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Carbon Neutral
Implies eans that while some emissions are still being generated these emissions are being offset somewhere else making the overall net emissions zero. Often used with no evidence either of carbon reduction or of the efficacy of the carbon offsets. No net release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, especially as a result of carbon offsetting. But see the problems associated with carbon offsetting.
Ecologi has published an explanation of the difference between Carbon Neutral and Net Zero. As they point out "carbon-neutrality can be achieved now, regardless of whether you have reduced your emissions or not."
Carbon Offsetting
Carbon Offsetting is an attractive option, a one-stop negotiable solution that allows the airline, tour operator or hotel to continue with business as usual. But for the individual or business, it is a complex purchase. A 2017 study of offsets, commissioned by the European Commission, found that 85 per cent of carbon offset projects under the Kyoto Protocol’s Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) had failed to reduce emissions. This research clearly shows that many of even the very best offset schemes don’t work and that facilitating offsets without linking them to emission avoidance and reduction will never achieve the levels of overall emissions reductions that are needed.
Greenhouse Gases (GHGs)
Emissions of Carbon Dioxide, Methane, Nitrous Oxide and Fluorinated Gases.
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Mandate
Business dislikes regulation, so in the promotion of SAFs"mandates" are preferred. Mandates are official orders or commissions to have a proportion of SAF in aviation fuel.
Mitigation
"the action of reducing the severity, seriousness, or painfulness of something"
Net-Zero
Net-Zero is being widely used as a target. It combines two different ways of addressing climate change.
Net Zero is theoretically achieved when the two balance. There are a number of dangers with this approach.
Climate scientists: concept of net-zero is a dangerous trap
More: The problem with net-zero emissions targets
Climate scientists: concept of net-zero is a dangerous trap
10 myths about net zero targets and carbon offsetting, busted
Ecologi has a detailed discussion of Net-Zero, including measures to "remove" carbon from the atmosphere including reforestation and afforestation (tree planting); blue carbon, soil carbon sequestration and biochar. Burning biomass is not carbon neutral. The release of greenhouse gases is immediate and adds to climate change - regrowing the trees only removes CO2 over many years. In the short and medium turn, the volume of greenhouse gases has increased.
Net-zero is not the most ambitious sustainability strategy - zero carbon is.
We have known about the causal link between GHG emissions and climate change since 1856 ( Eunice Foote) and 1860 (Tyndall). Procrastination has been our main response, for the last 160 years.
SAF Sustainable Aviation Fuel
There are basically three kinds of SAF, it suits the airlines wanting to pursue business as usual to lump them together.
The problem is that the pursuit of SAFw and SAFb delays the transition to decarbonised aviation -without large government research grants or taxation on aviation fuel there is insufficient incentive to transition to decarbonised aviation
Zero emission
Refers to an engine, motor, process, or other energy source, that emits no waste products that pollute the environment or disrupt the climate.