About Dulwich Net Zero

Going Net Zero

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The target of Net Zero for the UK was set in law (by Theresa May!) and means that as a country we will be carbon neutral by 2050. This is a massive undertaking but is possible. Please check the CCC which is the body that advises the UK government on how to achieve its carbon objectives.

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There is a lot of detail on the areas that need to be tackled and does not shy away from the challenges we face to achieve the target. You will note that car use and home energy are a large proportion of our national footprint.

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Information

Renewable Energy for all
Renewable energy is the key to changing from fossil fuel use. Many do not believe there is enough renewable energy available. However there is. Using offshore wind energy alone, there is enough capacity to provide the world's electricity demand 17 times over. This study came from the IEA and not an environmental body - www.iea.org/news/offshore-wind-to-become-a-1-trillion-industry. There is no doubt that there is enough 'energy' available for the world to go zero carbon.

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Renewables are cheap
The cost of wind and solar power has reduced hugely over the last decade, so much so that it is even as cheap as gas in most places of the world. This is a massive boost to the goal of net zero and with the help of cheaper battery technology creates a solid economic case for renewable energy use.

Developing Countries and Carbon Emissions
For some, the goal of net zero in the UK is seen as irrelevant if other countries do not do the same. The economics of cheap renewable energy is true for China and India as well as in the UK. Although coal (the dirtiest way to produce electricity) is still burned on a huge scale in the east, it is very likely that economics will reduce coal use around the world.

Staying positive / taking action
Too much doom and gloom can reduce our ability to act. However we also need to face the facts. The IPCC has made predictions about what could happen under certain 'scenarios'. The worst outcome is associated with 'business as usual' which is a situation where the world continues to burn even more coal and oil than we did before. 

The reality is that coal use is under threat from the world's concern about global warming and the economic reality of cheaper fuels. Clean electricity is becoming a reality in many countries and oil use is also under threat in a similar way to coal. The world is not behaving 'business as usual' and it is likely that the worst predictions are being averted.

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