How to help create a zero carbon world

It’s a topic that’s being talked about more and more, as governments come under increasing pressure to follow through with their promises to meet global targets of climate change. Here are some of the key ways to help create a carbon neutral world, and how you can help make the dream become reality.

Improve home efficiency

Many of the country’s houses are poorly insulated, and getting loft and wall cavity insulation will make a huge difference to the amount of energy we use nationwide. Installing smart meters in every home will give us a far better idea of how we use energy and where we need to focus in order to lower bills and usage.

Buy an electric vehicle

Around 20% of the UK’s emissions come from road travel, which makes electric vehicles a vital component in meeting targets. Over their lifetime, electric vehicles create far fewer emissions than diesel or petrol engines. This figure will decrease further the more we shift to using renewable energy (as the electricity used to charge the vehicles will come from wind, solar and water energy rather than power stations).

Removing traffic from the middle of towns and cities has also been shown to be very effective in reducing pollution when tried in numerous urban centres across Europe.

Switch to a renewable energy supplier

The International Energy Agency says globally we need to generate 60% of our electricity from renewable resources. In 2019 that figure was just 27%. 

Britain has reduced CO2 from power plants by 60% in recent years, and to go further we need to turn to heat pumps. The Zero Carbon Heating Trial is currently taking place in the South East of England, where more than 70 homes are receiving heat pumps along with thermal batteries to replace heating systems run on fossil fuels.

OVO Energy is one company trying to bring the nation down to net zero carbon. It’s leading the Zero Carbon Heating Trial, providing 100% renewable energy to its customers, and planting trees for every customer. 

Utilise nature

Not for its minerals, but for the ecological benefits it provides. Planting trees will clean our air by helping to reverse the effects of deforestation and absorb carbon while releasing oxygen. 

If the government is to achieve its aim of net zero emissions by 2050, then the Committee on Climate Change says we need to plant 1.5 billion trees, meaning woodland cover would need to increase from 13% to 17%.

It’s clear we still have much to do to achieve the dream of becoming a carbon zero world. The science says we don’t have much time to do it. But the changes required are all manageable – it just needs everyone to do their bit.

Feature Photo by Laura Ockel on Unsplash