Chart of the day: These are the behaviours you can change now to achieve net-zero emissions in 2050

Nov 6, 2020

Cycling is a great way to reduce travel emissions

Image: Unsplash/Gemma Evans

Sean Fleming

Senior Writer, Forum Stories

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This article is part of: Race to Zero Dialogues

The IEA has identified 11 lifestyle changes we can all make today to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050:
Don’t drive if you could walk or cycle instead.
Keep air travel for long-distance trips.
Shave 7km/h off your driving speed.

Slow down if you want to help the climate. That’s one of the conclusions of the World Energy Outlook 2020 report from the International Energy Agency (IEA).

The report looks at the work being done around the world to hit net-zero emissions goals by 2050. Action taken over the next 10 years will have a major bearing on whether those goals are met, the report says.

One of the milestones for achieving net-zero by 2050 will be a 45% drop in CO2 (from levels seen in 2010) by 2030.

That calls for changes in everyday attitudes and behaviour, particularly in relation to travel.

These changes could have a big impact. Image: IEA

The report’s authors focus on 11 separate activities. They include how we heat our homes and workplaces, how we drive and the air travel we opt for.

Driving more slowly is one of the measures that many people can adopt in order to do their bit for the environment. The report says that reducing speeds by 7km/h can help.

It also suggests replacing short car journeys – less than 3km – with walking or cycling. Similarly, the report says that flights of less than an hour’s duration could be replaced by lower-emission alternatives.

Taken together, those suggestions could help “reduce transport sector CO2 emissions by more than 20%,” the IEA says.

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