCS plants are therefore the key criteria in sharing this abatement within the UK. Development of policy framework is therefore a key criteria for greenhouse gas removal, while exploration into alternative options would be beneficial.
Deployment of sustainable BECCS will need to start sufficiently early (e.g. by 2030) to build up to a suitable contribution from BECCS in the longer term. The use of other renewables could also prove effective in removing greenhouse gases depending on progress.
Green Gas
The Green Gas Levy (GGL) aims to help financially support the Green Gas Support Scheme. The scheme’s aim is to increase the proportion of Green Gas on the grid by supporting the anaerobic digestion industry which produces biomethane. Under the GGL, producers will receive a payment for each unit of green gas they produce that is then injected into the grid.
Infrastructure
Achieving net zero emissions will require new infrastructure. Development of new infrastructure will be important in opening up new avenues for decarbonisation, for example carbon capture and storage (CCS) and hydrogen. Expansion of electric vehicle charging networks and electricity grid capacity will be important in facilitating strong growth in electric vehicles. Decisions on gas grids and HGV infrastructure will also be important in achieving net zero.
CCS infrastructure will be important for innovative removal solutions technologies, such as direct air capture of CO₂, in addition to deployment of carbon capture and storage in industry, and on fossil and bioenergy generation. The introduction of hydrogen infrastructure would also significantly help achieve net zero.
Figure 2. UK net zero GHG scenario
Between January and March 2020 a group was assembled to form Climate Assembly UK. The members were selected from different walks of life and shades of opinion, from throughout the UK, to form a representative sample of the UK’s population. The group learnt about climate change and how the UK can address it, took time to discuss this with one another, and then made recommendations about what should happen.
Climate Assembly UK’s report, The Path to Net Zero, shows how a representative sample of the population believe the UK should meet its net zero emissions commitment with detailed recommendations across ten areas, including: how we travel; what we eat and how we use the land; what we buy; heat and energy use in the home; how we generate our electricity; and greenhouse gas removals.
The report was presented in parliament. The work of Climate Assembly UK is designed to strengthen and support the UK’s parliamentary democracy by ensuring politicians and policy makers have the best possible evidence available to them about public preferences on reaching the net zero target. Parliament will use the report to support its work on scrutinising the Government’s climate change policy and progress on the target.
The recommendations in the report are summarised in an Executive Summary.
We have now reached the stage where positive action around climate change is no longer a choice, it is a necessity. Doing nothing is no longer an option.
Given the time-sensitive nature of the climate crisis, achieving net zero should be a priority for everyone.
1. Align company objectives
One of the ways in which your company could help with the conservation of our planet is to align your objectives with the Paris Agreement and its central aim of keeping the temperature increase to a 1.5°C limit for this century.
2. Communicate your purpose
Make it clear to everyone the reason for changes or innovations and why you feel it was important to make these alterations.
3. Adopt initiatives
28 initiatives were announced at the climate action summit in September 2019, such as implementing government policies in line with a 1.5C temperature limit trajectory, which will help investors make sure-footed decisions to trust in the carbon-zero companies of the future. This is just one of the many initiatives your company could support.
4. Collaborate to innovate
Work in cooperation with other companies and individuals in order to create effective and efficient innovations. Remember everyone is after the same thing and the sharing of information and innovations can be the best way for this to happen.
5. Everyone can contribute
Share your ideas – even small adjustments to daily tasks can help, such as turning off equipment when not in use.
6. Engage with experts
There have been great technological and knowledge advances in recent years regarding, methods for tackling climate change. Using the resources and information gathered by these experts can save time and can be greatly beneficial for you and your organisation.
7. Adopt Efficient Methods
By adopting more efficient methods of production, there are opportunities for both cost reduction and compliance with Carbon Legislation.
8. Monitor energy usage
Using spreadsheets and statistics to monitor your energy usage will ensure that even the smallest changes mean progress. Continual review of your company’s production methods with a focus on renewable energy could help build a culture that shows the world that you care about the customers you provide for, as well as the world they live in.
9. Get smart on climate governance
Climate governance has had a growing influence over businesses and other entities. Regulations can be very significant and can require action on your behalf. Being aware of climate governance regulations can help your organisation massively.
10. Commit 100%
Doing nothing is no longer an option, action is necessary and for your action to be effective you will need to be 100% committed to reducing your emissions and achieving net zero. By committing fully to a new, eco-friendly business model, the corporate landscape could create a better world.
These are just ten suggestions that can help you and your organisation reduce emissions and achieve net zero. There are many other options that could also help!
Zenergi’s Zen Zero solution includes a comprehensive three-stage approach to achieving net zero. The three-stage framework – Measure, Prepare, and Deliver – is a trusted, market-leading approach that will deliver a bespoke roadmap for your organisation, allowing you to implement net zero-accelerating benefits with confidence and pace.
We believe in the power of science and evidence.
In the following chapter we’ve compiled statements and insights from leading climate change experts and scientists so you can have the unfiltered proof of climate change.
“Since 2001 we’ve seen 18 of the 19 warmest years. Ever.” – Skye Gould / Business Insider
“Four of the five hottest years on record have happened since 2015.” – Climate Central
“The planet’s oceans absorb a whopping 93% of the extra heat that greenhouse gases trap in the atmosphere.“ – Rodrigo Garrido / Reuters
“Warming threatens coral reefs worldwide. At present rates, it’s expected that 60% of all coral reefs will be highly or critically threatened by 2030.” – International Geosphere-Biosphere Program, Business Insider
“In 2012 Greenland lost more than 400 billion tons of ice. Which was almost quadruple the amount of loss in 2003.” – Chasing Ice
“Warmer water is contributing to more frequent and intense hurricanes.” – Business Insider
“A warming planet leads to more extreme weather, both cold and hot.” – Business Insider
“In November 2018, the most deadly and destructive wildfire in California’s history started during the rainy season.” – Business Insider
“As the climate warms, California’s wildfire season is getting longer because the snowpack melts sooner.” – Business Insider
“I think the 1.5 degree target is out of reach – we may blow past that by 2030”. – Stephane Mahe / Reuters
“If the world were to meet its most ambitious climate-change goals, average winter temperatures in the Arctic will still rise by up to 5 degrees Celsius by the year 2050.” – Thomas Peter / Reuters
“In the summer of 2012, 97% of the Greenland Ice Sheet’s surface started to melt.” – Climate Central, National Snow & Ice Data Center
“The world’s coastlines may be unrecognisable by 2100 even with moderate sea-level rise.” – Skye Gould / Business Insider
“If we do nothing to curb greenhouse-gas emissions, roughly 5.3 million more acres are projected to burn each year in the US by 2100.” – EPA.gov
For further reading, look at “Net Zero The UK’s contribution to stopping global warming” by The Committee on Climate Change”.
Src: https://www.globalchange.gov/browse/multimedia/global-temperature-and-carbon-dioxide
What does net zero emissions mean?
This refers to the achievement of balancing carbon emissions with carbon removal, or eliminating carbon emissions altogether. If a company is net zero, the emissions by a company annually is roughly equal to the level of emissions removed from the atmosphere.
The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) ISO define net zero as the “condition in which human-caused residual GHG emissions are balanced by human-led removals over a specified period and within specified boundaries”
What is climate change?
Climate change is the increase in extreme weather and sea level temperatures as a result of increasing CO2 emissions.
Is limiting the temperature rise to 1.5°C possible?
Rapid reduction of carbon emissions, changes to reduce meat consumption in our food systems and a massive upscaling of land could limit temperature rise to 1.5°C and improve people’s wellbeing.
How will climate change affect people?
Eventually, rising sea levels and temperatures will cause homes to be flooded, animals to become extinct and the global population to experience increased water scarcity.
How is climate change affecting the UK?
In 2003, Britain had the most intense heatwave in over 500 years, which resulted in 2000 deaths and highs of 38°C.
What progress have we already made?
In 2017, the UK powered itself for a full day without the use of coal for the first time since the industrial revolution, and announced plans to phase out all coal-powered power plants by 2025.
How can I cut my own emissions?
Simple changes to your daily routine – such as turning off the lights, walking or cycling short journeys instead of driving, reducing the amount of meat consumed in your diet, carpooling when possible or taking public transport.
If everybody makes just simple and small steps, collectively it will have a huge effect across the planet so don’t believe that your actions don’t matter. After all, the reason we are experiencing this is because of our collective small steps!
To quote Dr Jane Goodall, “What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.”
In order to tackle climate change over 4,000 companies, including Zenergi, have pledged to reduce their own greenhouse gas emissions by setting emissions reductions targets and having them validated by the Science Based Targets Initiative.
The SBTi aims to show companies and financial institutions how much and how quickly they must decarbonise to prevent the worst impacts of climate change. Read about Zenergi’s commitments to limiting our contribution to climate change and our pledge with the Science Based Targets Initiative here.
So there we have it.
If you’ve made it this far you should have a pretty decent understanding of Net Zero 2050 as well as climate change as a whole.
We’ve established the importance of net zero and, hopefully, provided you with enough information to help you and your organisation play your part in achieving net zero by 2050.
You should also have an understanding of how each sector is currently performing and what they still need to do to achieve this goal.
Finally, we’ve provided you with the background and history of climate change so you can see how things have changed over the last few decades.
Jonathon Weller is Zenergi’s Sustainability Manager and has over 10 years’ experience in greenhouse gas reporting for mandatory and voluntary schemes, net zero strategy development and target formulation.
1. How is Zenergi helping their clients reduce their emissions?
Zenergi works closely with clients to assist in all aspects of the journey to net zero emissions. Zenergi follows a Measure, Prepare and Deliver framework to strategically support organisations along this pathway – this is called Zen Zero.
The Measure phase commences with getting a deep understanding of an organisation’s requirements in order to direct the strategy, such as responding to various stakeholder and regulatory pressures, setting a net zero target with accompanying strategy and/or identifying or delivering on emission reduction opportunities.
It is then important to define the appropriate carbon boundary of the organisation and put controls in place to ensure complete, consistent, accurate and transparent GHG emission measurement. The measurement of GHG emission across scopes 1, 2 and 3 provides further insight into where the emission hotspots are in order to identify priority areas for consideration.
The measurement of emissions is complemented with onsite observations, which form part of the Prepare phase. These site audits look at both the quick wins (often through operational and simple control changes) and the wide range of opportunities for investment in improving the energy efficiency of the building structures, heating systems and electrical services. There are major opportunities for improvement in all buildings through energy-efficient services and control systems.
The observations from the onsite audits and the GHG measurements carried out then inform the development of a net zero strategy and implementation plan. The strategy typically focuses on minimising the energy consumption of buildings and services before considering the opportunity for onsite renewable energy. For example, solar water heating, solar PV electricity generation and heat pump technologies. The application of other renewables, such as biomass and wind turbines, will depend very much on the nature and location of the site.
Once the net zero strategy and implementation plan is approved, Zenergi support clients with the delivery of the range of opportunities set out within the Deliver phase of the Zen Zero framework. This may involve supporting organisations in gaining the required finance for investment and this can be forthcoming from government financial incentive programmes, or private sector investment. These are generally designed to be at least financially neutral to the organisation, with the energy cost savings repaying the financial loans through the life of the project.
With the required finance in place, Zenergi can support with the independent tendering and project management of electrical or mechanical infrastructure projects, meaning organisations can fulfil tangible emission reduction opportunities and achieve their ambitions.
Finally, the profound effect of climate change is leading to increasing carbon legislation and reporting and we work with our clients to both achieve compliance and/or maximise delivered financial incentives.
2. Describe the impact of net zero on the energy industry.
The UK is leading the world in the decarbonisation of the electricity supply network. We have already achieved 50% reduction in carbon intensity through the closing of fossil fuel generation plants and moving to renewable and nuclear solutions. There will be continued government pressure to decarbonise the electricity grid and we can expect continued incentives for renewable energy, battery storage, smart grids, demand side reduction and peak lopping as well as increasing interest in carbon capture technologies and the generation and use of hydrogen fuels.
From our clients’ point of view, this decarbonisation will reduce carbon emissions from electricity use and assist on the path to net zero, but this will come at a cost with increasing electricity prices and government levies to enable this transition. The focus for our clients must hence be on reducing energy consumption to mitigate the undoubted risk of rising energy prices.
3. How will achieving net zero impact the public sector?
It will be important that the public sector show leadership in moving towards net zero. Over the past decade, the public sector has set challenging and ambitious targets within its Carbon Management Plans and I fully expect this to continue. We are already seeing some Universities and Local Authorities considering aspirational targets of net zero by 2040.
Undoubtedly there will be need for investment, particularly in some of the older buildings and transport to achieve net zero and this will need to be strategically planned over the next 30 years to deliver net zero within financial budgets. In order to move forward, I expect there will be a greater emphasis on financial investment, with funding for more radical longer-term carbon reduction measures with paybacks, perhaps up to 15 years, or more.
The public sector will also have a role in driving carbon legislation and as we move into a more profound climate crisis, we can expect much more robust policing through the planning regulations, minimum energy efficiency standards (MEES) for buildings and this will be supported through incentives to drive action.
The provision of Government funding schemes to support decarbonisation in recent years, in the form of the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme and Low Carbon Skills Fund are helping public sector organisations to mobilise and accelerate their efforts.
4. Will organisations need to make drastic changes to achieve net zero emissions?
Organisations will need to consider their route map to net zero emissions. Over the next 30 years, there will be the opportunity to upgrade buildings and replace all of the existing energy infrastructure with low-carbon solutions within the natural life cycle for the building services.
There will certainly be some changes in direction and we can already see the drive for a substantial move away from the use of fossil fuels. This process is underway with the rapid expansion of renewable energy and biomass sources. The decarbonisation of the electricity grid is also causing a rethink in direction; for example, electrically driven heat pumps can now deliver heat to a building at approximately half of the carbon intensity of natural gas condensing boilers.
We can see further grid decarbonisation, with the substantial reduction in costs for both solar PV and offshore wind turbines and work is well underway on the Hinckley Point nuclear power station which will provide zero-carbon electricity for around six million homes and avoid nine million tonnes of CO2. In the longer term, it makes sense to move our buildings to be less intensively serviced, removing all unnecessary ventilation and air conditioning systems in favour of natural ventilation and this is supported by the reduction in heat gains from efficient lighting and IT equipment. But this will need changes to buildings and influencing the human element of understanding comfort.
5. If an organisation understands and accepts the need to act, what are the first steps they should take?
The first action is to capture the data to establish the existing energy, carbon and financial footprint for the organisation. This leads on to a heat decarbonisation strategy to improve energy efficiency, reduce the carbon footprint and maximise the contribution from renewable energy sources.
Once the energy, carbon and financial business case is recognised, then this often encourages a proactive approach to implementation, reducing exposure to rising energy costs. Zenergi’s Measure, Prepare and Deliver framework delivers a bespoke roadmap for your organisation, employees and customers to achieve net zero with confidence and pace.
Sources:
The 2015 Paris Agreement set the task of reducing emissions to tackle rising global temperatures.
In 2019 the UK committed to a legally binding target of net zero emissions by 2050.
The IPCC’s report in 2007 concluded that it was more than 90% likely that humanity’s greenhouse gas emissions are responsible for modern day climate change.
