Recently, we have often heard the terms Carbon Neutral and Net Zero used interchangeably. Carbon Neutral refers to the state where the amount of carbon dioxide emitted into the atmosphere equals the amount absorbed back through forests or other methods, such as Carbon Capture and Storage.

On the other hand, the term Net Zero, which many people simply refer to as Net Zero, is often understood to mean Net Zero Carbon Dioxide. However, the deeper meaning of Net Zero encompasses not just carbon dioxide but also refers to Net Zero Greenhouse Gases Emission (Net Zero GHGs), which means not emitting greenhouse gases (GHGs) that impact global warming. There are several types of greenhouse gases, but the ones specified in the Kyoto Protocol include seven as follows:

  1. Carbon Dioxide (CO2) - This gas is produced from the combustion of various fuels, such as from internal combustion engines and coal burning.
  2. Methane (CH4) - This gas is generated from agricultural activities, livestock, and landfill waste.
  3. Nitrous Oxide (N2O) - This gas is produced from the combustion of various fuels, such as from internal combustion engines and coal burning.
  4. Perfluorocarbons (PFCs) - These gases are generated from industrial processes in aluminum production and the electronics industry.
  5. Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) - These gases are found in refrigerants used in cooling devices.
  6. Nitrogen Trifluoride (NF3) - This gas is found in the electronics industry, particularly in the production of LED displays and solar panels.
  7. Sulfur Hexafluoride (SF6) - This gas is manufactured for use in the industrial sector.

Efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions are included in the “Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs)”, which is a crucial mechanism to achieve the Paris Agreement aimed at limiting greenhouse gas emissions resulting from human activities. The amount of greenhouse gases that each country can reduce can be calculated in units of carbon dioxide equivalent tons (tCO2eq) for reporting and calculating carbon credits.