About this episode
Nearly a quarter of the way through the 21st century, there is no doubt that governments and businesses around the world have made tremendous progress in stemming their carbon emissions. But we still have a long way to go if we are to reach a goal of net zero emissions by 2050. For certain scientists, business owners, and public officials, net zero by 2050 is a chimera, and the costs associated with denying this reality will be tremendous. Replacing an entire global economy’s reliance on fossil fuels will take enormous sums of money, a complete reprioritization of natural resources, and an ecological paradigm shift in the global citizenry. There are simply too many hurdles, some of which are high beyond our reach, making this laudable goal yet another empty promise. Net Zero by 2050 is not only achievable, but absolutely necessary to avoid the worst effects of climate change. Progress towards this goal in the last few years has been consistent. New technologies are on the horizon that will transform how we create, store, and transfer energy, as well as technology that will reduce carbon in the atmosphere. For the first time, it feels like the lion's share of the global community is pulling in the same direction. And when enough communities and governments are committed to the goal, they can and will move mountains.