Net-zero approaches must consider Earth system impacts to achieve climate goals
OA Location
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Commitments to net-zero carbon dioxide (CO2) or greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions targets now cover 88% of countries’ emissions. Underlying the accounting behind net-zero frameworks is the assumption that emissions can be balanced with removals such that their net climate effect is zero. However, when considering the full climate impacts of CO2 emissions and removals, there are reasons to expect that the two are not equivalent in terms of their climate outcomes. We identify potential contributors to non-equivalence, including impermanence, biogeophysical and non-CO2 GHG effects, and argue that these non-equivalencies need to be accounted for to achieve climate goals. Given key uncertainties about the full climate impact of CO2 removal, it is prudent to prioritize emission reductions over removals.
Date Issued
2023-12-01
Date Acceptance
2023-10-16
Citation
Nature Climate Change, 2023, 13 (12), pp.1298-1305
ISSN
1758-678X
Publisher
Nature Research
Start Page
1298
End Page
1305
Journal / Book Title
Nature Climate Change
Volume
13
Issue
12
Copyright Statement
Copyright © 2023 Springer-Verlag. This version of the article has been accepted for publication, after peer review (when applicable) and is subject to Springer Nature’s AM terms of use, but is not the Version of Record and does not reflect post-acceptance improvements, or any corrections. The Version of Record is available online at: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-023-01862-7
Subjects
AFFORESTATION
CARBON-OFFSET PROGRAMS
CO2
EMISSIONS
Environmental Sciences
Environmental Sciences & Ecology
Environmental Studies
EVALUATING PROTOCOLS
LAND-USE CHANGE
Life Sciences & Biomedicine
MANAGEMENT
Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences
NITROUS-OXIDE
Physical Sciences
Science & Technology
STANDARDS
TEMPERATURE RESPONSE
Publication Status
Published
Date Publish Online
2023-12-04