A primer from the Climate Institute describes the terminology of “carbon jargon” and graphically explains why carbon dioxide and other emissions are considered carbon pollution.
WHY YOU SHOULD TAKE A LOOK:
The way we view, measure, control and price carbon is dominant in climate and energy debates. The Carbon 101 Explainer provides a basic vocabulary to describe the carbon cycle and efforts to make the shift to a low carbon economy.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
There is intense interest in carbon from scientists, economists, companies, governments and communities.
CO2 levels are higher today than at any time in at least the last 800,000 years.
The ingenuity required to move to a prosperous zero-carbon future is readily available. What is lacking is visionary leadership and political will.
A low-carbon development model takes the costs and risks of carbon into full account, embedding them into business, political and community decision-making.
The transition to a zero-carbon economy is about more than just cutting pollution. It is an opportunity to build lasting environmental, economic and social resilience.
Climate action can deliver many benefits, such as improving our connections with each other, with our natural environment and with healthier concepts of the good life.
Low-carbon language is not culture-specific, age-specific or gender-specific. From international negotiators, to corporate investors, to teachers: the value of low-carbon living will need to be universally expressed and understood.
Carbon 101 from The Climate Institute on Vimeo.
