Britain recently promised to reach net-zero emissions by 2050, a plan more ambitious than its original Climate Change Act from 2008, which pledged to reduce emissions by 80 percent, according to www.inhabitat.com. Prime Minister Theresa May said net-zero is a necessary step for Britain, a moral duty and a strategy to improve public health and reduce health care costs.
Britain is the first G7 country to propose carbon neutrality, and environmentalists hope Britain’s plan will encourage other countries to increase their Paris Agreement emission reduction commitments.
Net-zero on a national level will mean all homes, transportation, farming and industries will not consume more energy than the country can generate through renewable energy. For certain cases where this is impossible, companies and industries will have to purchase carbon offsets.
The plan reportedly must include actions such as significant investment in the renewable-energy industry; reduction in meat consumption and flying; and a complete shift to electric cars, LED light bulbs and hydrogen gas heating.
