March 8, 2022
Net zero refers to the target of negating GHG emissions based on human activity until elimination by abating emissions and offsetting the residuals from the atmosphere.
Carbon neutral is the state of reaching net zero emissions through reductions and offsetting.
If you want to know the difference between some of the carbon neutral terminologies and how we can help get you to net zero, then this article is for you. We'll teach you a few basic terms and provide some useful resources.
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To learn more about regulations and keeping your emissions down, check out other free resources from our library:
• Article: How to Reduce Upstream Emissions With the Gold Standard Framework for Supplier Engagement
• Article: What Is Corporate Sustainability and How to Achieve It
• Article: What Are Scope 1, 2, and 3 Emissions?
The concept of carbon neutrality is to get to a state in which an organization's GHG emissions balance out to zero. Everyone is going carbon neutral and investors and consumers are turning their attention to carbon neutral companies.
The road map to carbon neutrality looks like this:
Becoming carbon neutral doesn't have to be a daunting, expensive, or mysterious process. With carbon emissions management software, it's easy and enjoyable and anyone you give access to on your team can help in minutes.
No. We become carbon neutral when we achieve net zero with emissions reductions and offsetting strategies.
Many companies are going for carbon neutrality and making pledges but only few have achieved it. Here are a few examples of companies that have carbon neutral or better status:
Baukjen, the highest scoring sustainable UK fashion brand is climate negative across their supply chain and received a UN Climate Action Award in 2021. They also ranked number 1 as a Certified B Corp Business because they continue to fulfill so many of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Taylors of Harrogate, a tea and coffee brand from the UK, became a carbon neutral business in February of 2020. They also won a UN Climate Action Award in 2021. They have a carbon neutral certification from "field to supermarket shelf." Additionally, they've cultivated long term partnerships over decades as an ethical company with the countries they source from, which are experiencing rising temperatures due to global warming.
Another winner of a UN Climate Action Award is Microsoft, who has been carbon neutral since 2012 and will be carbon negative by 2030 for all 3 scopes. Since 2014, they have used 100% green energy across their US operations. They have also started Microsoft's Climate Innovation Fund which will invest 1 billion USD over a 4 year time span to "expand access to capital" all over the world to those working to solve climate change problems and also towards new technologies helping resolve the issue.
Businesses can become carbon neutral by reducing and avoiding carbon emissions where they can and setting more ambitious targets every year. This is simple to do with the Net0 simulator tool to analyze what these targets would look like. Also, by contributing to offsetting projects like renewable energy that we can transition to in the long-term.
You should start by measuring your CO2 emissions and then analyzing where you can cut back and switch to alternatives. You can do this with the Net0 simulator tool. You can't find out your carbon footprint without measuring it. Net0 can calculate all of this for you with the data you provide. Next, you can purchase offsets for your present unavoidable emissions. It's important to set lower CO2 emissions targets every year.
Eventually companies will have to start taking action to become carbon neutral in order to keep global warming under a 1.5C increase, keep investor's attention, customer loyalty, and abide by regional laws. Planning your path to net zero will be a positive transition that can be easily managed with the right technology.
Now that you know the basics about net zero vs. carbon neutrality, we invite you to book a call with us to talk to an expert and experience how Net0's emissions management platform can change your business for the better.
Again, net zero is coming to a balance between emissions and those which have been removed from the atmosphere. Gross zero means stopping all emissions, period.
You can usually start using the system within a week of contract signature. Book a call with us to start.
Yes, our team will help you set up the platform and provide you with guidance on how to use it.
We work with companies from different industries, from professional services and tech businesses to construction companies and manufacturing sites.
Net0 offers simplicity, automation, no-code integrations, and provides an activity-based approach meaning the calculations are done by co2e tonnage and not by how much money was spent on the activity that led to emissions.
Net0 is the most comprehensive solution to recording, measuring, tracking, offsetting, and certifying emissions all in one place and in minutes. Net0 also enables organizations to invite anyone they want to contribute to the dashboard, being all-inclusive and simple to use.