Net-Zero Basics
What does "net-zero" mean in the context of climate change?
Achieving a balance between greenhouse gases emitted and those removed from the atmosphere.
What global temperature rise limit is associated with net-zero targets?
Answer: 1.5°C.
What organization promotes science-based targets for net-zero goals?
Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi).
What does "abatement" mean in net-zero strategies?
Answer: Reducing or eliminating sources of emissions.
What is one key challenge companies face in achieving net-zero?
Answer: Financial constraints.
By what year does the Paris Agreement call for global net-zero emissions?
By the second half of the 21st century (2050).
What is the primary scientific principle behind setting net-zero targets?
Answer: The relationship between cumulative CO2 emissions and global temperature rise.
As of 2020, what percentage of global GDP is covered by net-zero commitments?
Answer: Over 50%.
Name one nature-based solution companies can use to achieve net-zero.
Answer: Reforestation or preserving carbon-rich ecosystems.
How can net-zero strategies benefit companies?
Answer: Enhancing brand reputation or reducing long-term risks.
What does the IPCC stand for?
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
True or False: Negative emissions technologies are essential for achieving net-zero.
Answer: True.
What are Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions?
Answer: Scope 1: Direct emissions from company operations; Scope 2: Indirect emissions from purchased energy.
Scope 1 emissions
Scope 2 emissions
What is a mitigation hierarchy?
Answer: A strategy that prioritizes eliminating emissions over offsetting them.
What is the main challenge with relying on carbon offsets?
Answer: Difficulty ensuring offsets are additional and permanent.
What is the main greenhouse gas targeted by net-zero strategies?
Carbon dioxide (CO2)
What is the term for removing CO2 from the atmosphere to counterbalance emissions?
Answer: Carbon dioxide removal (CDR), "negative emissions" or "carbon drawdown".
Distinction from carbon capture:
While sometimes used interchangeably, "carbon capture" typically refers to capturing CO2 emissions at the source, like from a power plant, before they enter the atmosphere.
What term describes balancing company emissions with purchased carbon credits?
Answer: Offsetting.
Which sector must decarbonize completely to achieve net-zero?
Answer: Energy generation.
What role does transparency play in corporate net-zero commitments?
Answer: It helps stakeholders assess the validity and progress of targets.
Define "anthropogenic emissions."
Emissions of greenhouse gases caused by human activities.
Name one potential risk of large-scale deployment of negative emissions technologies.
Answer: Adverse environmental impacts or trade-offs with sustainable development goals.
True or False: All corporate net-zero strategies are equally effective.
Answer: False.
Name one tactic outside a company's value chain to support net-zero.
Answer: Carbon finance or supporting renewable energy projects.
What is a residual emission?
Answer: Emissions that are technically or economically unfeasible to eliminate.