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Climate neutrality: fact check and classification

Climate neutrality is an important step in combating climate change. But what does climate neutrality actually mean?

Author: Tom Wannenmacher

Climate neutrality is a topic that is becoming increasingly important in today's world and plays a role in political and business decisions. But what does “climate neutral” actually mean and what doesn’t it? In this article we take a closer look at what the term means and do a fact check to clear up any misunderstandings.

What does “climate neutral” mean?

Carbon neutrality means offsetting the amount of greenhouse gas emissions a person, organization or country produces by removing or eliminating the same amount of greenhouse gases from the atmosphere. This can be achieved through various measures, such as the use of renewable energy, energy efficiency, reforestation and CO2 compensation through investments in climate protection projects.

An example: A company makes reusable coffee cups. Greenhouse gases such as CO2 are produced during the production, storage and distribution of coffee cups. In order to be able to sell the coffee cups as “climate neutral”, these greenhouse gases must be reduced to zero. The company has two options for this

Option 1: Gases that are harmful to the climate are not reduced in the same quantities where they are produced, but somewhere in the world where it is cheaper than here. This is called compensation. So the coffee cup company pays an amount X to an organization that issues our cup entrepreneur a certificate saying that he has offset his emissions. The organization takes the money and uses it to finance projects in mostly emerging and developing countries. For example, the use of solar cookers is encouraged to minimize deforestation. These projects reduce the entry of climate-damaging gases into the atmosphere.

Option 2: The cup company changes its own processes and, for example, uses climate-friendly raw materials and climate-friendly energy to produce the cups. The distribution of the cups is also being changed and is carried out, for example, via cargo bikes. This option is usually more expensive and more complex than option 1.

With both variants, less CO2 ultimately ends up in the atmosphere. So does it matter which variant the company chooses? Not quite. Compensation – i.e. reduction elsewhere – delays the urgently needed development of CO2-free products. ( Source )

What does “climate neutral” not mean?

Climate neutrality does not mean that greenhouse gases will no longer be emitted. Rather, it is about compensating for the unavoidable emissions through suitable countermeasures. Climate neutrality does not mean that all environmental impacts of an activity or product are completely eliminated, but only the greenhouse gases that have an impact on the climate.

Is climate neutrality enough to combat climate change?

Climate neutrality is an important step in limiting global temperature rise. However, further efforts are necessary to reduce global warming to a tolerable level. This also includes reducing greenhouse gas emissions, which goes beyond the pursuit of climate neutrality. A comprehensive climate protection strategy also includes adapting to the consequences of climate change and promoting sustainable behavior and decisions.


Further steps and initiatives to complement climate neutrality

Although climate neutrality is an important goal in the fight against climate change, it alone is not enough to achieve global climate goals. This section explores some additional measures and initiatives that can help complement climate neutrality.

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions:

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is a crucial step in the fight against climate change. This includes reducing energy consumption, using energy-efficient technologies and switching from fossil fuels to renewable energy. States and companies can promote policies and investments that support the transition to a low-carbon economy.

Adaptation to climate change:

Because climate change is already having irreversible impacts on our planet, it is important to develop strategies to adapt to these changes. This includes protecting ecosystems, developing infrastructure to cope with extreme weather events, improving water supplies and supporting communities most affected by the impacts of climate change.

Promoting sustainable consumption and production patterns:

Sustainable consumption and production are crucial to reducing environmental impact and promoting a sustainable economy. This includes reducing waste and waste, using environmentally friendly materials and technologies, and promoting circular economy and resource efficiency.

International cooperation and financing:

Combating climate change requires global cooperation between countries, companies and organizations. The international community should make concerted efforts to finance climate action, particularly in the most vulnerable countries and regions. This can be done through multilateral agreements, financial support and technology transfer.

Climate neutrality is an important goal and an important step in the fight against climate change, but must be supplemented by further measures. Climate neutrality means offsetting greenhouse gas emissions by removing or avoiding the same amount of greenhouse gases from the atmosphere. However, climate neutrality is not the only tool in the fight against climate change and should be pursued in combination with other measures to ensure a sustainable future.

Related to the topic:
Deception through sustainability advertising: The dark sides of greenwashing

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Notes:

1) This content reflects the current state of affairs at the time of publication
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The reproduction of individual images, screenshots, embeds or video sequences serves to discuss the topic. 2) Individual articles (not fact checks) were created using machine help and
were carefully checked by the Mimikama editorial team before publication. ( Reason )


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