requires new instruments, new proficiencies, new melodies and, above all, new
conductors. The magnitude and urgency of the problem requires a transformative
approach instead of incremental innovation, to achieve a balance between anthropogenic emissions by sources and removals by sinks of GHG by 2050, on the basis
of equity, sustainable development and poverty eradication, as stated in the Paris
Agreement. That balance is known as carbon neutrality, for which countries and
organizations are increasingly working to achieve, as the safe space to manage the
stabilization of the climatic system.
Technological innovation is at the heart of the climate mitigation, since historically innovation has brought many low-carbon energy technologies to market
readiness today, being renewable energy technologies and electric vehicles
prominent examples [3]. Importantly, technological innovations and cost reductions
were achieved much faster than expected by analysts. Innovation carrying by many
frontrunners in scientific laboratories, start-ups and organizations is pervasive
across the fields of energy, industry, health, food and agriculture, and environment.
This chapter focuses the attention on the role of climate change mitigation may
have as a trigger for innovation. Section 2 describes several climate changes
observed, with a focus on 2019, and trends of anthropogenic carbon emissions,
while Section 3 presents how carbon emissions reduction is valued through regulatory schemes, favoring non-emitting processes and technologies. Section 4 details
the carbon footprint assessment as a tool to manage and reduce carbon emissions in
activities, products and technologies, and Section 5 concludes by making future
prospects on carbon emissions for the twenty-first century, taking uncertainties
around social and technological factors.
2 Carbon Emissions at the Core of Climate Changes
2.1 Climate Changes
The most recent consolidated data [4] showed the global mean temperature for 2019
was around 1.1 ± 0.1 °C above the 1850–1900 baseline, designated as
pre-industrial levels. The year 2019 is the second warmest on record, compatible
with the range of 0.1–0.3 °C per decade of increasing warming, pointed out by the
IPCC [2]. The year 2016 is the warmest on record, due to an exceptionally strong El
Niño episode. The five warmest years on record are included in the period 2015–
2019, and since the 1980s, each successive decade has been warmer than any prior
one since pre-industrial level [4].
Using the global temperature indicator provided by averaging values over successive 60-month periods, Figure 1 shows the long-term trend of this indicator
based on five global temperature datasets. That indicator is consistent with the
five-yearly stock-take period used by countries to regularly review their progress in
limiting GHG emissions under the Paris Agreement of 2015, aiming to curb the rise
in global average near-surface temperatures. The 60-month period averaging
Carbon Economy and Carbon Footprint
5
conductors. The magnitude and urgency of the problem requires a transformative
approach instead of incremental innovation, to achieve a balance between anthropogenic emissions by sources and removals by sinks of GHG by 2050, on the basis
of equity, sustainable development and poverty eradication, as stated in the Paris
Agreement. That balance is known as carbon neutrality, for which countries and
organizations are increasingly working to achieve, as the safe space to manage the
stabilization of the climatic system.
Technological innovation is at the heart of the climate mitigation, since historically innovation has brought many low-carbon energy technologies to market
readiness today, being renewable energy technologies and electric vehicles
prominent examples [3]. Importantly, technological innovations and cost reductions
were achieved much faster than expected by analysts. Innovation carrying by many
frontrunners in scientific laboratories, start-ups and organizations is pervasive
across the fields of energy, industry, health, food and agriculture, and environment.
This chapter focuses the attention on the role of climate change mitigation may
have as a trigger for innovation. Section 2 describes several climate changes
observed, with a focus on 2019, and trends of anthropogenic carbon emissions,
while Section 3 presents how carbon emissions reduction is valued through regulatory schemes, favoring non-emitting processes and technologies. Section 4 details
the carbon footprint assessment as a tool to manage and reduce carbon emissions in
activities, products and technologies, and Section 5 concludes by making future
prospects on carbon emissions for the twenty-first century, taking uncertainties
around social and technological factors.
2 Carbon Emissions at the Core of Climate Changes
2.1 Climate Changes
The most recent consolidated data [4] showed the global mean temperature for 2019
was around 1.1 ± 0.1 °C above the 1850–1900 baseline, designated as
pre-industrial levels. The year 2019 is the second warmest on record, compatible
with the range of 0.1–0.3 °C per decade of increasing warming, pointed out by the
IPCC [2]. The year 2016 is the warmest on record, due to an exceptionally strong El
Niño episode. The five warmest years on record are included in the period 2015–
2019, and since the 1980s, each successive decade has been warmer than any prior
one since pre-industrial level [4].
Using the global temperature indicator provided by averaging values over successive 60-month periods, Figure 1 shows the long-term trend of this indicator
based on five global temperature datasets. That indicator is consistent with the
five-yearly stock-take period used by countries to regularly review their progress in
limiting GHG emissions under the Paris Agreement of 2015, aiming to curb the rise
in global average near-surface temperatures. The 60-month period averaging
Carbon Economy and Carbon Footprint
5