Royalty Free image by Tommaso.sansone91 obtained from https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Carbon_footprint_scale_of_transportation_means_icon.png

Greetings to 27^th Eco-generation Regional Ambassadors and Happy New Year! This is your mentor Joon and I am writing this article to announce the Theme of the Month for January succeeding December’s topic, ‘Careers(Jobs) Related to Renewable Energy’. The keyword for the fifth month will be <Carbon Neutrality>.

 Last month, ambassadors would have investigated about Renewable Energy in general and careers related to it. Then, have you ever thought of the reason why we are preparing a transition from traditional source, fossil fuels, to renewable energies? Why the governments are investing so much money into it? There are various reasons behind it, but one of the main reason for using renewable source of energy is that we want to reduce carbon emission which is primarily made by fossil fuels.

Then, What is Carbon in first place? Why are we trying to minimize it so desperately? How can it be reduced? By this point, various questions would rise into your mind. This month’s thematic report may be a chance to solve your questions. To provide brief background information, when discussing about carbon neutrality, people often think of it as Carbon Dioxide(CO2). CO2 can be included, but it is not limited to the gas. It is just that CO2 is the most well-known type of carbon. When we talk about carbon neutrality, we mean green house gases as a whole. Therefore, Carbon Dioxide(CO2), Methane(CH4), Nitrous Oxide(N2O), Hydrofluorocarbons(HFCs), Perfluorochemicals(PFCs), Sulfur Hexafluoride(SF6), Nitrogen Trifluoride(NF3) and many others are included whether or not it actually contains carbon.

 By reducing the emission of such gases, we may be able to delay the climate change which plays a big role on environmental breakdown. To address the problem, various initiatives and countries all together collectively participate on achieving a goal of Carbon Neutrality. As some means of achieving it, different approaches are being made.

 Carbon Tax is one of the most famous approach to reduce carbon generation. If there are no advantages on pursuing carbon neutrality nor disadvantages on continuously using fossil fuels, no companies and individuals would bother to change. Therefore, by taxing those emitting carbon while manufacturing products and using it as a source of money to improve prior system, positive externalities could be captured. Countries such as Finland, Spain, Norway and Sweden are first ones to introduce Carbon Tax, and there are movements currently being made within EU to introduce Carbon Tax as a whole.

 Heading one step deeper, certified emissions reduction is another policy to pursue Carbon Neutrality in long term. Countries or companies need to buy emission units, to others which gained emission units by reducing carbon emission, in order to emit extra carbon. It is priced and traded in market and by doing so, this also becomes another way to grasp the positive externality created by groups which reduced carbon emission.

 There are many different issues and implementations made in order to pursue carbon neutrality. Ambassadors should research and write about it, but don’t restrain yourself. Anything related to carbon neutrality is perfectly fine.

You can refer to following links for brief information:

https://www.carbonfootprint.com/carbonneutrality.html

https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/sg/articles/2020-12-11/carbon-neutrality-2050-the-world%E2%80%99s-most-urgent-mission

https://www.offsetguide.org/understanding-carbon-offsets/the-role-of-offsets-in-carbon-management-strategies/achieving-carbon-neutrality/

But feel free to refer to other sources as above is just a suggestion of possible source.

It was good to see articles with great efforts put on previous month. I hope to see more this month!

 Let’s keep up!

Always feel free to contact me via:

joon.mentor@gmail.com