Tightening the Net: Report by Oxfam

In News

Oxfam has recently published a report titled “Tightening the Net” just a few months ahead of the UN climate talks in Glasgow.

Key Findings of Report

• ‘Net zero’ carbon targets that many countries have announced maybe a “dangerous distraction” from the priority of cutting carbon emissions.
• “Land-hungry ‘net zero’ schemes could lead to
  • an 80 per cent rise in global food prices. 
  • more hunger.
  • allowing rich nations and corporations to continue “dirty business-as-usual.

What is the meaning of Net Zero?

• A state in which a country’s emissions are compensated by absorption and removal of greenhouse gases (GHGs) from the atmosphere is called Net Zero State.
• Net-zero is also referred to as carbon-neutrality.
• It does not mean that a country would bring down its emissions to zero. 

How is it Different from Gross-Zero?

How Net Zero is Achieved?

• By creating carbon sinks by growing forests. 
  • Until recently, the Amazon rainforests in South America, which are the largest tropical forests in the world, were carbon sinks.
    • But eastern parts of these forests have started emitting CO2 instead of absorbing carbon emissions as a result of significant deforestation.
  • A country may also have negative emissions if the absorption and removal exceed the actual emissions. 
    • Bhutan has negative emissions because it absorbs more than it emits.

Which Countries have Recently Announced Net-Zero Targets?

• The New Zealand government passed the Zero Carbon Act in 2019.
  • It committed to zero carbon emissions by 2050 or sooner to meet its Paris climate accord commitments. 
• In 2019, the UK passed legislation to reduce its net emissions of GHGs by 100 per cent relative to 1990 levels by the year 2050.
• Recently, the USA also announced its plans to cut its greenhouse gas emissions by at least 50 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030. 
  • John Kerry launched a bipartisan organisation called World War Zero in 2019. 
    • He is the USA’s climate envoy and considered one of the chief architects of the Paris Climate agreement
  • World War Zero aims to bring together unlikely allies on climate change and with the goal of reaching net-zero carbon emissions in the country by 2050.
• “Fit for 55” plan of European Union: The European Commission has asked all of its 27 member countries to cut emissions by 55 per cent below 1990 levels by 2030.
• Last year, China set a target of becoming net-zero by the year 2060.
  • It would also not allow its emissions to peak beyond what they are in 2030.

Why are Net Zero Targets of Less Utility?

• To tackle the challenge by planting more trees, about 1.6 billion hectares of new forests would be required by 2050.
• The world needs to cut emissions by 45 per cent by 2030 from 2010 levels to limit global warming below 1.5°C. 
  • The sharpest cuts should be made by “the biggest emitters.”
• Current Net Zero Targets will only lead to a 1 per cent reduction by 2030.
• It will add extra pressure on already limited land resources.
  • To tackle only energy sector emissions, a land area nearly the size of the Amazon rainforest is required.
    • It is equivalent to a third of all farmland worldwide.
  • Using only land-based methods may push the food prices up by 80 per cent by 2050.

Way Ahead

• Nations should shift towards renewable energy sources.
• Focus on cutting the carbon sources rather than mere mitigation through forest reserves can help.
• Marine Farming and Blue Economy may help in reducing the pressure on land resources.

Source: IE