Carbon neutrality and carbon peaking are two important concepts regarding greenhouse gas emissions and environmental protection. The following is a detailed explanation of these two concepts:
I. Carbon Neutrality (Carbon Neutrality)
Definition: Carbon Neutrality refers to the total amount of carbon dioxide or greenhouse gas emissions directly or indirectly generated by a country, enterprise, product, activity or individual within a certain period of time, and offsetting the carbon dioxide or greenhouse gas emissions generated by the country, enterprise, product, activity or individual by planting trees, energy saving and emission reduction, etc., so as to realise positive and negative offsets, and achieve relative “zero emission”.
Purpose: Through reducing greenhouse gas emissions and increasing carbon sinks (e.g. planting trees, etc.), to achieve a balance between carbon dioxide emissions and absorption, in order to slow down the trend of global warming.
Status: As the global climate change problem becomes increasingly serious, more and more countries and enterprises are committing themselves to and achieving carbon neutrality targets. For example, China has pledged to be carbon neutral by 2060.
II. Peak Carbon Dioxide Emissions (Peak Carbon Dioxide Emissions)
Definition: Peak Carbon Dioxide Emissions refers to a point in time when carbon dioxide emissions stop growing and reach a peak, after which they gradually decline. This is a historical inflection point where carbon dioxide emissions go from increasing to decreasing, marking the decoupling of carbon emissions from economic development.
Goal: The goal of Peak Carbon is to set a specific year and peak value, i.e., to commit to reaching the peak of CO2 emissions by a certain point in time, and then start to gradually reduce emissions.
Status: China’s commitment to peak carbon by 2030 is an important pledge by the Chinese government to combat global climate change. Meanwhile, many other countries have set their own peak carbon targets and plans.
III. Relationship between Carbon Neutrality and Peak Carbon
Peak Carbon is a precondition for Carbon Neutrality: only after Peak Carbon has been achieved, i.e. after a certain point in time when CO2 emissions start to decline gradually, can Carbon Neutrality be further realised.
Carbon Neutral is the ultimate goal of Peak Carbon: Peak Carbon is an important step in reducing GHG emissions, while Carbon Neutral is the ultimate goal of achieving a balance between GHG emissions and absorption.
Taken together, carbon neutrality and carbon peaking are two interlinked and critical concepts that together constitute an important strategic framework for addressing global climate change.