Date: 06/04/2023

Relevance: GS-3: Conservation, Environmental Pollution, and Degradation, Environmental Impact Assessment.

Key Phrases: net-zero emissions, Global Warming, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Learning Process Driven by Innovation, Disproportionate Emission, Paris Agreement on Climate Change, Carbon capture and storage.

Why in News?

• The EU is pushing for 100 cities including Paris, Madrid, and Amsterdam to reach net-zero emissions by the end of the decade — far earlier than their national governments plan to get there.
• As governments across the world have promised to stop polluting carbon emissions by 2050, scores of European cities have pledged to get there by 2030 — just seven years from now.

Why would cities hit net-zero emissions in 2030?

• The Urgency of Cutting Carbon Emissions to Limit Global Warming:
  • To keep global temperatures from rising by more than 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) - the target to which world leaders promised to try to limit global warming — humanity must cut pollution fast
  • The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has found that societies must reach net-zero carbon emissions by mid-century, meaning they need to remove as much carbon dioxide from the atmosphere as they emit.
  • However, scientists are uncertain about the effectiveness of technologies to remove carbon dioxide.
• Pressure on Rich Cities:
  • More than 100 countries to set net-zero targets for around 2050.
  • Pressure is also rising on rich countries that have polluted the most, particularly those in Europe and North America, to move faster.
  • While 2050 is a global average, nearly all countries signed the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, which accepts that countries have “common but differentiated responsibilities.”
• Disproportionate Emission:
  • Experts say cities are good targets for faster action because they pump out a disproportionate share of greenhouse gases — partly because they have more people and tend to be richer.
  • Just 10 city regions in Europe are responsible for 7.5% of the continent’s total carbon dioxide emissions, a 2022 study found.
  • The 100 dirtiest cities are responsible for 20% of the emissions.
• Wealth and technology:
  • European cities also have the wealth and technology to cut emissions quickly.

How easy is net zero by 2030?

• Transport Sector :
  • Officials can enforce measures such as banning combustion engine vehicles, improving public transport, and making streets more pedestrian-friendly to reduce emissions in the transport sector.
  • However, electrifying the energy supply requires changes that need regional or national support.
• Heavy Industry :
  • Technological solutions are still some way off in heavy industry sectors.
  • Carbon capture and storage facilities have not yet achieved the efficiency needed to clean up cement plants, for instance.
  • This presents a challenge for more industrial cities that aim to decarbonize fully.
• Port cities:
  • Port cities like Rotterdam, in the Netherlands, and Hamburg, in Germany will also struggle to clean up without help at a national or European level.
• Overcoming barriers:
  • The program aims to help cities overcome structural, institutional, and cultural barriers, with the aim that lessons from one city can be applied to another.
  • As most cities have only recently started, it is unclear how likely they are to succeed.
• A Learning Process Driven by Innovation:
  • Achieving net zero emissions by 2030 as a learning process driven by innovation.
  • The mission is considered a success if a good number of cities can achieve the goal, and a larger number demonstrate that they can move more quickly towards the outcome, even if they do not quite make it by 2030.

Earlier starts make success more likely:

• The crucial factor in achieving the net-zero goal is the time when action is initiated.
• Denmark’s capital Copenhagen started to tackle its 2025 climate neutrality goal in 2012. The city expects to reduce emissions by about 82% in 2025 compared to 2010.
• Copenhagen's plan for capturing carbon from a waste incinerator plant may not be completed in time, but the city has already made significant progress.
• Only starting now with climate action to achieve a 2030 climate neutrality goal is too late.

Conclusion:

• Net-zero emissions by 2030 is an ambitious target that requires rapid and unprecedented action by European cities.
• While there are challenges and uncertainties, earlier starts make success more likely.
• Achieving this target will lead to cleaner air, safer streets, and more comfortable buildings while helping keep global temperatures from rising by more than 1.5 degrees Celsius.

Source: The Indian Express

Mains Question:

Q. Discuss the challenges and opportunities in achieving net-zero emissions for 100 cities in Europe by 2030. How can lessons learned from successful cities be applied to those facing greater challenges in the transition to a carbon-neutral economy?