Your Country Set a Net-Zero Target: What's Next? - World ...

Setting a net-zero target is a necessary step to cut global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050 to keep the world's temperature from rising ... 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 YourCountrySetaNet-ZeroTarget:What'sNext? February7,2022 By CynthiaElliottandCleaSchumer CoverImageby:AndreasGücklhorn/Unsplash Explainer Topic Climate Social Twitter LinkedIn Facebook Email Print Moreon net-zeroemissionsClimateclimatepolicyNDCclimatewatch-pinned Moreon net-zeroemissionsClimateclimatepolicyNDCclimatewatch-pinned Bytheendof2021,over80countries—representingalmost75%ofglobalemissions—announcedcommitmentstoachievenet-zeroemissions.Settinganet-zerotargetisanecessarysteptocutglobalgreenhousegas(GHG)emissionsby2050tokeeptheworld’stemperaturefromrisingabove1.5degreesC(2.7degreesF).Buttarget-settingaloneisnotenough.Net-zerotargetsneedtobetiedtorealpolicymakingtoday. So,if2021wastheyearofnet-zerocommitments,2022shouldbetheyearofactiontowardsachievingsuchgoals.Herearesixkeystepscountriescantaketodemonstratetheirnet-zerotargetsmeanactionnow. 1.DefineNet-Zero Ifitisn’tdonewhenthe net-zerotarget isset,itisimportantthatcountriesclearlydefinethescopeoftheircommitment,includingtheyeartheyintendtoreachnet-zero,theGHGsandsectorstheyintendtocoverundertheirtarget,andtheextenttowhichtheyintendtorelyoninternationaloffsetpurchases.Asthestrengthandlegitimacyofanet-zerotargetdependsontheseparameters—withthemostambitioustargetsaimingforearlierinthiscentury,coveringallgasesandsectorsandlimitingrelianceonoffsets—countriesshouldclearlycommunicatethesechoices. TheUnitedKingdomhassetastrongexample,explicitlycommittingtoreachnet-zeroemissionsby2050fromallGHGsandinallsectors(includinginternationalshippingandaviation,whichfalloutsidetheIntergovernmentalPanelforClimateChangeguidelinesfornationalGHGinventories),aswellastoavoidrelyingtooheavilyoninternationaloffsetstomeettheirtarget.Othercountries,includingmajoremitterslikeChina,Canada,India,JapanandBrazil,havecommunicatedanet-zerotargetbuthaven’tyetprovidedfulldetailsonthescopeoftheirambition.Asanimmediatenextstep,countriesthathavenotcommunicatedthisinformationtotheinternationalcommunityshoulddoso. 2.ModelPathwaystoAchieveNet-Zero Withaclearlydefinednet-zerotargetinplace,acountrymustnextgrounditwithacomprehensivetrajectorythatdemonstrateshowdecarbonizationcanbeachieved.Economy-widemodelingcanbeusedtochartemissionreductionpathwaysforeachsector,whilethesesector-specificpathways,inturn,canhighlightkeydecisionpointsandpriorityactionsinthenear-termtoavoidlockinginfutureemissions. Morethan20countries,includingCostaRica,NepalandtheUnitedStates,havepublishedanalysesofmitigationopportunitiesandpotentialpathwaystoachievingnet-zeroemissionsby2050.Suchexploratorymodelsandpathwayscanhelpcountriesidentifywhichsectorsandeconomicactivitiesmusttransitionwhen,understandwherethereistechnologicaluncertaintyandtheneedforfurtherresearchandinvestment,andsendclearsignalsabouttheexpectedroleofemissionsoffsetsorcarbonremovaltechnologies.Critically,nationalgovernmentsshoulddistinguishtargetsforreductionsandtargetsforremovals,prioritizingemissionsreductionswherepossible. 3.SetNear-TermandSectoralGoalsandMilestones Whilereachingnet-zeroemissionswillultimatelyrequireaneconomy-widetransformation,implementationwillhappenacrossmultipledistinctpolicyareas.Countriescanbegintoassemblethepuzzlepiecesbysettingspecificinterimandsectoralgoalsandtargets,manyofwhichmaybeaimed forbeforemid-century. Forexample,acommitmenttoproduce100%renewable-generatedpowerwithinthedecade—atargetthatFiji,forinstance,hassettohelpmeetits2050net-zerotarget—willalonecontributetoenormousemissionsreductions,aswellassupportlong-termdecarbonizationwhencombinedwithelectrificationofendusesincludingbuildingsandtransport.Similarly,Icelandaimstobannewregistrationofpetrolanddieselvehiclesfrom2030,andthegovernmentofSwedenhasseta2030targettoreduceemissionsfromdomestictransport(excludingdomesticaviation)byatleast70%comparedwith2010. Settingtheseinterimtargetsacrossallsectorsoftheeconomy—fromimprovingenergyefficiency,toreducingindustrialemissionsanddeforestation,andmore—canhelpcountriesvisualizehowtheirnet-zeroambitionswillultimatelyberealized.Moreover,thesetargetscanprovideabasistotrackprogresstowardthenet-zerotarget,therebypromotingaccountability. Onceidentified,acountryshouldincludetheseinterim/sectoralgoalsandmilestonesintoitsnationallydeterminedcontribution(NDC),ornear-termplanundertheParisAgreement.Insodoing,acountryensuresthatthesetargetsarenotfar-awayaspirationstobeachievedatsomepointmuchlaterinthefuture;rather,theyaregoalpoststhatshoulddriveinvestmentsandpolicynow. 4.EngageStakeholdersforEquitableandJustTransitions Inevitably,thesecriticaltransformationswillhavetangibleimpactsonpeople’slivesandlivelihoods. Toensuredecarbonizationbenefitsallofsociety,it’scrucialthatnegativelyaffectedcommunitiesarepartofthesolutionandthatimpactsareequitablydistributed.Anotableconcernmanycountrieshavebeengrapplingwithisthechallengeoftransitioningawayfromcoal,whichmeanscoal-firedpowerplantsandcoalmineswillinevitablyshutdown.Otherchallengesincludereskillingthelaborforcefornewfields;shiftinglocationsofeconomicopportunity;andsupportforworkersintheinformaleconomy. Bringingtheindividualsandcommunitiesaffectedintotheconversationscriticaltoaddresstheseandotherchallengescanoccurduringallthesestepsandtakemanyforms. TaketheexampleofSouthAfrica’sPresidentialClimateCommissiontowardsaJustTransition—amulti-stakeholderadvisorybodyestablishedtohelpshapethecountry’spathwaytoalow-carbonclimate-resilienteconomyandsociety.Thecountry’sleadershiptoensureequitabledecarbonizationisgloballyrecognizedandhasattractedpartnershipsfromacrosstheworld.Indeed,SouthAfrica’sgoaltotransitionawayfromcoalwhilemaintainingopportunitiesforaffectedworkerswillbesupportedbytheInternationalJustEnergyTransitionPartnership,involvingFrance,Germany,theU.K.,theU.S.andtheEuropeanUnion,whichwillmobilizeaninitialcommitmentof$8.5billionininternationalfinance. Othercountrieshavedevelopedmorelocalizedstrategies,buildingonadvicefromstakeholders.Forexample,priortoformallyadoptinganet-zerotarget,thegovernmentofSpainengagedunionsandfocusgroupsfromthegeneralpublicinthedevelopmentofaJustTransitionStrategy.Thisstrategyoperationalizesthedevelopmentofregionalagreementstodirectlysupportcontinuedeconomicactivityandsustainemploymentduringthephase-outofcoal. Severalothercountrieswithnet-zerotargets—includingCanadaandGermany—regionalgovernmentssuchasScotland,andseveralstatesintheU.S.arealsoactivelyworkingwithimpactedstakeholdersthroughadvisorypanels,collaborativepublic-privatelocalinvestmentschemes,andjobreskillingprograms,amongothermeasures.Thiswillhelpensurecommunitiesareengagedinthetransitionandultimatelyabletotakeadvantageofopportunitiesandbenefitsthatcomealongwithit.Thesegovernmentsalsorecognizethatstakeholderengagementearlyintheirplanningprocessesfacilitatesgreaterbuy-infromconstituenciesandstrengthensthefeasibilityofimplementation. 5.ImplementNear-TermPlansandPoliciesAlignedwithNet-Zero Net-zerotargetswillnotimplementthemselves,andit'simportanttoensurenear-termplansandpoliciescontributetomeetingtheultimateobjectiveofcurbingGHGemissions.Severalgovernmentsaretakingconcretestepstoimplementnear-termeconomicandfiscalpolicyalignedwithnet-zerotargets,settingexamplesfromwhichotherscanlearn. First,countriescanconsiderwaystomanagethetransitionovershortertimeperiods.TheU.K.wasthefirstcountrytosetlegallybindingcarbonbudgetswhichrestrictthetotalamountofGHGsthatcanbeemittedduringspecificcycles.Onceinplace,abindingcarbonbudgetwithindependentmonitoringofprogressisacriticaltooltohelpdriveeconomicdecision-making.Manyothercountries—includingFrance,NewZealandandNigeria—havesincefollowedsuit. Second,countriesmayfinditusefultogatherindependentexpertadvicetoguidenear-termimplementationalignedwithnet-zerotargets.Tothisend,manycountrieshaveestablishedindependentclimatechangeadvisorybodies,liketheU.K.’sClimateChangeCommittee,theChileanScientificCommitteeonClimateChangeandothers,toprovidepolicyadviceoncriticalandpoliticallysensitivetopicssogovernmentsarebetterabletoadoptpoliciesthathelpachievenet-zeroemissions.Advisorycouncilscanalsooffersupportwhenpotentialactionsfacepoliticalhurdles. Finally,alloftheabovemustbeenabledbysupportivepolicyandfinancingmechanisms.Aftersettinganet-zerotargetandidentifyingthesectoraltransformationsthatmustoccurtoreachit,governmentsatthenationalandsub-nationalscaleneedtobeginestablishingthetoolsthatthey’llusetodrivechange.Examplesofpolicyandfinancingmechanismsthatmayhelpcountriestoworktowardtheirsectoralandeconomy-widetargetsinclude,butarenotlimitedto: Emissionstaxesoremissionstradingschemes Renewableportfoliostandards/purchasingmandates Subsidiesforgreenenergyandrestorationprojects Removalofsubsidiesforfossilfuels/bansonfossilfuelproductionreformofagriculturalsubsidies Government-fundedloanraisingandequityfinancing Carbonpricing,whetherthroughemissionstaxesortradingschemes,isaparticularlyfrequentlyusedtoolforincentivizingemissionsreductionsacrossmultiplesectors.Todate,morethan40countrieswithnet-zerotargets—manyofwhicharemajoremitters—arecoveredbyorintendtoestablishdomesticorregional(e.g.,theEUETS)carbonpricingmechanisms.Othercountrieshavepursueddifferentmechanismsmoreprominently.CostaRica,forexample,hasplacedanationalmoratoriumonoilexplorationandexploitation until2050,supportingthecountryinachievinga95%renewableelectricitymix.China,inadditiontolaunchingtheworld’slargestcarbonpricingmechanismthisyear,hasalsobeenimplementingsubstantialrenewableenergypurchasingmandatesformorethanadecade. 6.SupporttheGlobalEfforttoShifttoNet-ZeroandaSustainableFuture Itisn’tenoughtofocusonreducingdomesticemissionsiftheeffortssimplyshiftnegativeimpactstoothercountries,forexamplebycontinuingtoinvestinfossilfuelextractioninothercountries,whilephasingoutdomesticfossilfueluse.Allforeigninvestmentanddevelopmentaidshouldalsoreflectglobalambitionstoreachnet-zeroemissions,withcountriesfullyaligningfinancialflowswithlow-emission,climate-resilientdevelopmentpathwaysincludingnet-zeroemissions. Relatedly,governmentsshouldalsobemindfulofthepotentialnegativeimpactsoftransformativepolicyshiftsandscreenthemforpotential,inadvertentimpacts,domesticallyorinothercountries—suchastransboundarywaterresourcemanagementforrenewableenergygenerationordisplacementofdeforestationtootherregions.It’scriticaltoadoptsmartclimatepolicythatdoesn’ttradethemitigationofGHGemissionsandavoidanceoffutureclimateimpactsforotherproblems. LaunchNet-ZeroTracker Trackreal-timenet-zerotargetannouncementsanddownloadthedatapresentedinthisarticleatClimateWatch’sNet-ZeroTracker ViewNet-ZeroTracker PreparingforWorktoBegin Whilesettinganambitiousnet-zerotargetisagreatfirststep,itmerelysetsthestagefortherealworktobegin.Oncethetargethasbeenfirmlyputinplace,it’simperativeforcountriestoundertakeimmediate,tangibleandpracticalactionstofast-trackimplementationanddrivethetransformationalchangethatisessentialforamid-centurynet-zeroworld. RelevantWork Climate WhatDoes"Net-ZeroEmissions"Mean?8CommonQuestions,Answered Insights September17,2019 Climate COP26:KeyOutcomesFromtheUNClimateTalksinGlasgow  Insights November17,2021 Energy 5ThingstoKnowAbouttheIEA’sRoadmaptoNetZeroby2050 Insights May21,2021 Climate 3WaystoEnsureCorporateNet-zeroTargetsAreCredible Insights November2,2021 HowYouCanHelpWRIreliesonthegenerosityofdonorslikeyoutoturnresearchintoaction.Youcansupportourworkbymakingagifttodayorexploringotherwaystogive. StayInformed Email Footermenu-main Footermenu-secondary Footermenu-Offices Footermenu-Additional WorldResourcesInstitute 10GStreetNE Suite800 WashingtonDC20002 +1(202)729-7600 Socialmenu ©2022WorldResourcesInstitute Doyouknowwhatstorieswillshape2022? JoinWRIPresidentandCEOAniDasguptaonJanuary19togetasneakpeekatthisyear'sbiggeststories. 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