Background Documents
Here you will find our workshop briefing materials.
delivering net zerO - Background Documents
Delivering Net Zero, Energy Demand
Energy demand is defined as the product of demands for energy services (such as thermal comfort, nutrition, and mobility), and their energy intensity. It determines the size of the energy system and therefore the scale of decarbonisation required to mitigate climate change.
Delivering Net Zero, Energy Supply
Energy supply entails the extraction, transportation and transformation of primary energy sources like fossil fuels, biomass, solar radiation, wind and uranium, and the transportation of energy in a usable form to the point of consumption or storage.
Delivering Net Zero, Energy Innovation
Meeting net zero targets requires an increase in both the pace and scale of energy innovation. As almost all areas of the economy need to be decarbonised, a change in the focus and impact of energy innovation to reach all sectors is essential, necessitating new and accelerated policy approaches.
Delivering Net Zero, Social Change
Fossil fuel energy has deeply shaped the socio-technical organisation of modern societies; economic structures, political institutions, finance, the flow of knowledge and social ideals have been founded in relation to the control and distribution of energy and natural resources. Confronting the dependency of modern societies on fossil fuels will require structural change across many of these institutions which shape every aspect of people’s lives.
Delivering Net Zero, Greenhouse Gas Removal
Greenhouse Gas Removal (GGR) refers to anything that removes and sequesters previously emitted greenhouse gases. Most of the focus is placed on removing carbon dioxide (CO2). GGR is distinct from emissions reduction technologies, which reduce the entry of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.
Delivering Net Zero, Carbon Budgets
The concept of ‘carbon budgets’ has become a prominent tool in guiding climate policy, particularly since its use in the IPCC’s Fifth Assessment Report. Remaining carbon budgets provide an estimate of the total global emissions of CO2 that might be consistent with a given temperature rise. Carbon budgets are based on a roughly proportional relationship between cumulative anthropogenic CO2 emissions and average global temperature change.