The Net Zero concept has come a long way in a very short time. It has gone from science to policy to mainstream in less than 10 years. But it's the next 30 years ahead, particularly the first 10 years, that will determine whether the new window through which decarbonisation is now viewed globally delivers what it promises to.
Timeline of Net Zero
2009
- The first significant change, started with Myles Allen, Dave Frame and other scientists started to publish papers highlighting the extent of global warming and how it is largely effected with cumulative emissions of CO2.
2010
- Then Susan Solomon and other scientists show how temperatures do not decline for many hundreds of years even after a complete cessation of CO2 emissions.
2012
- This was followed by Damon Matthews and other scientists proposed that cumulative carbon emissions represents an alternative framework that is applicable both as a tool of climate mitigation and for the assessment of potential climate impacts.
2013
- Next the IPCC fifth assessment report states that limiting global temperature change means limiting the cumulative of the CO2 emissions in the atmosphere. To eventually stop global warming, net anthropogenic additions of CO2 into the atmosphere have to reach zero.
2014
- Then President, Jim Yong Kim, said that a proposed global climate agreements should provide a clear pathway to zero net emissions before 2100.
2015
- Article 4.1 of the Paris Agreement stated 'Parties aim to reach global peaking of greenhouse gas emissions as soon as possible. So to achieve a balance between anthropogenic emission by sources and removals by sinks of greenhouse gases in the second half of this century'.
2017
- Followed by Sweden becoming the first nation to enshrine a mid-century net zero target (2045) in law.
2018
- The IPCC special report on 1.5 degrees, concludes that 'limiting temperature rise to around 1.5 degrees and preventing the worst impact of climate change implies reaching net zero emissions of CO2 by mid-century along with a deep reduction in non-CO2 emissions'.
2019
- Following on from this, the UK becomes the first G7 economy to register for net zero by 2050. This had a significant impact as was followed by net zero pledges covering nearly one-sixth of the global economy.
2020
- China, the world's largest greenhouse gas emitter, agreed to carbon neutrality by 2060, at the 75th UN general assembly.
2021
- Net zero pledges cover two-thirds (68%) of the global economy.
2022
- Greece puts in place National Climate Law 4936/2022 on the transition to climate neutrality and adaptation to climate change, some key measures in this law include setting a net zero target for 2050 and procedures for evaluating and re-adjusting the objectives.
2023 - The first-ever stocktake scheduled to conclude at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP28) at the end of 2023.