Our Net Zero Goals - Fs.usda.gov
USDAUnited States Department of AgricultureOffice of Sustainability & Climate ChangeGetting to Net ZeroA Forest Service GoalWhat is Net Zero?Net zero is a goal to balance what we take from the Earth with what is put back,either by natural systems or by human effort. In many cases that requires not takingas much, or using resources differently. Striving for and achieving net zero allowsus to save money and resources in a meaningful way by reducing waste and usingresources no faster than they can be replenished.Why Try to Achieve Net Zero?The Forest Service is a steward of many of our nation’s most treasured landscapes.These landscapes hold resources people want and need such as clean air andwater, forest products, and recreational opportunities. Moving the Forest Servicetowards net zero is a tool for protecting those landscapes and resources.Our Net Zero GoalsA net zero energy facility works to conserveenergy and produces as much energy on sitethrough renewable resources as it consumes.A net zero waste facility reduces and reuseswaste and converts it to something valuable—like compost or energy—to a point wherenothing goe to the landfill.A net zero water facility limits theconsumption of freshwater resources andreturns water back to the same watershed,not depleting the groundwater and surfacewater resources of that region in quantity andquality over the course of a year.A net zero fleet works to reduce CO2emissions, uses renewable energy generatedon site to charge fleet, and offsets anyadditional CO2 emissions through carbonoffset projects. Waste from a net zero fleet isrecycled and stays out of landfills.ForestServiceWashingtonOfficeMay 2016USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.
Office of Sustainability & Climate ChangeFleetDriving vehicles in the Forest Service uses a lot of energy. This tips the balanceaway from net zero, but we can slow the pace of energy use by carpooling andselecting more efficient vehicles for work trips. True net zero fleet would mean noemissions from construction or use of the Forest Service fleet. Given the difficultyof achieving goal, we are committed to reducing fleet emissions and increasing fuelefficiency with a vision of someday being able to achieve net zero.SPOTlightThe Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center, inMendenhall Valley, Alaska, committed to completingenergy, water, waste, and fleet audits in FY 2015.Their commitment stems from their goal to achievenet zero in Visitor Center operations.Their vision is to have the Center run on on sitegenerated hydropower. This hydropower generatorwould also power a net zero electric fleet. Thewater used to generate this energy and supporteveryday water consumption would only utilize thewater present on site. In addition, they will worktowards zero waste by adopting recycling andcomposting programs.
Office of Sustainability & Climate ChangeWasteIn a successful net zero waste system, trash sent to the landfills is minimal; productsare reused and recycled rather than thrown away. A successful system will alsoconsider the total lifecycle of a product before and after its use, including associatedmanufacturing, distribution, and disposal costs. Therefore, aiming for zero wastealso means looking for packing and shipping materials that can be reduced, reused,and recycled and encouraging manufacturers to take responsibility for the disposalof their products and packaging.Beyond eliminating incineration pollution and landfills, a net zero waste system willultimately result in less resource consumption per product, shift jobs from landfillingto recycling, and create engineering opportunities in the design and manufacturing ofgoods.SPOTlightThe Umpqua National Forest Supervisor’sOffice in Region 6 piloted the net zero WasteGuide. During their waste audit they realizedthey had more trash cans than employees! Theyrepurposed extra trash cans into common arearecycling stations for employees to sort recyclablesfrom trash.The Forest diverted 55 percent of its waste from thelandfill using this system.
Office of Sustainability & Climate ChangeWaterWorking towards net zero water use means staying within the carrying capacityof the natural water system. It means using water to meet human needs whileprotecting the natural environment so that these needs can be met not only in thepresent but also for future generations.The two basic principles of net zero water are 1) water conservation, and 2) reducingcontamination in wastewater.Whether a water use plan focuses on conservation, contamination, or both dependson the ecosystem in which the facility is located. Areas that receive abundant rain orhave access to plenty of surface water may not be concerned about water quantityuse, but may focus more on wastewater and water contamination. Other areas withvery little surface water may need to focus on water conservation.SPOTlightThe Sierraville River RD, Tahoe NF, PacificSouthwest Region is incrementally reducingwater use starting with the easiest target: thelawn watering system. Determining that historicand culture based plants; legacy apple trees anddecades-old flower beds needed to remain, theseareas have been afforded new drip and mulchingsystems.Consultation with local Master Gardeners of Sierraand Plumas counties, and the Forest ServiceLandscape Architect produced viable water savingplans.The key to net zero water use is to be locallyattuned and responsive to local conditions by notconsuming more water than is sustainable withinthe local watershed, and to return clean wastewaterto that same watershed.
Office of Sustainability & Climate ChangeEnergyEverything we do in the Forest Service requires us to take energy from the Earth,but we can choose to take it from more renewable sources, such as solar, wind,biomass, and water. Net zero energy is a concept of energy self-sufficiency basedon minimized demand and use of local renewable energy resources. In principle,a net zero energy unit should reduce its load through conservation and energyefficiency, then meet the remaining load through on-site renewable energy.SPOTlightThe Sierraville Ranger District on the TahoeNational Forest—a Net zero Fellow—pilotedthe net zero Energy Guide during FYs 2013and 2014. They installed a solar furnace ontheir garage, insulated and winterized unusedbuildings, saving 49 percent in electricity and 38percent in propane use.Net Zero is a Forest Service Goal
towards net zero is a tool for protecting those landscapes and resources. A net zero . energy facility. works to conserve energy and produces as much energy on site through renewable resources as it consumes. A net zero . waste facility. reduces and reuses waste and converts it to something valuable— like compost or energy—to a point where
emissions ('net zero emissions') has grown, so has the need for a common understanding on what net zero emissions means and how to achieve net zero goals. Investors are also putting pressure on companies to lay out their plans for reaching net zero emissions and to demonstrate how net zero pathways are integrated into their long-term strategy.4
The Net-Zero riteria are part of the STi’s Net-Zero Standard. The Net-Zero Standard, which entails both the Criteria and forthcoming Net-Zero Guidance, will be finalized by November 2021 in advance of the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26). Public consultation of the Net-Zero Guidance is scheduled to begin in July 2021.
List of Figures, Tables and Boxes Figures 2 Figure S1 Overview of the key nuances of net-zero target implementation approaches 5 Figure S2 Ten basic criteria for net-zero target transparency 14 Figure 1 Internet searches for net-zero emissions 15 Figure 2 Map of cities and regions pursuing net-zero emissions 16 Figure 3 Population of cities and regions with net-zero targets, by geographic region
China net zero and job creation: Potential for the creation of c.40 mn jobs by 2060 33 Laying out the path to a net zero China: A sectoral deep dive 34 China net zero: The role of carbon sequestration 61 China net zero: The potential implications for natural resources demand 64
part of the Army’s Net Zero pilot program and builds on past Net Zero Energy work sponsored by FEMP and supported by NREL. FEMP continues to support the Net Zero program with project implementation strategies. The energy team members at each of the Net Zero Energy pilot sites and some of the staff members from NREL, the Pacific
A Net ZERO INSTALLATION applies an integrated approach to management of energy, water, and waste to capture and commercialize the resource value and/or enhance the ecological productivity of land, water, and air. “The primary goal is a focus toward net zero and when we talk about net zero, it's not only net zero energy, but
Navigating the Net Zero Landscape Global net zero landscape. The recent wave of net zero targets has brought global emissions trajectories closer to the Paris Agreement's 1.5 C goal. As of December 2020, 127 countries have either set net zero emissions targets or declared intentions to do so, representing cumulatively, around 63% of
5 The Road to Net-Zero Finance The AGF's Recommendations for delivering net-zero finance in the UK A. Strategic 1. The UK should commit to be the world's first net-zero financial system 2. Make net-zero projects and plans investable, by increasing the predictability of cash flows and reducing risks through sector pathways, carbon pricing and de-risking
