In order to prevent substantial or catastrophic losses from climate change, global greenhouse gas emissions will need to peak by 2025 and decline 43% by 2030. This will permit global temperature rise to remain below the target of 2°C above pre-industrial levels and the long-term goal of limiting that rise to 1.5°C.
Yet despite significant progress, global temperatures continue to reach record levels and are expected to cross the 1.5°C threshold by 2027.
In response to the catastrophic impacts of global warming, scientists and organizations are using innovative technologies, policy change and education to help the world reach the point where there is a “net zero” increase in global greenhouse gas emissions.
To profile efforts to achieve this goal, AVDF supported the NOVA-produced program Chasing Carbon Zero which premiered on PBS in April 2023. The program explores the importance of reaching net zero emissions and the potential paths to get there.
The U.S. aims to achieve net zero by 2050 and decrease emissions in half by 2030. The documentary explores what it would take to reach these ambitious targets and features technological advancements being made in renewable energy, transportation, agriculture and more. The film investigates how these technologies can be made scalable and affordable across the country.
Chasing Carbon Zero reached 1.8 million television viewers as well as viewers through YouTube and other streaming services. The film was a Jackson Wild 2023 Media Awards finalist in recognition of the program’s excellence and innovation in nature, science and conservation storytelling. The program was also featured in media outlets such as TribLive, the Detroit Free Press and Forbes.
The Forbes article features an interview with Dr. Melissa Lott, Director of the Research Center on Global Energy Policy at the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University. Lott, who was the lead scientist featured in Chasing Carbon Zero, explained how close the U.S. is to reaching net-zero emissions.
“We’re actually already on track to get about a quarter of the way there. So, we’re halfway to halfway. And that’s something that I don’t think enough people know about. You know, when you look at the data, we have made progress here in the United States. It’s not fast enough… but…It’s actually quite significant,” Lott said in the Forbes article.
Lott went on to explain that the aim to cut emissions is not only dependent on developing new technologies but also on individuals utilizing these tools. Individual contributions add up significantly when it comes to combatting the effects of climate change. Lott discussed how the biggest carbon emissions in the U.S. derive from electricity, transportation, buildings, industry and agriculture.
To read the Forbes article about Chasing Carbon Zero, click here. For more information about the Chasing Carbon Zero program, click here.
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