Net zero refers to achieving a balance between the amount of greenhouse gases emitted into the atmosphere and the amount removed from it. It is a key goal in climate policy aimed at halting global warming. Achieving net zero involves drastically reducing human-caused emissions—such as those from burning fossil fuels, industrial processes, and agriculture—and simultaneously increasing carbon removal through natural sinks like forests and wetlands or technological solutions like carbon capture and storage. The “net” aspect acknowledges that while completely eliminating all emissions immediately is challenging, remaining emissions can be offset by equivalent removal, resulting in no net increase in atmospheric greenhouse gases. Meeting net zero targets is essential to stabilize global temperatures and limit climate change impacts. Governments, businesses, and other actors worldwide have increasingly adopted net zero commitments to align with international climate goals such as those outlined in the Paris Agreement, aiming for net zero CO₂ by around 2050 globally.
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