Clearing the Air on Decarbonization
“If governments are serious about the climate crisis, there can be no new investments in oil, gas and, coal, from now—from this year.” - Fatih Birol, IEA Executive Director, 2021.
Imagine a world where the air we breathe is cleaner, the environment is thriving, and the threat of climate change is minimal. With decarbonization, the path to a more sustainable future is more than just a utopian dream. However, if we do not act soon, the possibility of a sustainable future may be out of reach.
Defining Decarbonization
Decarbonization refers to the process of minimizing greenhouse gas emissions produced by burning fossil fuels. One strategy is to transition away from fossil fuels and other energy sources that produce high levels of carbon and replace them with low-carbon or carbon-free alternatives, such as renewable wind, solar, and biomass energy. Emissions that cannot be reduced are compensated for by investing in carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology, and in some cases, high quality carbon offset projects. By addressing carbon footprints through a combination of clean energy technology, CCS, and high quality offsets, decarbonization efforts aim to create a long-term solution to reducing greenhouse gasses.
Setting the Framework for Global Decarbonization
The International Energy Agency (IEA) has created the Net Zero by 2050 roadmap to include over 400 milestones and a timeline of what action needs to happen to decarbonize the global economy, including finding stable and affordable energy alternatives to fossil fuels. With this roadmap in place, countries will have a clearer idea of what needs to happen to make our sustainability goals a reality.
To meet the Net Zero by 2050 goal, the IEA has developed seven pillars of decarbonization, which are the main areas of focus when it comes to transitioning to a low-carbon future:
Energy efficiency: The first pillar emphasizes the importance of implementing energy-efficient technologies, practices, and policies to reduce energy consumption and waste along with associated carbon emissions.
Behavioral changes: This includes changing the way consumers think about energy to reduce demand and wasteful usage.
Electrification: The third pillar emphasizes the need to shift from fossil fuels to electric-based systems across various sectors, such as transportation, heating, and industrial processes.
Renewables: By transitioning to renewable and clean energy technologies, we can reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and decrease carbon emissions.
Hydrogen and hydrogen‐based fuels: Hydrogen can produce energy without greenhouse gas emissions when generated from renewable sources, so hydrogen technologies require stronger investment.
Bioenergy: Energy derived from organic matter, such as plants, crops, and other agricultural residues can be used for electricity generation and the creation of biofuels, creating a renewable and closed-loop energy source.
Carbon capture and storage (CCS): The final pillar focuses on capturing CO2 and storing it underground or utilizing it for industrial processes, which allows for continued use of fossil fuels while also reducing carbon emissions until we fully transition to cleaner energy sources.
Each of these pillars supports each other in reducing reliance on fossil fuels and wasteful energy to achieve the overall goal of Net Zero by 2050.
The Countdown to 2050
Agreements between governments to slow down the impact of climate change are in place and are increasing in pledges every year, but seem to fall short of what is required to prevent the global temperature from rising 1.5 degrees Celsius. CO2 emissions from one of the major emitters, the energy industry, have increased by 60% since the signing of the United Nations Framework Convention in 1992. There is room for improvement when it comes to meeting our sustainability goals before it is too late, and Net Zero by 2050 might be the roadmap that we need.
While many of the sustainability goals and initiatives fall on the government, SMEs can and should take responsibility for reducing their own carbon footprint. To start the decarbonization process, it is essential to calculate current carbon emissions for your business, in order to develop a plan. As a small business, you may not have the resources to start. RyeStrategy offers affordable and personalized environmental consultancy services to support your business at all levels of the decarbonization process.
Learn about our affordable carbon footprint solutions for small and medium-sized businesses
Book a free strategy session to discuss your climate goals with a sustainability manager.
Check out these blogs to learn more about how to support decarbonization.
About RyeStrategy
Based in Seattle, RyeStrategy is a CDP-accredited, mission-oriented company specialized in carbon accounting, mitigation coaching, and climate disclosure solutions for organizations at any point in their sustainability journey. Learn how RyeStrategy helped Salesforce, Ideascale, and Wazoku achieve their sustainability goals.
From exhaustive carbon footprinting and mitigation coaching, to setting science-based targets and reporting climate data to CDP, SBTi or custom reporting platforms, RyeStrategy acts as a hands-on extension of the team, custom-tailoring services to fulfill climate disclosure requirements easily and accurately.
Meet with a sustainability specialist to learn more about RyeStrategy solutions.
