Designing and Communicating Net-Zero Targets - World ...

In practice, achieving net-zero emissions means reducing anthropogenic emissions – like those from fossil-fueled emissions – as close to zero as ... Skiptomaincontent Accessibility QuickLinks Clicktoseemore Mainnavigation Footermenu-secondary MegaMenu Whatcanwehelpyoufind? WaystoGive Joinus ContactanExpert ExploreWRIPerspectives Back AllTopicsRemovefilter ClimatefiltersitebyClimate CitiesfiltersitebyCities EnergyfiltersitebyEnergy FoodfiltersitebyFood ForestsfiltersitebyForests WaterfiltersitebyWater OceanfiltersitebyOcean BusinessfiltersitebyBusiness EconomicsfiltersitebyEconomics FinancefiltersitebyFinance EquityfiltersitebyEquity SearchWRI.org Notsurewheretofindsomething?Searchallofthesite'scontent. Whatcanwehelpyoufind? WaystoGive Joinus ContactanExpert ExploreWRIPerspectives WorkingPaper DesigningandCommunicatingNet-ZeroTargets Download DownloadOptions WorkingPaper 668.22KiBapplication/pdf ComparisonChart 117.01KiBapplication/pdf SettingtheCoursetoNetZeroInformationHandout 131.49KiBapplication/pdf Topic Climate July29,2020 30 Social Twitter LinkedIn Facebook Email Print ThisWorkingPaperispartof ourClimateProgram.ReachouttoRhysGerholdtformoreinformation. ThisWorkingPaperispartof ourClimateProgram.ReachouttoRhysGerholdtformoreinformation. AuthorsKellyLevin,DavidRich,KatieRoss,TarynFransenandCynthiaElliott PrimaryContacts RhysGerholdt LicenseCreativeCommons SynopsisThelatestsciencefromtheIntergovernmentalPanelonClimateChange(2018)suggeststhattomeettheParisAgreement’stemperaturegoals,theworldwillneedtoreachnet-zeroGHGemissionsearlyinthesecondhalfofthenextcentury.Atthegloballevel,achievingnet-zeroemissionsmeansbalancinganthropogenic(human-induced)emissionsandremovalsofGHGsinagivenperiod.Inpractice,achievingnet-zeroemissionsmeansreducinganthropogenicemissions–likethosefromfossil-fueledemissions–asclosetozeroaspossiblewhilerampingupcarbonremovaltobalanceoutanyremainingemissions.Thesesolutionscouldincluderestoringforestsordirectaircaptureandstoragetechnology. AsofJuly2020,19countriesandtheEuropeanUnionhaveadoptednet-zerotargets,andmorethan100othersareconsideringdoingso.Thispaperisaresourceforcountriesthataredesigningandcommunicatingnet-zerotargets.Itsummarizeshowcountrieshavedesignednet-zerotargetstodateanddiscussestheprosandconsofdifferentdesignchoices.Itrecommendsoptionsfordesigningnet-zerotargetsandcommunicatingwithdomesticandinternationalconstituenciesinaccordancewiththemostrecentclimatescienceandpathwaystolimitaverageglobaltemperaturerisetobelow2°C(3.6°F)—and,ideally,1.5°C(2.7°F). KeyFindingsDecision-makersfaceseveralchoiceswhendesigningnet-zerotargets.Thispaperarguesthattomaximizethecontributionofnet-zerotargetstodrivedecarbonizationinlinewithclimatescience,countriesshouldconsiderthefollowingrecommendations. Achievingnet-zeroemissionswillrequirefundamentalshiftsinhowsocietyoperates.Whiletherearesignificantopportunitiesassociatedwithazero-carbonfuture,therewillbewinners,losers,andtrade-offsalongthewaytoachievingthisvision.Robuststakeholderprocessescanplayacriticalroleinsurfacingandmanagingtrade-offs,promotingsocietalbuy-in,andhelpingtoensureajusttransition.Participationcanfacilitatemoreeffective,inclusivedecision-makingandultimatelygreatersupportforclimateaction.Importantly,participatoryprocesseshelptranslatenet-zerotargetsintootherdecision-makingprocesses,guidingthedesignofnear-andmidtermtargets,policiesandmeasures,andinvestmentstosupportnecessarytransitions.Securinghigh-levelpoliticalsupportandengagingrelevantministries,parliaments,experts,andthepubliccanalsoenhanceanet-zerotarget’sprospectsforwithstandingfuturegovernmentchanges.Independentexpertbodiescanhelpprovideaccountabilityandreviewdesignandimplementationchoices.Governmentsshouldalsoconsiderthemosteffectivelegalstatusofthetarget.Dependingonthenationalcontext,alaworotherbindingpolicymaybethebestinstrumenttosendlong-termpolicysignalsanddrivechangesinnear-termdecision-making.Legalcommitmentwillhelpensurethatnet-zerotargetsarenotjustaspirationalvisionsthatfailtohaveanybearingontoday’sdecisions;rather,thesetargetswillbecometransformativeinstrumentsthatdriveactiontowardsrealizingthegoalsoftheParisAgreement. Net-zerotargetsshouldbecomprehensive.TheyshouldcoverallGHGsandallsectors. Governmentsshouldestablishspecifictimeframesforachievingtargets.Thespecificyearormultiyeartimeframeshouldbeasearlyasfeasibleandshouldtakeaccountofglobalscenarioscompatiblewithlimitingwarmingto1.5°Cor2°C,equityprinciples,andpathwaysandoptionsforemissionsandremovals. Countrieswiththehighestemissionsandgreatestresponsibilityandcapabilityshouldadoptthemostambitioustargettimeframes.MajoremittersshouldadoptatimeframethatisatleastasearlyastheglobaltimeframetoachievetheParisAgreementgoals,andearlierstilliftheyhavehighhistoricalandpercapitaemissions.CountrieswithhighcapacityforGHGemissionsreductionandcarbonremovalshouldsupplementnet-zerotargetswithtargetsandplanstoachievenet-negativeemissionsafterachievingnet-zeroemissions. SeparatetargetsshouldbesetforGHGemissionsreductionsandnet-zeroornet-negativeemissions.Distincttargetsprovideaclearroadmapforbothdecarbonization,scalingcarbonremovals,andachievingnet-zeroornet-negativeemissions. GovernmentsshouldprioritizereducingGHGemissionsandenhancingGHGremovalswithinthecountry’sterritoryratherthanrelyingoninternationaltransfersofGHGmitigationtoachievenet-zerotargets.IfinternationaltransfersofGHGmitigationareusedtomeetthetarget,countriesshouldensurethatonlysurplusmitigationfromothercountriesistransferredandshouldconsiderlimitingtheportionofthenet-zerotargetthatmaybemetthroughinternationalGHGmitigation,asmuchasisfeasible. Countriesshouldtransparentlycommunicatetheirnet-zerotargets.Theyshouldclearlyprovideinformationontheparametersofthenet-zerotarget,includingtheGHGandsectorcoverage,thetimeframe,decarbonizationtargets,andtheuseofinternationaltransfersandanylimits.Countriesmayalsoconsidercommunicatingsupplementalinformationinordertostrengthenthetransparencyoftheirtargets. Countriesshouldensurethatnet-zerotargetsinformnear-andmidtermclimateaction,includingtargetsandpolicies,includingNDCs,developmentplans,policies,investments,andlong-termlow-emissionsdevelopmentstrategiestosupportjusttransitions. ExecutiveSummaryHighlights Tolimitwarmingtowellbelow1.5°C(2.7°F),globalgreenhousegas(GHG)emissionsmustbeslashedinhalfduringthenextdecadeandreachnetzeroearlyinthesecondhalfofthecentury. Giventhisneed,severalcountrieshaveadoptednetzeroemissionstargets,andmanymorehavenet-zero targetsunderconsideration. Achievingnet-zerotargetsisbothamassivechallenge—ascountrieswillneedtotransformtheireconomies—andanopportunitytoadvancedevelopmentandsustainableeconomicgrowthwhile avoidingtheworstclimatechangeimpacts. Thispaperaimstosupportcountriesindesigningandcommunicatingtheirnet-zerotargetstoensuretheyfullycontributetotheachievementoftheParisAgreement’sgoals. Net-zerotargetsmustalsoinformthedesignofnearandmidtermtargetsandpolicies,includingnationallydeterminedcontributions(NDCs),developmentplans,policies,investments,andlong-termlow-emissionsdevelopmentstrategiestosupportjusttransitions. Connectedtothisreport Climate WhatDoes"Net-ZeroEmissions"Mean?8CommonQuestions,Answered Insights September17,2019 Projects SteppingUp2020NDCs ResourcesforCountriestoEnhanceNationalClimatePlans(NDCs)UndertheParisAgreement VisitProject Partof Climate TrackingandStrengtheningClimateAction Supportingnationalgovernmentswithtoolsandresourcestotrackprogresstowardmeetingtheirnationalclimatecommitmentsandtostrengthenclimateaction. VisitProject Partof Climate ClimateWatch ClimateWatchofferspowerfulinsightsanddataonnationalclimateplans,long-termstrategiesandgreenhousegasemissionstohelpcountriesachievetheirclimateandsustainabledevelopmentgoals.  LaunchPlatformLaunchPlatform VisitProject Partof Climate PrimaryContacts RhysGerholdt DirectorofCommunications&MediaStrategy,ClimateProgram HowYouCanHelpWRIreliesonthegenerosityofdonorslikeyoutoturnresearchintoaction.Youcansupportourworkbymakingagifttodayorexploringotherwaystogive. 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