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Explainer
Which countries are leading the way on net zero?
While much of the world has set a date of 2050 to reach net zero emissions – including Australia – some countries have gone further than others.
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Source: SBS News
As the climate crisis accelerates, countries across the world are promising to limit their carbon emissions to net zero in the next few decades.
Some countries say they have already reached net zero, some have vowed to meet the target earlier than 2050, and some haven’t formally announced anything yet.
Check out the graphic below to see what each country has promised.
What does net zero mean?
Simply put, it means the amount of carbon dioxide emitted into the atmosphere is the same or less than what’s being removed. And it matters because reaching net zero is considered critical in limiting global warming to 1.5C as set out under the Paris Agreement.
But while getting to net zero by 2050 is important, the “main game” is emissions reductions by 2030, says Mark Howden, director of the Australian National University’s Institute for Climate, Energy and Disaster Solutions.
“Net zero by 2050 or a similar date is important, but even more important is rapid action now to reduce our emissions, so we start on a trajectory that lowers greenhouse gas emissions, not waiting for several years before we do that.”
“Every year that we wait for greenhouse gas emission reduction really matters in terms of keeping temperatures down.
“It is possible to reach net zero by 2050 but to not achieve the Paris Agreement goals [to keep global temperature rise this century well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels]. If we kept on emitting at high levels and then went cold turkey just before 2050 we could still go net zero, but we'd completely blow the Paris Agreement.”
Where does Australia stand?
The Albanese government's climate bill for a net zero target by 2050, passed parliament on 8 September 2022 and will be enshrined in law. It also included an emissions reduction target of 43 per cent by 2030.
The previous Morrison government had formally committed to achieving a net zero by 2050 target but stopped short of enshrining it in law. It had also pledged to reduce emissions by 26 to 28 per cent from 2005 levels by 2030.
The new laws will also require the minister for climate change Chris Bowen to report annually to parliament on the progress of meeting the targets.
The Labor legislation was opposed by the Coalition, but supported by key crossbench members including Senator David Pocock. The Greens also supported the bill but said the targets did not go far enough.
Which countries are leading the way?
The countries of Benin in West Africa, Bhutan in southern Asia, Cambodia in south east Asia, Comoros off Africa's east coast, Guyana in South America, Madagascar in the Indian Ocean and Suriname in South America, are the only ones to have achieved net zero so far, according to the Net Zero Tracker website, but the achievement is self-declared.
Professor Howden says net zero is easier to achieve in smaller, developing countries, which have greater potential for land-based carbon sequestration. Suriname, for example, has forests that act as a carbon sink.
“Net zero is much harder for countries where a really significant part of the economy is in hard to abate sectors, such as steel, agriculture, gas extraction and similar things … and so that's where net zero is going to be harder for countries.”
“Whereas for countries which are smaller in geographical scale, where there’s already move away from coal or gas as a key power sources, it's going to be much easier to achieve.”
The Maldives has pledged to reach the target by 2030, Finland by 2035, and both Iceland and Antigua and Barbuda by 2040. Austria has recently pushed its target out from 2040 to 2050.
Meanwhile, Germany and Sweden have enshrined their pledges to reach net zero by 2045 in law, which Professor Howden says provides “a buffer against backsliding when you get a change in government”.
“That could be very important in some jurisdictions.”
Key Australian allies such as the United Kingdom, the United States, Japan and Canada have all pledged to reach net zero by 2050.
“Among the developed countries, the key vows are from the UK, a whole range of European countries which have very ambitious emission reduction targets, but also now the US, with its 50 to 52 per cent reduction by 2030,” Professor Howden says.
Which countries are lagging behind?
China, India and Saudi Arabia are all heavy emitters and none have promised to reach net zero by 2050.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi told COP26 the country had committed to a 2070 target. China and Saudi Arabia have set a 2060 target.
China has also announced a new pact with the US, vowing to work together to accelerate climate action this decade.
“There's a range of countries which have taken a very ambitious approach to this and there are some countries who are taking a more staged approach, and the likes of India and China are key among them,” Professor Howden says.
“They are huge emitters with very large growth potential in terms of greenhouse gas emissions.”
Interactive by Ken Macleod. Lead artwork by Jono Delbridge. Additional reporting by Evan Young.
