LFJM COP 2020

Reduction of CO2 emissions through carbon neutrality

Proposed by Hannibal Anthon, Luka Citron, Galadriel Daufresne, Scarlet  Wilson Delaye 

2020 has proven to be a year full of changes and has redefined our way of living, thinking, and consuming. With the worldwide pandemic, carbon emissions exceptionally decreased, a staggering 8.8 % decrease was observed in CO2 emissions in the first half of 2020 compared to the same period in 2019. This massive decrease in our carbon footprint not only exposes the central role of human activity on CO2 emissions, but also highlights the potential and scale of the possible change our societies can inflict on emissions.

With carbon emissions being the main cause of global climate change, and the planet's average surface temperature rising about 2.05 degrees Fahrenheit (1.14 degrees Celsius) since the late 19th century, it is essential to try to find compromises in our daily CO2 emissions.

Carbon neutrality, with hundreds of countries already pledging to obtain this neutrality, aims to achieve net zero carbon dioxide emissions by balancing carbon dioxide emissions with removal or simply eliminating carbon dioxide emissions altogether. This carbon neutrality has a dual approach with the possibility of reduction as well as compensation, and could therefore be a
highly productive approach to discuss in this COP convention.

We are aware of the challenge of cutting CO2 emissions and the economic effects. For example, sub-Saharan Africa as a result of reducing their CO2 emissions, saw the number of people living in poverty double. However, data compiled by the World Resources Institute shows that since 2000, 21 developing countries have reduced annual emissions while simultaneously growing their economies, indicating that the decoupling of economic growth with emissions is possible. Furthermore, The Low Carbon Index found that several G20 countries have reduced their economies’ carbon intensity while maintaining GDP growth, including
countries classified as ‘developing’, such as China, India, South Africa and Mexico. These exciting statistics lay the possible tone of change in global carbon emissions, and hopefully insight a new dynamic amongst the debates in this year’s COP LFJM 2020!

Discussion points:
- Promote alternative travel to air travel which is one of the main CO2 emitters, with for example trains, who are only responsible for 4% of global emissions of CO2 in transport in 2019.
- Increase in global production of renewable energy, renewable energy only accounting for 26.2% of global electricity generation in 2018 and the demand for electricity predicted to more than double by 2040 according to Renewable Energy Policy Network’s overview. Benefits of increasing global renewable energy consumption include creating more job opportunities in the energy sector and achieving energy independence
- Optimise the implantation of solar panels, Africa has the richest solar resources in the world but only exploits 1% of its solar capacity.
- Create renewable energy strategies shaped to each country’s unique circumstances to maintain and encourage growth while reducing emissions
- Implementation of policies in developing countries to shit away from an economy relying on carbon intensive industries.
- Coordination of policies at a global level to ensure a worldwide shift towards a decrease in carbon emissions.
- Assure the measurement of the carbon footprint of industries, for example In the United States where the industry sector accounts for approximately 22 percent of greenhouse gas emissions in 2019.
- Impose policies on industry's carbon emissions
- Rewarding environmental friendly commuting of company workers, cars being the number one carbon emissioner.
- Put into place standards and policies on industry’s carbon emissions
- Noting with deep concern that over the past 70 years, global CO2 emissions have increased by a factor of almost seven
- Encourage the United Nations Industrial Development Organization and UN funding bodies to provide support and incentives in order to minimize economic damages caused by reduction of fossil fuel use:
- Alarmed by the 4.6 million deaths every year due to PM2.5 , PM10 and CO2 emissions