Climate neutral

Synonyms: CO2 neutral, Netto 0

Climate neutral (also CO2 neutral or Net 0) is a term that does not originate from the world of glaciology, but has a significant influence on it.

Climate-neutral means that no more greenhouse gases (CO2, methane, nitrous oxide, etc.) may be released than can be bound at the same time.

The example of GletscherVergleiche.ch (this project) is used to show what this means. GletscherVergleiche.ch is unfortunately anything but climate-neutral.

The following points of GletscherVergleiche.ch are not climate-neutral today (2023):

Equipment
At the glaciers we need the following equipment: camera, lenses, tripod, drone, GPS, etc.
Clothing
On the hikes to the glaciers, we wear mountain clothing, mountain boots and sunglasses. We use walking poles for crossing glacier streams. We carry drinks in water bottles.
Journey
We reach the starting points of the extensive hikes to the glaciers by car or public transport.
Foodstuffs
On the hikes to the glaciers, we have to eat and drink from time to time.
Post-processing
The processing of the comparative photos, panoramic photos and reports is carried out with the help of various software. The software is run on a computer.
Betrieb der Website
The web server on which GletscherVergleiche.ch (this website) is operated is located in a data centre.
Visitors to GletscherVergleiche.ch
Visitors to GletscherVergleiche.ch access GletscherVergleiche.ch via the Internet. They do this using a device such as a desktop, tablet, smartphone, etc. The Internet consists of a large number of devices. The operation of the Internet requires infrastructure (e.g. buildings, shafts, etc.), which first had to be built and now has to be maintained (usually with cars/delivery vans).

All of the above points have one thing in common: greenhouse gases are released through development, production, packaging, transport, operation, maintenance, further development and/or disposal. In the case of GletscherVergleiche.ch - as in many other cases - no greenhouse gases are bound at the same time.

What does the above example show?

Today, it is hardly possible to develop, operate, etc. in a climate-neutral way
The path to climate neutral / CO2 neutral by 2050 is a Herculean task that requires rapid action and will be anything but a walk in the park. The measures taken to date are not sufficient to achieve this goal.
Today, the term climate neutral is often used misleadingly.
The term climate neutral is used today for the marketing of services and products. Such services and products must be critically scrutinised. The dubious use of the term climate neutral gives the impression of something that is not true in every case and hinders efforts to achieve genuine climate protection. This could be remedied if different, clearly defined categories of climate neutral were created. One category could, for example, describe a service that is operated with (largely) climate-neutral electricity.

By changing behaviour (= reducing emissions), increasing efficiency and technological progress, it should be possible to achieve net zero by 2050. However, only if everyone (society, politics, business, science, etc.) works quickly and consistently towards this goal.

Action should be taken in such a way that the environment and nature are not negatively affected and the few intact and natural landscapes and habitats (including biocoenoses) are left as they currently are.

In our opinion, it is also important to keep looking far ahead and back and asking ourselves whether the planned measures will not lead to new problems. As has been the case from time to time in the past.

Published: 09.12.2023

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