In some higher-emitting countries even this may be difficult – in the US, Canada and Australia, for example, per capita emissions sit at 16-17 tonnes of CO2e a year.Ī report in 2021 from Oxfam found that by 2030 the global average emissions need to sit at just 2.3 tonnes of CO2 per year to keep global warming below 1.5C (the report didn't cover other greenhouse gases), down from 4.6 tonnes on average globally today. In his book about carbon footprints, How Bad Are Bananas, researcher Mike Berners-Lee suggests readers might want to aim for a five tonne lifestyle for now, which he notes would already be "a big step forward" for most in the UK. After some research, Mainprize decided it would be a decently ambitious target to go for. In some ways two tonnes is an arbitrary figure. So what would the world look like if those of us who currently emit far more did manage to reduce our emissions to a safer level? Surveys show that many people want to participate in climate actions, but putting a very low-carbon life into practice can mean be tricky: it can mean changing several aspects of daily life, particularly for the richer parts of society.īut experiments like Mainprize's could help to show the rest of us the way ahead on what a sustainable society could really look like – and the wider-scale changes we need to get there. She wanted to see what it would take – and indeed if it was possible – to live in the UK on a personal carbon allowance that's roughly similar to what we will all need to reach in the next decade to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. Mainprize, a communications officer at a climate non-profit, began researching the carbon footprints of everything she could. Mainprize lives in the UK, where the average yearly consumption footprint per person is over four times her goal: 8.5 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e), a measure that includes CO2, methane and other greenhouse gases. Your Fund Surrey provides capital funding for carbon reduction projects that reform communities.As 2020 drew to a close, Carys Mainprize set herself a challenge for the approaching year: to spend the next 12 months living on two tonnes of carbon: an amount equivalent to around half the average yearly emissions of a petrol car in the US. Communities can also work together to improve neighbourhoods by supporting community energy, planting, active travel, sustainable commerce and carbon reduction projects. We'll also continue to work with schools to encourage active travel to and from school and to empower young people to take action on climate change. Businesses can also help by setting ambitious climate reduction targets and offering low-carbon goods and services to residents. We're supporting small and medium sized businesses to reduce their carbon emissions by offering LoCASE grants of up to £10, 000 along with an environmental training scheme and events. We'll also continue to help low-income households to improve their energy efficiency and cut their energy bills by securing funding for low carbon heat pumps and installation, such as through The Green Homes Grant which recently provided £3.2 million for eligible Surrey households but this scheme has now closed to new applicants, so please visit the Action Surrey website. Homeowners and landlords can create energy efficient buildings which use low-carbon heat pumps and maximise on-site renewable energy. Individuals can reduce their carbon footprint by changing the way they travel, shop, eat and by reducing their waste. Many face significant challenges to decarbonise, but there is plenty we can all do. 91% of Surrey's carbon emissions are generated from the homes and vehicles of our 1.2 million residents and 65,000 businesses.
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