Decarbonization in G7 Countries

This article discusses the need for decarbonization in G7 countries and examines the scientific evidence that suggests the need to stabilize warming at 2ºC. It also compares recent progress towards decarbonization in G7 countries and Australia's current policy position. The article evaluates the G7 proposed emission reduction strategies and pledges made at the COP21 meeting and discusses whether full decarbonization is likely to occur by 2070.

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Decarbonization in g7 countries
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Introduction
The G7 countries include Italy, Japan, United Kingdom, United States, Canada,
Germany, and France (Laub & McBride, 2015).They are considered countries with the largest
advanced economies in the world amounting to 58% of the global net wealth, $317 trillion. They
also present more than 46% of purchase power parity.
Increased utilization of coal to produce energy is proportional to increased carbon emissions
thus the need to develop a centralized policy for decarbonization. Citizens also tend to drive
vehicles over long distances, more often by means of rail and live in homes that are spacious
during cold climates. In a large-scale view, it adds up to the extent of carbon emissions (Acaravci
& Ozturk, 2010). Decarbonization is, therefore, the inclusive process undertaken to reduce
carbon emissions and their effects on the environment through integration of different policies.
Despite the media and the actions of mitigating the change in climate being certain, the efforts by
the public to incorporate these in their daily lives is still ambivalent in some countries like USA
and Australia Björnberg, K. E., Karlsson, M., Gilek & Hansson, 2017).
More than 150 governments pledged to adhere to the strategies of carbon emissions
according to the United Nations Climate change conference (COP21, Dec 2015) in Paris
(CLARK & JORGENSON, 2012). The aim of these was to attain a 2% zero net emission rate by
2100. However, there is doubt whether these strategies will help in attaining the zero net
emission in most of the countries in the world (Bildirici, 2014). A more complex version of the
same is to speculate whether the path chosen will be efficient in reducing carbon emissions to the
desired level by 2030.

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To achieve this goal, appropriate decarbonization of the energy systems and zero net
green hose gas emissions is necessary by2070. The G7 countries in exception of the US agreed
to submit their decarbonization plans as stated in the Paris agreement (Chang, 2010).
i) Examine and describe the scientific evidence that suggests we need to stabilize
warming at 2ºC, as given in IPCC AR5 and more recent literature, and describe the
current emissions trajectory for the globe as a whole.
Some of the evidences that show the need to stabilize warming at 2oc include melting of ice in
the Polar Regions from more warming temperatures hence significant rise in the sea levels.
Studies record a high rate of carbon accumulations in the atmosphere leading to further depletion
of the ozone layer (Dovern, Fritsche & Slacalek, 2012). Drastic temperature increment have
been recorded in some parts of the world associated with uncontrolled effects. These scientific
evidences are enough to summon the world of the need to decarbonize (Rockström, Gaffney,
Rogelj, Meinshausen,, Nakicenovic & Schellnhuber, 2017).
ii) Compare and discuss recent progress toward decarbonisation in the G7 countries
and contrast this with Australia’s current policy position.
Germany

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Germany's pathway towards decarbonization focuses on the transition to low-carbon
energy uses to curb emissions from transportation sectors that account for the largest emitters of
GHGs (Steinbacher & Röhrkasten, 2019). Citizens are willing to abandon their vehicles and use
trains, buses, and bikes so as to reduce carbon emission. The state has developed a multi-faceted
policy for the transition of energy sources to more renewable ones (Sadorsky, 2009). it has
implemented strategies that help them work with nations outside the EU. These therefore calls
for collaborations internationally.
Italy
Most of the state's energy is imported in the neighboring countries thus its pathways
towards decarbonization serves to reduce pressure on the ecosystem (Arnold & Gunderson,
2013). The decarbonization pathways in this country contributes to implementation of policies
towards mitigation of climate change and its importance through tilization of three distinct
pathways that could help reduce emissions by 40% in 2030 and 80% in 2050 as compared to
years like 1990.
United States
Through the Energy Policy and Conservation Act, the US government established a
conservation program that gives the Ministry of Energy the power to implement, develop and
revise conservation standards for equipment and appliances. Despite these, US still stands at a
poor strategy of carbon emissions (Jotzo, Depledge & Winkler, 2018).
Canada

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This state embraces the use of zero cultivation to reduce energy in contrary to some of the
conventional methods of farming. The future of the state is, therefore, focused on designing more
intelligent discoveries that help conserve energy. Policies have been implemented to facilitate the
transformation of high carbon emitting provinces to renewable energy generations. This set
down to integrations between electrical interconnections and district energy sectors. It is clear
that all the states have moved from the high-carbon technologies to low-carbon approaches that
include renewables, nuclear power, Carbon Capture and Storage and bioenergy from biomass
feedstocks (Burch, 2018).
France
France has greatly reduced the use of energy from low-carbon sources. These has been
done by diversifying external supplies through vast nuclear programs. France has a significantly
low-carbon mix in electricity issues geared to its nuclear fleet. The state has promoted efficiency
of the SMEs via renewal frameworks that co-fund audits and manages systems regarding energy
issues. The electricity generation is supplemented with natural gas system that acts as a back-up
to the systems of power generation thus a better approach towards carbon neutrality.
Japan
Japan currently has its leaders discussing the measures that should be taken to curb the
effects of carbon emissions. This approach involves both political and social dimensions
undertaken to create awareness about the low-carbon fight within the country. It, therefore,
ignores the technical intractable patterns of receiving public attention (Chang, 2010). The
government is focused on creating plans for coal and extraction plants to boost the transition.

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The japan climate initiative (JSI) works with many companies to achieve carbon neutrality. Its
initiative was to urge the companies to be at the fore-front in mitigating climate change with the
purpose of achieving a decarbonized society as envisioned by the Paris Agreement. The
companies therefore set targets corresponding to the initiative based on science targets that
limited them to the Paris constant target of achieving warming at 1.50c
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom targets reduction of emissions to 34% by 2020 and 80% by 2050 as
recorded in the Climates Act 2008. The government focused on generation of electricity as major
sector claiming that it will greatly reduce carbon emissions just before other sectors of the
economy are considered. As a result, a white paper was published in July 2011 concerning the
reforms in the electricity market. Three initiatives were incorporated; price flow of carbon to
relate to the (EU ETS) European Union Emissions Trading Scheme, standard of performance of
emissions that restrict the public on use of generation forms that are high carbon emitters and
implementation of tariffs that are fed-in to replace the obligations of renewable energy sources.
The state also developed policies for industrial, commercial and transportation sectors in an
aim to conserve energy while reducing emissions through the rational Energy conservation law
(ECL) (Geels, Sovacool, Schwanen & Sorrell, 2017).
(iii) Critically evaluate the G7 proposed emission reduction strategies and pledges made

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at the COP21 meeting and discuss whether full decarbonization is likely to occur by
2070.
The strategies and pledges proposed by the G7 countries made at the COP21 meeting also
targeted the rich countries to help them transition to low-carbon energy levels (Tao, Zhang, Tao,
Xian & Sun, 2017). Most of the G7 countries pledged to transform from high-carbon emitting
energy sources to low carbon emitting ones. Based on these, there is a likelihood of attaining the
decarbonization goal by 2070 (Hudson, Kokotsis & Kirton, 2017).
Is Australia decarbonizing?
Just like the G7 countries, Australia has a pathway for deep decarbonization while
maintaining its economy breakthrough.( references) Reports have it that Australia has one of the
best strategies towards decarbonisation. The state government reported that Australia’s target to
reduce emissions places it among nations that are comparable with other states. However,
independent records show that Australia’s strategy still lags behind compared to other nations in
the world.
How much decarbonisation has been made in Australia?
Much decarbonisation has been made in Australia currently making it the best of the largest
economies in the world. Reports have it that when the strategy is maintained at 4.7% annually,
the 2030 target is likely to be hit. Despite these, a plan that is comprehensive still lacks in
businesses that aim at reducing carbon emissions beyond 2.55 billion dollar fund. Australia is

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still overwhelmed with coal utilization approaches to suit their energy production needs up to
almost 94% of the energy demands (Lederer, Rogelj, Elzen, Kejun, & Huppmann, 2018)
Examine Australian Current Policy position?
Australia is also focused to attain a zero carbon energy system before 2050 thus called for
implementation of decarbonization policies at different ministries like the electricity sector in a
quest to reduce the amount of carbon emissions (Papas, 2018). The electricity section was highly
targeted because it served as the largest source of national and global emissions aside its use
being highly known and depended on. Australia has a large number of solar panels in royal farm
around the Canberra area to harness solar energy. The federal government has implemented a
strategy to reduce coal use to produce energy.
Conclusion
In relation to the text, it is clear that most countries are headed towards decarburization
strategies that aim at 2% zero net emissions in coming centuries. These thus calls for an efficient
system of policies to counter the extensive effects of the menace.

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