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Why real zero?

Ekins, Paul; (2023) Why real zero? In: Stopping Climate Change: Policies for Real Zero. (pp. 12-43). Routledge: London, UK.

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Abstract

The Earth’s atmosphere is warming as a result of human emissions of greenhouse gases, principally carbon dioxide (CO2) from burning fossil fuels and deforestation, with methane (CH4) from agriculture and leakages from the extraction and transport of fossil methane (sometimes called natural) gas also being important. These emissions have caused the atmospheric concentrations of GHGs, and global average atmospheric temperatures to increase beyond all human experience. This global warming – currently 1.1°C above pre-industrial temperatures – is having major impacts on the weather and on all Earth’s systems, on land and in the oceans. Extreme events are becoming more extreme and are projected to become more frequent. They have already caused large-scale loss of life and livelihoods and their future economic impacts could be catastrophic. There are risks that global warming could cause Earth systems to cross several ‘tipping points’ that reinforce and cause climate change to accelerate out of human influence. The human exacerbation of climate change can only be prevented by stopping the emission of GHGs from the human activities noted above, and removing CO2 from the atmosphere. Subsequent chapters show the extent to which this must happen, and how it can be achieved.

Type: Book chapter
Title: Why real zero?
ISBN-13: 9781003438007
DOI: 10.4324/9781003438007-2
Publisher version: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003438007-2
Language: English
Additional information: This version is the author accepted manuscript. For information on re-use, please refer to the publisher’s terms and conditions.
UCL classification: UCL
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of the Built Environment
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of the Built Environment > Bartlett School Env, Energy and Resources
URI: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10190185
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