Net Zero – what does it mean?
Achieving net zero, also known as carbon neutrality, is important for tackling climate change. But what does that mean? And how will it make a difference to you and your future?
The world will have achieved net zero when there is as much greenhouse gas being made and put out into the Earth’s atmosphere as there is being removed from it.
To try and achieve this, in June 2019, the UK Parliament voted for net-zero greenhouse gas emissions targets to be met by 2050.
The UK Government’s ‘Ten Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution’ includes targets focused on:
- Offshore wind
- Hydrogen
- Nuclear
- Electric vehicles
- Public transport, cycling and walking
- Jet Zero and greener maritime
- Homes and public buildings
- Carbon capture
- Nature
- Innovation and finance
From this plan, there’s expected to be 250,000 jobs created and supported – and you could fill one of them.
The low-carbon economy is expected to grow 11% each year through to 2030, and we can expect to see 100,000 new energy jobs – with 25,000 new jobs in UK oil and gas by 2025 – and 4,500 in new roles 'that do not currently exist’.
You could be employed in a wide variety of sectors - everything from roles in robotics and artificial intelligence, to subsea engineering and beyond.
You could train to be a Project Engineer like Lorna or a Commercial Solar Specialist like Guilherme to help achieve these net zero targets. For further examples of what jobs in this sector are like, meet our other Energy Influencers here.