Can the US Reach Carbon Net-Zero by 2050?
As the world continues to push forward through time, one thing a lot of countries have been putting effort into is becoming carbon net-zero. This is in the hopes to slow down climate change. But can the US meet its goals?
That’s difficult to tell, really. Several other countries are making leaps and strides in renewable energy usage. And the United States is still content with sucking from the gas pump.
I’m not saying that it’s impossible for the US to meet climate change goals. I’m just incredibly skeptical, especially with the way things are going here at the moment.
What Does Net-Zero Carbon Emissions Mean?
A net-zero carbon emission means that CO2 levels are essentially at zero. Meaning, any man-made emissions from greenhouse gases are no longer present. This is done by reducing CO2 emissions to the point where absorption methods are balancing the production.
In other words, the US will absorb as much carbon from the atmosphere as it produces.
This is important in order to reduce the impact of CO2 in terms of climate change. As a greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide helps trap the heat onto the planet. This, in turn, causes a variety of natural issues.
Hurricanes are getting stronger, storms are more severe, and is believed why half of the country is underwater, thanks to storms, while the other half is on fire, thanks to droughts.
Why I am Skeptical of Being Net-Zero by 2050
Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for lowering pollution levels. From a practical standpoint, I’d love to go for a jog without inhaling exhaust fumes.
However, I’m not totally convinced the United States can contribute to a net-zero goal by 2050.
Too Much Money Still Wrapped Up in Oil
The previous government administration really didn’t do much to combat climate change. In fact, it rolled back a lot of regulations that contributed to a cleaner country.
And much of this had to do with the oil industry. There are simply too many people getting richer off of fossil fuels.
Yes, I am incredibly anti-oil…but not only because of CO2 emissions.
Personally, I think combustion engines are an archaic form of technology. For more than 100 years, humanity has used micro-explosions to move a drivetrain. And we’re still burning materials to maintain much of our power grid.
Yet, we have microcomputers in our pockets that occasionally double as phones that are far superior to anything we had 10 years ago?
It’s More Profitable to Treat Rather than Cure
Another aspect of monetary greed is that of making a profit at any cost. In the United States, it’s simply more profitable to treat a problem than it is to cure it.
For instance, a treatment can be seen in more efficient vehicle engines 5 years ago when we had electric cars back in the 1800s. After all, businesses need to churn growth and a profit year-after-year.
Unless someone can break down immediate and continued profitability from renewable energies, I just don’t see the US jumping wholeheartedly to meet net-zero goals.
The Next 7, 4-term Presidents Need to Support Moving Forward
President-elect Joe Biden has a long-term plan to reach a net-zero goal by 2050. And while it may show promise and emphasizes on economic growth, it relies on one very important factor…
All succeeding presidents must have the same mindset.
President Obama implemented a lot of eco-friendly policies during his two terms in office. It took President Trump one term to roll most of them back.
Over the next seven presidential terms, each president needs to have a focus on maintaining a greener future. Otherwise, the policies will just keep going back and forth.
If America elects an oil baron in 2024, you can bet that any work done to improve climate change will get knocked back to square one.
It’s Possible, But I’m Skeptical
There are several countries around the world that are already on the precipice of eliminating fossil fuels to produce energy. In the US, it’s all up to private companies to accomplish a similar goal.
That is, as long as the shareholders are kept in high dividends.
But since I’m not a psychic, all I can really do is hope…like so many other people in the world. However, life in the United States has made a skeptic out of me.
We’ll have to see how far things will go in the next four years.
Michael has been interested in the practicality of living green for quite some time. He works closely with GreenGeeks Web Hosting as the Content Marketing Team Lead and an author of various articles.
