The Prime Minister’s climate change spokesperson has cited how the United Kingdom is “too far away” from achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. The UK is among leading countries making significant efforts toward reductions of global emissions to curb climate change being experienced across the globe. Such a goal of reaching zero carbon emissions is the ‘Green Industrial Revolution’ objective for all developed countries such as the UK, US, China, Russia, Germany, Greece, and Japan. Concerns have been raised over the impact of industrial activities and power harnessing mechanisms on the environment.
According to Allegra Stratton, the climate change spokesperson a former secretary to Prime Minister Boris Johnson, the UK needs to take immediate action to change economic blueprints in relation to carbon emissions. She alluded to how “science is clear” by noting the need to abandon all forms of activities that fuel global emissions “right now”. Because of the blueprints used in most industries and factories, it might take a long time to move away from traditional processing, manufacturing, and generating power. It will also require intense renovations in facilities for the proposed new strategies to be implemented fully and work efficiently.
While giving an address on BBC Radio 4’s World This Weekend, Allegra Stratton said, “What I’m aware of is right now that we have a 10-point plan for a green industrial revolution, we have FTSE 100 companies pledging to go net-zero, and not only that, but we also have the NHS and hospitals around the country saying, ‘You know what, we’ll have a go as well.’ She also highlighted that everyone seems to have joined the journey in achieving net-zero by saying, “And I feel at the point at which we can all of us see that we’re not doing it on our own, every part of society is moving in tandem towards this net-zero in 2050, but let’s be honest, that’s too far away” [Source].
It is quite common for countries to prepare a good proposal in attaining certain results but fail to follow through, and Stratton emphasized that the time is now for the process to begin and urged everyone to “feel the fierce urgency of now” as the country is carrying out preparations for the upcoming November Cop26 Summit in Glasgow. If the necessary preparations are made starting now, maybe by 2050, the UK can achieve zero carbon emissions. The plans laid out by the Britons include a 68% emissions reduction by 2030, which will be elevated to a 78% reduction by 2035. Of all the major industrialised countries, the UK became one of the first to sign the 2050 target into law in 2019 and has been trying to propel the idea to other nations so that they sign off, especially at the pending climate change summit, which Prime Minister Boris Johnson will chair.
The coronavirus outbreak pandemic is the sole reason why plans for emissions reduction have been delayed but will soon take centre stage in the parliamentarians’ sittings expected to begin in September, as noted by the spokesperson. Projects to be discussed include the establishment of nuclear fission plants to produce power while releasing clean energy, collaboration in electric car battery manufacturing with Nissan, devise ways of putting an end to burning coal to produce power and replacing gas boilers with other alternatives which are climate-friendly.
Stratton concurred that the plan to decarbonise their economy “is a long-term journey we are all on”. She explained further that, “This is a journey to 2050. This is not going to happen overnight. This is going to be a conversation we have with the British people about what is fair, protecting vulnerable families from some of the more difficult decisions they will have to make.”
The research titled ‘The mortality cost of carbon’ carried out by R.D. Bressler downloadable on [Source] revealed how about three average Americans’ lifestyles could create heat emissions enough to kill one person. Bressler’s scientific conclusions show how one person might die globally from increased temperature for every 4 434 tonnes of carbon emissions. The research’s findings also concluded that about 900 deaths could be caused by emissions from a single coal-fired power plant. Many scientific surveys have been conducted and information disseminated to all industrialised parties with the consequences noted, so the onus lies with world leaders and science departments to make strides in that area.
Stratton aired out the same sentiments by The US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, John Kerry, who mandated all nations to dedicate all their efforts in this decade in reducing global emissions if they want to stop temperature increase [Source]. She said, “Net-zero by 2050 is the ultimate goal, but the Paris agreement signed by all countries in 2015 requires nations to come to Cop26 with targets to bring down their emissions this decade. If we are going to keep the global temperature increase to 1.5 degrees, ‘keep 1.5 alive’, we must reach net-zero by 2050 and act this decade.”
Since the UK’s current efforts are projected to be miles away from their net-zero goal, there is an urgent need to step up and mobilise every concerned party in starting the essential process necessary for emissions reductions.
