Sussex Energy Group at SPRU

Claire Copeland reports back from the Achieving Net Zero conference in Oxford

Anthropogenic activities have now emitted greenhouse gases to such an extent, that this has now contributed to an increase in average global temperatures of 1.1°C and rising at 0.2-0.25°C per decade. The havoc this is having on our weather systems and climate is already obvious for all to see, and further warming will make this worse. There is now an intent around the world to limit any further warming. The Paris Agreement, a landmark agreement between countries party to the UNFCCC to pursue best efforts to limit global warming to 1.5°C, came into force in November 2016. This has now been ratified by 185 out of the 197 parties. Earlier this year, the UK became the first major economy to set a “net zero” emissions target by 2050 in making the country’s contribution to the Paris Agreement goal. Many other countries have since either set net zero targets or are in the process of making them law.