Humankind, the most intelligent species on the blue planet, is under the threat of extinction from their own deeds and consequential misdeeds. Global warming and climate disruptions on a regular basis are forcing mankind to rethink all activities like burning fossil fuels for electricity and mobility, manufacturing cement and steel, ploughing soils, clearing forests, and degrading other ecosystems. All these activities emit heat-trapping carbon dioxide into the air. Cattle, rice fields, landfills, and fossil fuel operations release methane—a more potent source.
Heat-trapping greenhouse gases come from six sectors. ~25 per cent from electricity production, ~24 per cent from food, agriculture, and land use, ~21 per cent from industry, ~14 per cent from transportation, ~6 per cent from buildings, and ~10 per cent from other energy-related emissions. Greenhouse gas sinks are the balancing point for these sources. While ~59 per cent of heat-trapping emissions stay in the atmosphere, ~24 per cent are quickly removed by plants on land, and ~17 per cent are taken up by oceans. The action pathway is briefed as below: : –
Reduce and finally stop sources:
1. Electricity sector: bringing emissions to zero by shifting production methods, enhancing efficiency at the demand side, and overall improving the supply chain.
2. Industry sector: this can be achieved by improving materials, reducing waste and recycling, addressing refrigerant use, and enhancing efficiency.
3. Transport sector: by shifting to alternative fuels, enhancing efficiency, and electrifying the vehicular fleet. 4. Buildings: shifting energy sources, enhancing efficiency for optimal energy requirements, and addressing refrigerants in household requirements 5. Food, agriculture, and land use: by protecting ecosystems, shifting agricultural practices, and addressing waste and diets.
Support natural planetary sinks: 1. Land sinks: by bamboo cultivation for sequestering carbon on inhospitable and degraded land, shifting agricultural practices, protecting and restoring ecosystems, and addressing waste and diets.
2. Ocean sinks: Protecting ecosystems—including mangroves, marshy lands, and seagrass meadows—supports ongoing photosynthesis and carbon storage. Along coasts and in the open ocean, selective regenerative practices may augment natural carbon sequestration from seaweed and kelp while growing fibre and food from the sea. 3. Engineered sinks: carbon capture and storage, biochar production.
C. Improve society: Lifestyle for Environment (LiFE) was deliberated by the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India during COP 26 in Glasgow. The idea, which is the first of its kind, promotes an environmentally conscious lifestyle that focuses on ‘mindful and effective utilisation’ instead of ‘mindless and wasteful consumption’. It seeks to leverage the strength of social networks to influence the surrounding climate. An individualistic role in reducing energy and water usage in day-to-day life has been projected as a MASS Movement type, the cumulative effect of which is enormous in reducing the carbon footprint and, in turn, achieving the net zero target.
The LiFE Mission plans to create and nurture a global network of ‘Pro-Planet People’ (P3). P3 will have a shared commitment to adopt and promote environmentally friendly lifestyles.
To reach the net zero condition through credible actions, we must work on all the above three aspects of the climate equation. CONSIDERING THERE IS NO PLANET B.
The writer is a certified energy auditor by Bureau of Energy Efficiency, and Steering Committee member of Ministry of Power, Govt. of West Bengal for implementation of ECBC in the state.