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What is ๐—–๐—ฎ๐—ฟ๐—ฏ๐—ผ๐—ป ๐—ก๐—ฒ๐˜‚๐˜๐—ฟ๐—ฎ๐—น


Being carbon neutral means balancing anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions with offsets from reduction or removal projects, achieving a net-zero impact on the atmosphere.


Following the COP28 warning that the world must peak emissions by 2025 to avoid climate catastrophe, โ€œcarbon neutralityโ€ is no longer a marketing slogan but a survival imperative. From governments to multinational corporations, the race to cut greenhouse gases is reshaping the global economy. But is carbon neutrality truly the solution, or just a gamble with hidden risks?


At its core, carbon neutrality balances emitted greenhouse gases with absorption or offsets. This applies not only to COโ‚‚ but also to CHโ‚„, Nโ‚‚O, and other gases, converted into COโ‚‚-equivalent units (COโ‚‚e). Achieving this requires two main strategies: emission reduction and carbon offsetting. Emission cuts are prioritized through renewable energy transitions, production optimization, and transportation electrification. Meanwhile, unavoidable emissionsโ€”such as from aviation and heavy industryโ€”can be offset through carbon absorption projects like reforestation, ecosystem protection, or direct air capture (DAC).

Over 3,000 major companies have pledged net-zero emissions by mid-century, but are they on the right track? Microsoft is hailed as a model for investing heavily in DAC and subsea COโ‚‚ storage, yet not all corporations are equally committed. Fast-fashion brands like H&M have faced criticism for โ€œgreenwashingโ€โ€”promoting emission cuts while maintaining polluting production models. Some pioneers adopt more radical strategies: IKEA vows to remove 150% of its emissions, while Patagonia allocates 1% of revenue to environmental initiatives. However, most businesses still rely on carbon creditsโ€”a controversial tool given the marketโ€™s volatility and lack of rigorous verification.


Achieving carbon neutrality demands bold solutions. Biocharโ€”a form of bio-coal that sequesters COโ‚‚ in soil for centuriesโ€”is being tested in Zambia and Brazil. Singaporeโ€™s startup Equatic is developing technology to absorb COโ‚‚ from seawater while producing clean hydrogen. Enhanced rock weathering, which spreads minerals on farmland to accelerate COโ‚‚ absorption, could store billions of tons of emissions annually. Yet even with cutting-edge technologies, scaling remains the biggest hurdle: to keep global warming below 1.5ยฐC, the world must remove 10 billion tons of COโ‚‚ yearly by 2050โ€”ten times current carbon removal capacity.

Carbon neutrality is not just a technical challenge but an ethical one. Wealthy nationsโ€”responsible for historic emissionsโ€”seek to offset their footprint by purchasing carbon credits from developing countries. But is this fair? Indigenous Amazonian communities are often excluded from carbon credit deals, despite being natural forest protectors. Zimbabweโ€™s Kariba REDD+ project faced allegations of displacing locals to โ€œprotect forestsโ€ for Western corporations. As Ugandan climate activist Vanessa Nakate stressed: โ€œWe cannot achieve carbon neutrality by shifting the burden onto the poorest.โ€

Todayโ€™s climate leaders urge going beyond neutrality to actively remove COโ‚‚. Bhutanโ€”the worldโ€™s only carbon-negative countryโ€”protects forests and exports clean energy to help others reduce coal reliance. Charm Industrial converts agricultural waste into bio-oil, permanently stored underground. Meanwhile, the EU enforces its Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), requiring global manufacturers to cut emissions to access European markets.


Carbon neutrality is not the final destinationโ€”itโ€™s a milestone in redefining the global economy. It only matters if pursued rigorously, transparently, and equitably. As global temperatures rise and climate lawsuits multiply, governments and businesses can no longer delay. UN Climate Chief Simon Stiell warned: โ€œCarbon neutrality isnโ€™t an arithmetic gameโ€”itโ€™s an opportunity to build a genuinely sustainable future.โ€ The challenge is clear. The question is: Are we ready to act?


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