Taking The Right Steps to Reach Net Zero

The UK government pledges to reach net zero by 2050. But how will we, as a country, achieve this? And why is it so important in the first place to attain it? Let's start by delving into what it means.

What Is Net Zero?

In a nutshell, net zero means carbon neutrality, balancing carbon dioxide emissions put into and taken out of the earth's atmosphere. So, to achieve net zero, we need to be at a place where we are maintaining a certain level to prevent any increases.

Why is Net Zero Important?

Heatwaves, droughts, destructive weather, extinction of species and severe health effects to humanity result from global warming. Overall, a complete climate emergency, or perhaps disaster, is better suited to describe the rapidly spiralling situation.

Climate change is real and is happening. It's a sad situation, and if changes aren't made, there will be little natural resources left for future generations. However, by achieving net zero, we will prevent further global warming and potentially lessen the effects we are already experiencing.

At the head of the global climate dissolution are fossil fuels, the culprit of releasing polluting greenhouse gases. There is no endless supply; once we use up what is available, that’s it, it's gone.

How to Achieve Net Zero

Achieving net zero is attainable, and at iOpt, we believe that it's only a matter of time before compliance will be an obligation to all. Below we explore some of the changes we can make to reach carbon neutrality.

Transportation

Say hello to the future of transportation in the form of electric vehicles. Transport in the UK accounts for 34% of the total carbon emissions released into the atmosphere. With such a high contribution, it's no wonder why from 2030, standard petrol and diesel vehicles will no longer be available for sale, with hybrids given an extension to 2035. Moreover, there is also a big push for cycling with the cycle to work schemes that sees many employees benefit from significant savings.

Additionally, better infrastructure can go a long way in improving the current climate. The UK’s current infrastructure systems are major contributors to greenhouse gas emissions. Transport and energy together account for around 60% of the UK’s CO2 emissions. But with more electric vehicles, easier access to smart public transport, we could begin to see significant changes.

Planting Trees

As we know, trees absorb and store carbon dioxide, converting it to carbohydrates for the tree and then releases oxygen into the atmosphere. Therefore, planting more trees means more significant absorption of carbon dioxide. Furthermore, we also need to keep the trees we already have alive. Dying trees release the carbon dioxide they store, inevitably adding to the levels of greenhouses gases in the atmosphere. Planting and preserving trees are effective ways to help reach net zero.

Additionally, if palm oil were to be produced more sustainably, we could see a lessening demand on trees being ripped down.

Renewable Energies

Renewable energy is becoming increasingly popular and soon will be the norm. Upgrading our power and heating systems is a great way to achieve net zero. In the UK alone, 47% of electricity generation is renewable, with the percentage growing daily.

Renewable energy offers an unlimited amount of energy that is naturally replenished. It is reliable, accessible, efficient, and forward to a positive low-carbon power and heating future.

Decarbonising Heat

Heating is one of the leading sources of carbon emissions within the UK, massively contributing to climate change issues. The decarbonisation of heat refers to decreasing the amount of carbon produced by our heating systems. To achieve this, we need to switch to low carbon heating systems, ultimately providing our homes and businesses with 'green' heat. The decarbonisation of heat is essential to reach net zero.

However, we need to be able to decarbonise without increasing the financial impact on those already struggling to heat their homes. Therefore, the installation of smart sensors in some of societies' most vulnerable homes is where iOpt comes in. Granted, when we think of air pollution, our first thought tends to go towards car and fuel emissions, as discussed above, and these are significant environmental issues. However, far less consider the toxins they may be exposed to within the home. iOpt's bespoke algorithms and machine learning techniques allow us to predict when and where issues such as mould growth will arise, allowing preventative intervention before health issues can escalate as well as potential repair costs.

Ready to make a change? You too can protect the health of your tenants. Contact us to find out more.