Compare the Difference Between Similar Terms

Difference Between

Home / Science & Nature / Science / Environmental Science / Difference Between Carbon Neutral and Net Zero

Difference Between Carbon Neutral and Net Zero

December 17, 2019 Posted by Madhu

The key difference between carbon neutral and net zero is that carbon neutral refers to the state of achieving net zero carbon emission, whereas net zero refers to zero carbon dioxide emission.

Carbon neutrality is an important concept in environmental chemistry. It refers to the reduction of carbon dioxide emission in order to prevent global warming. Global warming leads to sudden climate changes that can cause different short-time and long-time disasters.

CONTENTS

1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Carbon Neutral 
3. What is Net Zero
4. Side by Side Comparison – Carbon Neutral vs Net Zero in Tabular Form
5. Summary

What is Carbon Neutral?

Carbon neutral refers to achieving a state of zero carbon dioxide emission. The concept is useful in determining and reducing carbon dioxide emissions associated with transportation, energy, production, agriculture, etc. There are two approaches that can be used to obtain this state: by balancing carbon emissions with carbon removal or by using renewable energy that does not produce carbon emissions.

Difference Between Carbon Neutral and Net Zero

Figure 01: Carbon Emission

Balancing the carbon level by carbon removal is an important approach regarding carbon neutrality. And, this concept includes natural processes which remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere to make some space for the carbon emission elsewhere.

Elimination of carbon emission through using renewable energy is the other approach for carbon neutrality. Typically, renewable energy forms do not produce carbon dioxide at all; for example, wind, solar power, etc. Moreover, this approach involves the reduction of industrial and agricultural carbon emission by making changes to industries, e.g., carbon projects, emissions trading, etc.

Achieving carbon neutrality includes the following steps:

  • Commitment – this step includes the political leadership at a higher level and wide popular agreement for the changes that are suggested for industries.
  • Counting – a crucial step which involves the calculations of carbon emissions in a selected area, considering the particular parameters.
  • Analyzing – the most important step in the cycle of carbon neutrality achievement in which we need to analyze calculated data to get conclusions
  • Action – using an environmental management system to start working towards carbon emission reduction
  • Reduction – via limiting energy consumption and emissions that come from transportation agriculture, etc. and using renewable energy sources
  • Offsetting – using carbon offsets to neutralize a certain volume of greenhouse gases including carbon dioxide
  • Evaluation and repeating – evaluate results to decide the necessary improvements and repeat the process for better results

What is Net Zero?

Net zero refers to the zero carbon dioxide emission. This state can be obtained by balancing a particular amount of carbon released with an equivalent carbon emission offset. It may involve buying enough carbon credits to reduce the difference.

Carbon Neutral vs Net Zero

Figure 02: A Test Building for Zero Energy

For example, a net-zero building is a building having zero net energy consumption. Here, the total energy the building uses per a particular time period should be equal to the renewable energy that is produced during the same time period in that area, which balances the carbon emission.

What is the Difference Between Carbon Neutral and Net Zero?

Carbon neutrality is an important concept in environmental chemistry. Carbon neutrality is important in obtaining the net zero stage. The key difference between carbon neutral and net zero is that carbon neutral refers to the state of achieving net zero carbon emission, whereas net zero refers to zero carbon dioxide emission. The process of achieving the carbon neutrality includes several steps such as commitment, counting and analyzing, action, reduction, offsetting, evaluation and repeating. Meanwhile, we can obtain the state of net zero by balancing a particular amount of carbon released with an equivalent carbon emission offset.

Below infographic shows a summary of the difference between carbon neutral and net zero.

Difference Between Carbon Neutral and Net Zero in Tabular Form

Summary – Carbon Neutral vs Net Zero

Carbon neutrality is an important concept in environmental chemistry. Carbon neutrality is important in obtaining the net zero stage. The key difference between carbon neutral and net zero is that carbon neutral refers to the state of achieving net zero carbon emission, whereas net zero refers to zero carbon dioxide emission.

Reference:

1. “Carbon Neutrality”. Wikipedia.Org, 2019, Available here.
2. Brown, Cameron. “Carbon Neutral Vs. Zero Carbon Vs. Negative Emissions – Cleantech Rising”. Cleantech Rising, 2019, Available here.

Image Courtesy:

1. “1370585” (CC0) via Pxhere
2. “Liginullenergiamaja 1” By Robert Treier – Own work (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia

Related posts:

Difference Between Ozone Depletion vs Global WarmingDifference Between Ozone Depletion and Global Warming Difference Between Food Chain and Food WebDifference Between Food Chain and Food Web Difference Between Convergent and Divergent EvolutionDifference Between Convergent and Divergent Evolution Difference Between Anthropogenic and Natural Climate Change Difference Between Calcite and AragoniteDifference Between Calcite and Aragonite

Filed Under: Environmental Science

About the Author: Madhu

Madhu is a graduate in Biological Sciences with BSc (Honours) Degree and currently persuing a Masters Degree in Industrial and Environmental Chemistry. With a mind rooted firmly to basic principals of chemistry and passion for ever evolving field of industrial chemistry, she is keenly interested to be a true companion for those who seek knowledge in the subject of chemistry.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Request Article

Featured Posts

Difference Between Coronavirus and Cold Symptoms

Difference Between Coronavirus and Cold Symptoms

Difference Between Coronavirus and SARS

Difference Between Coronavirus and SARS

Difference Between Coronavirus and Influenza

Difference Between Coronavirus and Influenza

Difference Between Coronavirus and Covid 19

Difference Between Coronavirus and Covid 19

You May Like

Difference Between Stock Exchange and Stock Market

Difference Between Bearded Collie and Old English Sheepdog

What is the Difference Between Heteromeric G Protein and Monomeric G Protein

What is the Difference Between Heteromeric G Protein and Monomeric G Protein

Difference Between Mycorrhiza and Coralloid Roots

Difference Between Mycorrhiza and Coralloid Roots

Difference Between MB and GB

Latest Posts

  • What is the Difference Between Foundation and BB Cream
  • What is the Difference Between Cybrids and Hybrids
  • What is the Difference Between Hapten and Adjuvant
  • What is the Difference Between Omphalocele and Gastroschisis
  • What is the Difference Between Autonomic and Somatic Reflexes
  • What is the Difference Between Plagiocephaly and Craniosynostosis
  • Home
  • Vacancies
  • About
  • Request Article
  • Contact Us

Copyright © 2010-2018 Difference Between. All rights reserved. Terms of Use and Privacy Policy: Legal.