More than two thirds (67 %) of greenhouse gas emissions that cause climate change came from cities in 2020. It is therefore not surprising that mayors have joined national politicians in setting emission reduction targets within their jurisdictions.  Many UK cities have committed to becoming net zero before governmental goal by 2050 (v Scotland it is the year 2045).  Manchester  aims to be net zero by 2038, Liverpool a Birmingham until 2030. Nottingham it expects to become the first carbon neutral city in the UK as early as 2028. ( Graeme Roy, University of Glasgow)

The emissions trading system was the cornerstone of the EU's efforts to achieve climate neutrality by 2050. However, in its current form, it does not charge a price for the carbon that is part of imported goods. This column shows that while the scheme has been successful in curbing carbon emissions in the EU, it has come at the cost of increased imports of carbon-intensive goods. It also highlights that the extent to which firms can outsource their carbon emissions depends on the ownership structure, with foreign-owned firms better placed to reorganize production to avoid the system. (Justus Böning)

A new international standard for net zero energy and net zero greenhouse gas emissions. In January, ISO released a new guidance document, ISO PAS 50010: 2023, which provides specific recommendations on how an organization can set and meet net-zero energy and emissions targets that increase efficiency every year. “It distinguishes between several different ranges and thresholds for … different net zero goals and their targets, which are increasingly effective in reducing energy and greenhouse gas emissions and therefore more difficult to achieve.” He recommends that the organization develop a multi-year plan to move from more modest net zero targets to more ambitious targets in the following years, which will result in continuously decreasing greenhouse gas emissions. (Dr. David B. Goldstein)

1. Strengthen your brand. Green companies appeal to the growing environmentally conscious market. Products produced sustainably by companies with green commitments are valued more highly by consumers and can differentiate you from your competitors, giving you a competitive advantage.
2. Increase revenue. By changing the behavior of your business towards energy consumption and emission-producing activities, you will reduce inefficiencies and increase cost-effectiveness, thereby increasing your revenues.
3. Be consistent. We are moving towards a low-carbon economy, with governments introducing or proposing to introduce climate regulations and emission restrictions. By aligning your business strategy with carbon emission standards, you will reduce the risk of possible future carbon taxes and penalties for non-compliance with these new regulations.
4. To reassure and attract investors . Measuring and reporting your carbon footprint and emission reduction strategies increases the transparency of your business to your investors and shareholders. This, together with the added considerations of emissions-compliant corporate social responsibility, can be attractively aligned with investor demands and drive their decision-making.
5. Save the environment. Reducing your carbon footprint or becoming carbon neutral benefits the environment by reducing the negative impact you have on it. Participating in the movement towards a greener Earth also inspires others to do the same, thus cumulating the positive effects of carbon sequestration and carbon reflection.

Quantifying and understanding your carbon footprint is therefore the first step to building a sustainable strategy that will leave a positive and greener footprint on your environment. (AI) DGB group

Carbon dioxide can be removed from the atmosphere by natural or technical means. Natural sinks such as bogs can be restored and innovative technologies already exist to capture carbon from the air. Researchers in the "Netto-Zero-2050" cluster of the Helmholtz Climate Initiative have identified the most promising approaches in Germany. They show that natural sinks can be scaled up in the short term, while technologically advanced approaches could only reduce greenhouse gases in the medium term and carry potential risks. (Meike Lohkamp)

Carbon neutrality is a situation in which CO2 emissions associated with human activity on a global scale are offset by the ability of ecosystems to absorb these carbon emissions. Achieving carbon neutrality is therefore not about zero CO2 emissions, but about reaching a balance point between the amount of greenhouse gas emissions emitted in the world and the Earth's ability to capture and store carbon dioxide. IPCC (The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) reiterated this in its latest report: limiting global warming to 1.5°C will require achieving "carbon neutrality" by 2050.

The Environmental Audit Committee has recommended increasing the amount of wood used in construction and expanding productive forestry in the UK to meet the 2050 target. In his latest report, “ Seeing the wood for the trees: the contribution of the forestry and timber sector to biodiversity and the net zero goals' – The Environmental Audit Committee has recommended increasing the amount of wood in construction and expanding productive forestry in the UK to help achieve net zero by 2050.   Over the past year, MPs have heard from a range of industry experts on the best ways to grow a sustainable and resilient domestic timber sector. The inquiry comes after the Committee on Climate Change recognized wood as key to decarbonising the built environment. 

Britain will struggle to achieve net zero carbon emissions in the next three decades unless consumers are prepared to change their spending behaviour, according to the latest study by electricity system operator National Grid (ESO). In a new report, Future Energy Scenarios 2023, ESO suggests low-carbon boilers or heat pumps, conversion to electric vehicles and periods of demand flexibility where energy consumption is reduced could all be needed for the country to meet the government's climate targets. (NICHOLAS EARL)

National energy and climate plan so that the country achieves carbon neutrality by 2050 and fulfills the requirements of the European Green Deal. This is claimed by a group of organizations and experts under the umbrella of the Slovak Climate Initiative (SKI) in a joint appeal addressed to government officials. In addition to SKI, the signatories of the call are the Buildings for the Future platform, the Slovak Green Building Council (SKGBC), the Slovak Association of Photovoltaic Industry and Renewable Energy (SAPI), the Association of Solar Electricity Producers (AVES), Greenpeace, the Institute of Circular Economy (ICIEN), the Slovak Biogas Association, communication agency GreenTalk, but also companies such as PW Energy and Knauf Insulation. (Radovan Potočár, energie-portál.sk)

Being carbon conscious is hard. Our biggest CO2 emissions may come from everyday activities we least suspect. Awareness the impact that our lifestyle has on our planet is the first step towards it reduction . Creating zero CO2 emissions is unrealistic for most of us, but there is a way to give back. With Carbon/Neutral you can compensate its remaining emissions by supporting environmental projects whose mission is to have a net positive ecological impact. We can be together carbon/neutral .

Sweden's parliament this week formally abandoned its goal of achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045 using only renewable energy. The country is now trying to build more nuclear reactors. This choice, according to observers, indirectly accepts the poor quality of unreliable wind and solar power. It shows a general loss of faith in the Nordic countries, which were pioneers in the field of renewable energy sources. It also reveals that Western countries' plans to achieve net zero are unsustainable. (HALED ABOU ZAHR, ARABNEWS)

With climate awareness and the pursuit of net zero emissions now firmly entrenched as an ESG aspect, law firms are now undergoing the same scrutiny that their multinational clients face. For most, if not all, law firms, the stance on climate change is now a hygiene factor. Across all sectors, adapting businesses and business models to thrive in (and survive the transition to) the 'zero' economy is a critical commercial imperative. It is also, especially in the transition period we are currently in, a communication imperative. Reputational risk is great. At first glance, however, it may seem that the legal sector has nothing to fear from the reputational point of view.

Next week during the plenary session, the European Parliament will vote on a resolution asking the EU to commit to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. This is part of the effort to meet the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement. The vote is being held ahead of December's COP25 UN climate conference in Madrid. The goal of the Paris Agreement is to keep global warming below 2 degrees Celsius and continue efforts to limit it to 1.5 degrees Celsius. Otherwise, we will not avoid the catastrophic scenarios that climate change will bring. A total of 194 countries signed the agreement. Among its signatories are the EU member states and the Union as a whole. They coordinate with each other and have set common goals for reducing emissions.