Jul 30, 2021
Carbon neutrality is a key environmental goal gaining increasing attention in the 21st century. The term drew significant public interest when former Japanese Prime Minister Suga declared in 2020 that Japan would aim to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, establishing a carbon-neutral, decarbonized society.
Carbon neutrality refers to a state in which the amount of carbon dioxide emitted through human activities is balanced by the amount absorbed, resulting in net-zero emissions over the entire life cycle.
As of now, 123 countries—representing approximately 60 % of the global population—have committed to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050, with many announcing large-scale capital investments to meet this goal.
In the United States, former President Joe Biden has pledged to invest $2 trillion over four years in infrastructure development and clean energy initiatives to decarbonize the power sector by 2035 and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.
In China, President Xi Jinping has announced the goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2060. The country is prioritizing the development of decarbonization technologies such as electric vehicles (EVs) and fuel cell vehicles (FCVs), allocating approximately 450 billion yen in subsidies in 2020.
The European Union has also declared its aim to become carbon neutral by 2050, with an interim target of reducing CO2 emissions by at least 55 % compared to 1990 levels by 2030.
Carbon neutrality is a goal not only for countries but also for companies.
Many businesses are striving to achieve carbon neutrality across all stages of their operations, including raw material procurement, manufacturing, supply chains, and the entire product lifecycle.
Companies must begin by assessing their current energy usage and CO2 emissions, then set reduction targets, implement energy-saving measures, and introduce renewable energy sources such as solar or biomass. If these efforts do not fully offset emissions, companies may purchase emission credits to compensate indirectly. By progressing through these steps, businesses can move toward carbon neutrality. Achieving a balance between environmental responsibility and economic viability will further accelerate these efforts.
Yanmar is actively working toward carbon neutrality through biomass power generation and related initiatives. We offer solutions to support our customers in addressing environmental challenges. Please feel free to contact us if you are interested.