A low-carbon economy (LCE), low-fossil-fuel economy (LFFE), or decarbonised economy is an economy based on low carbon power sources that therefore has a minimal output of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions into the biosphere, but specifically refers to the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide. GHG emissions due to anthropogenic (human) activity are the dominant cause of observed global warming (climate change) since the mid-20th century. Continued emission of greenhouse gases may cause further warming and long-lasting changes around the world, increasing the likelihood of severe, pervasive and irreversible impacts for people and ecosystems.
Shifting to low-carbon economy on a global scale could bring substantial benefits both for developed and developing countries.
Many countries around the world are designing and implementing low
emission development strategies (LEDS). These strategies seek to achieve
social, economic and environmental development goals while reducing
long-term greenhouse gas emissions and increasing resilience to climate
change impacts.
Globally implemented low-carbon economies are therefore proposed by those having drawn this conclusion, as a means to avoid catastrophic climate change, and as a precursor to the more advanced, zero-carbon economy.
Globally implemented low-carbon economies are therefore proposed by those having drawn this conclusion, as a means to avoid catastrophic climate change, and as a precursor to the more advanced, zero-carbon economy.
Rationale and aims
Nations may seek to become low-carbon or decarbonised economies as a part of a national climate change mitigation strategy. A comprehensive strategy to mitigate climate change is through carbon neutrality.
The aim of a LCE is to integrate all aspects of itself from its
manufacturing, agriculture, transportation, and power-generation, etc.
around technologies that produce energy and materials with little GHG
emission, and, thus, around populations, buildings, machines, and
devices that use those energies and materials efficiently, and, dispose
of or recycle its wastes so as to have a minimal output of GHGs.
Furthermore, it has been proposed that to make the transition to an LCE
economically viable we would have to attribute a cost (per unit output)
to GHGs through means such as emissions trading and/or a carbon tax.
Some nations are presently low carbon: societies that are not
heavily industrialised or populated. In order to avoid climate change on
a global level, all nations considered carbon intensive
societies, and societies that are heavily populated might have to
become zero-carbon societies and economies. Several of these countries have pledged to cut their emissions by 100% via offsetting emissions rather than ceasing all emissions (carbon neutrality); in other words, emitting will not cease but will continue and will be offset
to a different geographical area. EU emission trading system allows
companies to buy international carbon credits, thus the companies can
channel clean technologies to promote other countries to adopt
low-carbon developments.
Benefits of low-carbon economies
Low-carbon
economies present multiple benefits to ecosystem resilience, trade,
employment, health, energy security, and industrial competitiveness.
Benefits to ecosystem resilience
Low
emission development strategies for the land use sector can prioritize
the protection of carbon rich ecosystems to not only reduce emissions,
but also to protect biodiversity
and safeguard local livelihoods to reduce rural poverty - all of which
can lead to more climate resilient systems, according to a report by the
Low Emission Development Strategies Global Partnership (LEDS GP). REDD+
and blue carbon initiatives are among the measures available to
conserve, sustainably manage, and restore these carbon rich ecosystems,
which are crucial for natural carbon storage and sequestration, and for
building climate resilient communities.
Job creation
Transitioning
to a low-carbon, environmentally and socially sustainable economies can
become a strong driver of job creation, job upgrading, social justice,
and poverty eradication if properly managed with the full engagement of
governments, workers, and employers’ organizations.
Estimates from the International Labour Organization’s
Global Economic Linkages model suggest that unmitigated climate change,
with associated negative impacts on enterprises and workers, will have
negative effects on output in many industries, with drops in output of
2.4% by 2030 and 7.2% by 2050.
Transitioning to a low-carbon economy will cause shifts in the
volume, composition, and quality of employment across sectors and will
affect the level and distribution of income. Research indicates that
eight sectors employing around 1.5 billion workers, approximately half
the global workforce, will undergo major changes: agriculture, forestry,
fishing, energy, resource intensive manufacturing, recycling,
buildings, and transport.
Business competitiveness
Low emission industrial development and resource efficiency can offer many opportunities to increase the competitiveness of economies and companies. According to the Low Emission Development Strategies Global Partnership (LEDS GP),
there is often a clear business case for switching to lower emission
technologies, with payback periods ranging largely from 0.5–5 years,
leveraging financial investment.
Improved trade policy
Trade
and trade policies can contribute to low-carbon economies by enabling
more efficient use of resources and international exchange of climate
friendly goods and services. Removing tariffs and nontariff barriers to
trade in clean energy and energy efficiency
technologies is one such measure. In a sector where finished products
consist of many components that cross borders numerous times - a typical
wind turbine,
for example, contains up to 8,000 components - even small tariff cuts
would reduce costs. This would make the technologies more affordable and
competitive in the global market, particularly when combined with a
phasing out of fossil fuel subsidies.
Energy policy
Renewable energy and energy efficiency
Worldwide installed wind power capacity 1997–2020 [MW], history and predictions. Data source: WWEA
Solar array at Nellis Solar Power Plant. These panels track the sun in one axis. Credit: U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Larry E. Reid Jr.
Recent advances in technology and policy will allow renewable energy and energy efficiency
to play major roles in displacing fossil fuels, meeting global energy
demand while reducing carbon dioxide emissions. Renewable energy
technologies are being rapidly commercialized and, in conjunction with
efficiency gains, can achieve far greater emissions reductions than
either could independently.
Renewable energy is energy that comes from natural resources such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides, and geothermal heat, which are renewable (naturally replenished). In 2008, about 19% of global final energy consumption came from renewables.
During the five years from the end of 2004 through 2009, worldwide
renewable energy capacity grew at rates of 10–60 percent annually for
many technologies. For wind power and many other renewable technologies,
growth accelerated in 2009 relative to the previous four years. More wind power capacity was added during 2009 than any other renewable technology. However, grid-connected photovoltaics increased the fastest of all renewables technologies, with a 60 percent annual average growth rate for the five-year period.
Energy for power, heat, cooling, and mobility is the key
ingredient for development and growth, with energy security a
prerequisite economic growth, making it arguably the most important
driver for energy policy. Scaling up renewable energy as part of a low
emission development strategy can diversify a country's energy mixes and
reduces dependence on imports. In the process of decarbonizing heat and
transport through electrification, potential changes to electricity
peak demand need to be anticipated whilst switching to alternative
technologies such as heat pumps for electric vehicles.
Installing local renewable capacities can also lower geopolitical
risks and exposure to fuel price volatility, and improve the balance of
trade for importing countries (noting that only a handful of countries
export oil and gas). Renewable energy offers lower financial and
economic risk for businesses through a more stable and predictable cost
base for energy supply.
Energy efficiency gains in recent decades have been significant,
but there is still much more that can be achieved. With a concerted
effort and strong policies in place, future energy efficiency
improvements are likely to be very large. Heat is one of many forms of
"energy wastage" that could be captured to significantly increase useful
energy without burning more fossil fuels.
Sustainable biofuels
Biofuels, in the form of liquid fuels derived from plant materials, are entering the market, driven by factors such as oil price spikes and the need for increased energy security. However, many of the biofuels that are currently being supplied have been criticised for their adverse impacts on the natural environment, food security, and land use.
The challenge is to support biofuel development, including the development of new cellulosic technologies, with responsible policies and economic instruments to help ensure that biofuel commercialization is sustainable.
Responsible commercialization of biofuels represents an opportunity to
enhance sustainable economic prospects in Africa, Latin America and
Asia.
Biofuels have a limited ability to replace fossil fuels and
should not be regarded as a ‘silver bullet’ to deal with transport
emissions. However, they offer the prospect of increased market
competition and oil price moderation. A healthy supply of alternative energy sources will help to combat gasoline price spikes and reduce dependency on fossil fuels, especially in the transport sector. Using transportation fuels more efficiently is also an integral part of a sustainable transport strategy.
Nuclear power
Nuclear power has been offered as the primary means to achieve a LCE. In terms of large industrialized nations, mainland France, due primarily to 75% of its electricity being produced by nuclear power, has the lowest carbon dioxide production per unit of GDP in the world and it is the largest exporter of electricity in the world, earning it approximately €3 billion annually in sales.
Concern is often expressed with the matter of spent nuclear fuel
storage and security; although the physical issues are not large, the
political difficulties are significant. The liquid fluoride thorium reactor (LFTR) has been suggested as a solution to the concerns posed by conventional nuclear.
France reprocesses their spent nuclear fuel at the La Hague site
since 1976 and has also treated spent nuclear fuel from France, Japan,
Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, Italy, Spain and the Netherlands.
Smart grid
One proposal from Karlsruhe University
developed as a virtual power station is the use of solar and wind
energy for base load with hydro and biogas for make up or peak load.
Hydro and biogas are used as grid energy storage.
This requires the development of a smart intelligent grid hopefully
including local power networks than use energy near the site of
production, thereby reducing the existing 5% grid loss.
Carbon-neutral hydrocarbons
Methane cycle
A
further development of this is the use of the carbon capture, hydrogen
and its conversion into methane (SNG synthetic natural gas) to act as a
storage for intermittent renewables.
CO2 + 4H2 → CH4 + 2H2O Sabatier reaction
This involves the use of the existing natural gas (methane) grid
as the store. In this case, the carbon dioxide is given economic value
as a component of energy carrier. This "solar fuel"
cycle uses the excess electrical renewable energy that cannot be used
instantaneously in the grid, which otherwise would be wasted to create
hydrogen via electrolysis of water. The hydrogen is then combined with
CO2 to create synthetic or substitute natural gas SNG and
stored in the natural gas network. The natural gas is used to create
electrical energy (and the heat used as well in CHP) on demand when
there is not enough sun (photovoltaic, CSP...) or wind (turbines) or
water (hydro, ocean current, waves,...). The German natural gas grid,
for example, has two months of storage, more than enough to outlast
renewable energy low production points.
Ocean derived hydrocarbon fuels
The concentration of CO2 in the upper layer of the world's oceans is higher than is found in air, and thus it is the most concentrated "mine" from which zero-net carbon fuels can be produced. The U.S. Navy estimates that a typical nuclear propelled aircraft carrier which generates 100 megawatts of electricity can produce 41,000 US gallons(155,202 litres) of jet fuel
per day and production from the onboard nuclear reactor would cost
about $6 per gallon($1.58 per liter). While that was about twice the
petroleum fuel cost in 2010, it is expected to be much less than the
market price in less than five years if recent trends continue.
Moreover, since the delivery of fuel to a carrier battle group costs about $8 per gallon, shipboard production is already much less expensive. Heather Willauer of the United States Naval Research Laboratory proof-tested the technology in 2013, fueling an internal combustion engine equipped model airplane with the synthetic fuel.
Carbon capture and storage
The proposed strategy of carbon capture and storage
(CCS) - continued use of non-renewable fossil fuels but without
allowing carbon dioxide to reach the atmosphere - has also been
considered as a means to achieve a LCE, either in a primary or
supporting role. Major concerns include the uncertainty of costs and
time needed to successfully implement CCS worldwide and with guarantees
that stored emissions will not leak into the biosphere.
Combined heat and power
Combined Heat and Power
(CHP) is a technology which by allowing the more efficient use of fuel
will at least reduce carbon emissions; should the fuel be biomass or biogas
or hydrogen used as an energy store then in principle it can be a zero
carbon option. CHP can also be used with a nuclear reactor as the energy
source; there are examples of such installations in the far North of
the Russian Federation.
Primary sector
Agriculture
Most of the agricultural facilities in the developed world are
mechanized due to rural electrification. Rural electrification has
produced significant productivity gains, but it also uses a lot of
energy. For this and other reasons (such as transport costs) in a
low-carbon society, rural areas would need available supplies of
renewably produced electricity.
Irrigation can be one of the main components of an agricultural
facility's energy consumption. In parts of California, it can be up to
90%.
In the low carbon economy, irrigation equipment will be maintained and
continuously updated and farms will use less irrigation water.
Crops
Different
crops require different amounts of energy input. For example,
glasshouse crops, irrigated crops, and orchards require a lot of energy
to maintain, while row crops and field crops do not need as much
maintenance. Those glasshouse and irrigated crops that do exist will
incorporate the following improvements:
Glasshouse crops
- environmental control systems
- heat recovery using condensers
- heat storage using buffer tanks
- heat retention using thermal screens
- alternative fuels (e.g., waste wood and trees)
- cogeneration (heat and power)
Irrigated arable crops
- soil moisture measurement to regulate irrigation
- variable-speed drives on pumps
Livestock
Livestock
operations can also use a lot of energy depending on how they are run.
Feed lots use animal feed made from corn, soybeans, and other crops.
Energy must be expended to produce these crops, process, and transport
them. Free-range animals find their own vegetation to feed on. The
farmer may expend energy to take care of that vegetation, but not nearly
as much as the farmer growing cereal and oil-seed crops.
Many livestock operations currently use a lot of energy to water
their livestock. In the low-carbon economy, such operations will use
more water conservation methods such as rainwater collection, water
cisterns, etc., and they will also pump/distribute that water with
on-site renewable energy sources (most likely wind and solar).
Due to rural electrification, most agricultural facilities in the
developed world use a lot of electricity. In a low-carbon economy,
farms will be run and equipped to allow for greater energy efficiency.
The dairy industry, for example, will incorporate the following changes:
Irrigated Dairy
- heat recovery on milk vats
- variable speed drives on motors/pumps
- heat recovery from hot water wash
- soil moisture measurement to regulate irrigation
- biodigester with cogen (heat & power)
- vat wrap
- solar water heating
- ripple control
- ice bank
- chemical substitute for hot-water wash
Hunting and fishing
Fishing
is quite energy intensive. Improvements such as heat recovery on
refrigeration and trawl net technology will be common in the low-carbon
economy.
Forestry
Protecting forests provides integrated benefits to all, ranging from
increased food production, safeguarded local livelihoods, protected biodiversity and ecosystems
provided by forests, and reduced rural poverty. Adopting low emission
strategies for both agricultural and forest production also mitigates
some of the effects of climate change.
In the low-carbon economy, forestry operations will be focused on
low-impact practices and regrowth. Forest managers will make sure that
they do not disturb soil-based carbon reserves too much. Specialized
tree farms will be the main source of material for many products.
Quick maturing tree varieties will be grown on short rotations in order
to maximize output.
Mining
Flaring and venting of natural gas in oil wells is a significant source of greenhouse gas
emissions. Its contribution to greenhouse gases has declined by
three-quarters in absolute terms since a peak in the 1970s of
approximately 110 million metric tons/year, and in 2004 accounted for
about 1/2 of one percent of all anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions.
The World Bank
estimates that 134 billion cubic meters of natural gas are flared or
vented annually (2010 datum), an amount equivalent to the combined
annual gas consumption of Germany and France or enough to supply the entire world with gas for 16 days.
This flaring is highly concentrated: 10 countries account for 70% of emissions, and twenty for 85%.
The top-ten leading contributors to world gas flaring in 2010, were (in declining order): Russia (26%), Nigeria (11%), Iran (8%), Iraq (7%), Algeria (4%), Angola (3%), Kazakhstan (3%), Libya (3%), Saudi Arabia (3%), and Venezuela (2%).
Secondary sector
Basic metals processing
- high efficiency electric motors
- induction furnaces
- heat recovery
Nonmetallic product processing
- variable speed drives
- injection molding - replace hydraulic with electric servo motors
Wood processing
- high efficiency motors
- high efficiency fans
- dehumidifier driers
Paper and pulp making
- variable speed drives
- high efficiency motors
Food processing
- high efficiency boilers
- heat recovery e.g. refrigeration
- solar hot water for pre-heating
- bio fuels e.g. tallow, wood
Tertiary sector
Retail
Retail
operations in the low-carbon economy will have several new features.
One will be high-efficiency lighting such as compact fluorescent,
halogen, and eventually LED light sources. Many retail stores will also
feature roof-top solar panel arrays. These make sense because solar
panels produce the most energy during the daytime and during the summer.
These are the same times that electricity is the most expensive and
also the same times that stores use the most electricity.
Transportation services
Sustainable,
low-carbon transport systems are based on minimizing travel and
shifting to more environmentally (as well as socially and economically)
sustainable mobility, improving transport technologies, fuels and
institutions. Decarbonisation of (urban) mobility by means of:
- More energy efficiency and alternative propulsion:
- Increased focus on fuel efficient vehicle shapes and configurations, with more vehicle electrification, particularly through battery electric vehicles (BEV) or all-electric vehicles
- More alternative and flex-fuel vehicles (based on local conditions and availability)
- Driver training for more fuel efficiency.
- Low-carbon biofuels cellulosic (biodiesel, bioethanol, biobutanol)
- Petroleum fuel surcharges will be a more significant part of consumer costs.
- Less international trade of physical objects, despite more overall trade (as measure by value of goods)
- Greater use of marine and electric rail transport, less use of air and truck transport.
- Increased non-motorised transport (i.e. walking and cycling) and public transport usage, less reliance on private motor vehicles.
- More pipeline capacity for common fluid commodities such as water, ethanol, butanol, natural gas, petroleum, and hydrogen (in addition to gasoline and diesel).
Sustainable transport has many co-benefits that can accelerate local
sustainable development. According to a series of reports by the Low Emission Development Strategies Global Partnership (LEDS GP), low carbon transport can help create jobs, improve commuter safety through investment in bicycle lanes and pedestrian pathways,
make access to employment and social opportunities more affordable and
efficient. It also offers a practical opportunity to save people’s time
and household income as well as government budgets, making investment in sustainable transport a 'win-win' opportunity.
Health services
There
have been some moves to investigate the ways and extent to which health
systems contribute to greenhouse gas emissions and how they may need to
change to become part of a low-carbon world. The Sustainable
Development Unit
of the NHS in the UK is one of the first official bodies to have been
set up in this area, whilst organisations such as the Campaign for
Greener Healthcare are also producing influential changes at a clinical level. This work includes
- Quantification of where the health services emissions stem from.
- Information on the environmental impacts of alternative models of treatment and service provision
Some of the suggested changes needed are:
- Greater efficiency and lower ecological impact of energy, buildings, and procurement choices (e.g., in-patient meals, pharmaceuticals, and medical equipment).
- A shift from focusing solely on cure to prevention, through the promotion of healthier, lower-carbon lifestyles, e.g. diets lower in red meat and dairy products, walking or cycling wherever possible, better town planning to encourage more outdoor lifestyles.
- Improving public transport and liftsharing options for transport to and from hospitals and clinics.
Tourism
Low-carbon tourism includes travels with low energy consumption, and low CO2
and pollution emissions. Change of personal behavior to more low-carbon
oriented activities is mostly influenced by both individual awareness
and attitudes, as well as external social aspect, such as culture and
environment. Studies indicate that educational level and occupation
influence an individual perception of low-carbon tourism.
Initial steps
A
good overview of the history of international efforts towards a
low-carbon economy, from its initial seed at the inaugural UN Conference
on the Human Environment in Stockholm in 1972, has been given by David
Runnals.
On the international scene, the most prominent early step in the direction of a low-carbon economy was the signing of the Kyoto Protocol,
which came into force on February 16, 2005, under which most
industrialized countries committed to reduce their carbon emissions. Importantly, all member nations of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development except the United States have ratified the protocol.
Europe is the leading geopolitical continent in defining and mobilising decarbonisation policies. For instance, the UITP - an organisation advocating sustainable mobility and public transport - has an EU office, but less well developed contacts with, for example, the US. The European Union Committee of the UITP wants to promote decarbonisation of urban mobility in Europe.
Although Europe is nowadays the leading geopolitical continent with
regard to lowering emissions, Europe is quickly losing ground to Asia,
with countries such as China and South Korea. However, the 2014 Global Green Economy Index™ (GGEI)
ranks 60 nations on their green economic performance, finding that the
Nordic countries and Switzerland have the best combined performance
around climate change and green economy.
Countries
Australia
Australia has implemented schemes to start the transition to a low-carbon economy but carbon neutrality has not been mentioned and since the introduction of the schemes, emissions have increased. The Second Rudd Government
pledged to lower emissions by 5-15%. In 2001, The Howard Government
introduced a Mandatory Renewable Energy Target (MRET) scheme. In 2007,
the Government revised the MRET - 20 percent of Australia's electricity
supply to come from renewable energy sources by 2020. Renewable energy
sources provide 8-10% of the nation's energy, and this figure will
increase significantly in the coming years. However coal dependence and
exporting conflicts with the concept of Australia as a low-carbon
economy. Carbon-neutral businesses have received no incentive; they have
voluntarily done so. Carbon-offset companies offer assessments based on
lifecycle impacts to businesses that seek carbon neutrality. In
Australia the only true certified carbon neutral scheme is the
Australian government's National Carbon Offset Standard (NCOS) which
includes a mandatory independent audit. Three of the four of Australia's
top banks are now certified under this scheme and full list of
compliant companies can be seen here http://www.environment.gov.au/climate-change/carbon-neutral/carbon-neutral-program/accredited-businesses#Certified_organisations
. Businesses are now moving from unaccredited schemes such as noco2 and
transitioning to NCOS as the only one that is externally audited. Most
of leading carbon management companies have also aligned with NCOS such
as Net Balance https://web.archive.org/web/20140819125415/http://www.netbalance.com/ , Pangolin Associates (who themselves are independently certified under NCOS) http://pangolinassociates.com/sustainability-services/ncos-carbon-neutrality/, Energetics http://energetics.com.au/home and the big four accounting firms.
In 2011 the Gillard Government introduced a price on carbon
dioxide emissions for businesses. Although often characterised as a tax,
it lacked the revenue-raising nature of a true tax. In 2013, on the
election of the Abbott government, immediate legislative steps were
taken to repeal the so-called carbon tax. The price on carbon was
repealed on the 17th July 2014 by an act of parliament. As it stands
Australia currently has no mechanism to deal with climate change.
China
The Chinese State Council announced in 2009 it aimed to cut
China's carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP by 40%-45% in 2020 from
2005 levels.
However carbon dioxide emissions were still increasing by 10% a year by
2013 and China was emitting more carbon dioxide than the next two
biggest countries combined (U.S.A. and India). Total carbon dioxide emissions were projected to increase until 2030.
Costa Rica
Costa Rica sources much of its energy needs from renewables and is undertaking reforestation projects. In 2007, the Costa Rican government announced the commitment for Costa Rica to become the first carbon neutral country by 2021.
Iceland
Iceland began utilising renewable energy early in the 20th century
and so since has been a low-carbon economy. However, since dramatic
economic growth, Iceland's emissions have increased significantly per
capita. As of 2009, Iceland energy is sourced from mostly geothermal energy and hydropower, renewable energy in Iceland and, since 1999, has provided over 70% of the nation's primary energy and 99.9% of Iceland's electricity. As a result of this, Iceland's carbon emissions per capita are 62% lower than those of the United States despite using more primary energy per capita, due to the fact that it is renewable and low-cost. Iceland seeks carbon neutrality and expects to use 100% renewable energy by 2050 by generating hydrogen fuel from renewable energy sources.
Peru
The Economic
Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) estimates that
economic losses related to climate change for Peru could reach over 15%
of national gross domestic product (GDP) by 2100.
Being a large country with a long coastline, snow-capped mountains and
sizeable forests, Peru's varying ecosystems are extremely vulnerable to
climate change. Several mountain glaciers have already begun to retreat,
leading to water scarcity
in some areas. In the period between 1990 and 2015, Peru experienced a
99% increase in per capita carbon emissions from fossil fuel and cement
production, marking one of the largest increases amongst South American
countries.
Peru brought in a National Strategy on Climate Change in 2003. It
is a detailed accounting of 11 strategic focuses that prioritize
scientific research, mitigation of climate change effects on the poor,
and creating Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) mitigation and adaptation
policies.
In 2010, the Peruvian Ministry of Environment published a Plan of Action for Adaptation and Mitigation of Climate Change.
The Plan categorises existing and future programmes into seven action
groups, including: reporting mechanisms on GHG emissions, mitigation,
adaptation, research and development of technology of systems, financing
and management, and public education. It also contains detailed budget
information and analysis relating to climate change.
In 2014, Peru hosted the Twentieth Conference of the Parties of
the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC COP20)
negotiations.
At the same time, Peru enacted a new climate law which provides for the
creation of a national greenhouse gas inventory system called
INFOCARBONO. According to the Low Emission Development Strategies Global Partnership (LEDS GP),
INFOCARBONO is a major transformation of the country's greenhouse gas
management system. Previously, the system was under the sole control of
the Peruvian Ministry of the Environment. The new framework makes each
relevant ministry responsible for their own share of greenhouse gas
management.
United Kingdom
In the United Kingdom, the Climate Change Act 2008
outlining a framework for the transition to a low-carbon economy became
law on November 26, 2008. This legislation requires an 80% cut in the
UK's carbon emissions by 2050 (compared to 1990 levels), with an intermediate target of between 26% and 32% by 2020. Thus, the UK became the first country to set such a long-range and significant carbon reduction target into law.
A meeting at the Royal Society
on 17–18 November 2008 concluded that an integrated approach, making
best use of all available technologies, is required to move toward a
low-carbon future. It was suggested by participants that it would be
possible to move to a low-carbon economy within a few decades, but that
'urgent and sustained action is needed on several fronts'.
In June 2012, the UK coalition government
announced the introduction of mandatory carbon reporting, requiring
around 1,100 of the UK’s largest listed companies to report their greenhouse gas emissions every year. Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg confirmed that emission reporting rules would come into effect from April 2013 in his piece for The Guardian.
In July 2014, the UK Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme (ESOS) came into force.
This requires all large businesses in the UK to undertake mandatory
assessments looking at energy use and energy efficiency opportunities at
least once every four years.
The low carbon economy has been described as a "UK success
story", accounting for more than £120 billion in annual sales and
employing almost 1 million people. A 2013 report suggests that over a
third of the UK's economic growth in 2011/12 was likely to have come
from green business.
Cities
Companies are planning large scale developments without using fossil fuels. Development plans such as those by World Wide Assets LLC for entire cities using only geothermal energy for electricity, geothermal desalination, and employing full recycling systems for water and waste are under development (2006) in Mexico and Australia.
Education
The University of Edinburgh has both an on-campus Carbon Management MSc and an online Masters in Carbon Management. As well as a Carbon Finance MSc.
The University of East Anglia has a Strategic Carbon Management MBA.
The myclimate climate education offers capacity building tools like exhibitions, games, schoolbooks and courses for young people, adults and businesses.
