The industrial sector is one of the primary drivers of growth, resulting in increased wealth, prosperity, and an increased standard of living. Around a quarter of the entire GDP across the globe is produced by industries, which is also responsible for generating increased employment across both the developed and developing world. Most of the products that people use on a daily basis are produced at industrial facilities that keep the modern world up and running.
However, this increased prosperity and growth come at a cost to the environment in the form of greenhouse gases that are resulting in the rise of the overall temperature across the planet. Moreover, more industrial activity without concern for the planet will make it even more difficult to meet the sustainable development goals set under the Paris Agreement of 2015. This article focuses on the decarbonization process and how the global climate issue can be effectively resolved.
The Challenges in Reducing CO2 Emissions
Greenhouse gases consist of 90% CO2 gases, and reducing the emissions would require either cutting down on the production of products that are vital for development, such as ammonia, cement, ethylene, steel, etc. or switching to cleaner sources of energy as opposed to the continued reliance on traditional energy sources like fossil fuels.
However, switching to cleaner energy sources can’t happen in a day. It would take sustained efforts from the government, industries, and people alike to ensure that we can achieve decarbonization as per the agreed timelines.
Governments need to incentivize industries for shifting to cleaner energy sources as it requires a lot of investment to change the way industries operate to produce materials and goods. Industries need to onboard investors and key stakeholders to make changes happen to the way they operate and invest towards more sustainable business models.
On the other hand, people need to encourage governments and industries by becoming equal partners in this initiative by opting for more environment-friendly products, which would motivate companies to start making products that appeal to people.
Even though there are many challenges associated with reducing CO2 emissions and greenhouse gases in general, it is important to take small steps at a time to slowly shift focus towards achieving that feat.
How Can This Issue be Addressed?
Industries can better achieve the goal towards decarbonization by focusing on 4 key areas:
- Making energy-efficient improvements
- Electrification of heat
- Using hydrogen produced with zero-carbon electricity and biomass as fuel
- More efficient carbon capture, storage, and usage
Depending on the area of operation and the scale and scope of business, companies can make practical decisions on what could be the best approach which is both practical and economical to implement. One of the ways that companies can help achieve the goals set under the Paris Agreement is by using electricity rather than fossil fuels for production; however, this would require government assistance since electricity prices need to be lowered for companies to increase their reliance on electricity as an emission-reducing approach.
Since decarbonization results in increased demand for zero-carbon electricity, it is imperative to ensure that a low-cost supply is available to one and all. So, governments also need to up their ante and start investing in ways to generate electricity without burning fossil fuels themselves and strengthen the infrastructure to ensure an uninterrupted supply of electricity.
The decarbonization process is long and requires sustained efforts across governments, organizations, and people. If you are a business owner and want to do your bit towards building a better world free of greenhouse gases, then start by partnering with a reliable electrical brand that is known for building products that are carbon-free and help you reduce your overall carbon footprint.
In the end, we must all remember that the decarbonization process cannot be achieved in a silo; all of us need to come together and make it work to ensure that planet stays alive for future generations to come.
