We hear about green targets all of the time and depending on what side of the argument you listen to you hear a different story. They are either not enough to tackle the climate change disaster that may be on the way or an overreaction that is sacrificing industry and the economy for political capital. So what are the targets in the UK, are they fair, and are we meeting them? Let’s take a closer look at how well the UK is doing with its green targets.
What are the Targets?
The Uk has a legal target to meet net-zero carbon emissions by the year 2050. The government just this month has just announced that manufacturing of new fossil-fuelled cars will be banned from 2030. Environmental campaigners would argue both targets are too lax, as irreversible damage will already have gone too far. There are signs for some encouragement, as the UK broke the renewable energy production record in the first quarter of 2020.
Should they go Further?
Well, we already know that environmentalists would want tougher measures than those proposed. We could consider a mixture of grants and incentives for renewable and environmental energy production and schemes. This could be matched with increasingly tougher taxes and sanctions on polluting technologies such as fossil fuels. We are going to get there, of that there is no doubt, it just depends on how long we are willing to wait.
What Should be Done
There are many ideas for potential solutions to our environmental crisis. The one issue is the ever-increasing levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. So far, we have mainly concerned ourselves with how to avoid putting extra carbon into the atmosphere, but there are natural methods for reducing the amount that is already present in the atmosphere. Tree planting is the classic as the more trees, the better as they intake carbon dioxide and breathe out oxygen. Making trees essential for the quality of air as well as the future of the planet.
Government or Industry
Is it the responsibility of the government or private industry to tackle the implementation of green initiatives? We have clearly outlined some of the ways the government can help so far, so let’s take a look at what private companies can do. Implementing a strategy of commercial renewable energy within their buildings can be a huge help. This is not a solely altruistic act, it can result in huge energy savings as well.
If it all Goes Wrong
If we do fail and climate change spirals out of control, what are the solutions for humanity? Other than living in extreme temperatures with constant drought, fires, and flooding, we will need to look to science for answers. Some form of geoengineering is the most likely answer involving methods that can remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere or reflect sunlight into space. These technologies are in their infancy and we do not currently know enough about the possible side-effects of using any.
