How soon can we go carbon zero?
Scientists agree – if we want to stop global warming, we need to cut our CO2 emissions fast. So how soon can the planet achieve carbon zero?
This month activists all over the world have taken over city centres, demanding urgent action to halt climate change. They say we need to eliminate all carbon emissions by 2025. Most people think that’s impossible. But scientists are warning that if we want to stop global warming, we need to cut our CO2 emissions fast. So how soon can the planet achieve carbon zero?
Helen Grady speaks to:
Chukwumerije Okereke, professor in Environment and Development at Department of Geography and Environmental Science, University of Reading and director of the Centre for Climate Change and Development, Alex Ekwueme Federal University (AE-FUNAI), Ndufu-Alike, Ebonyi state, Nigeria; Mercedes Maroto-Valer, Director of the Research Centre for Carbon Solutions at Herriot Watt University in Edinburgh, Scotland; Roger Pielke Junior, Professor at the University of Colorado; Rachel Moncrief, deputy director at the International Council on Clean Transportation
Producer: Beth Sagar-Fenton
(Photo: Wind turbines in California USA. Credit: David McNew/Getty Images)
Last on
Broadcasts
- Thu 7 Nov 201903:06GMTBBC World Service Europe and the Middle East & West and Central Africa only
- Thu 7 Nov 201904:06GMTBBC World Service Online & UK DAB/Freeview only
- Thu 7 Nov 201906:06GMTBBC World Service Australasia, Americas and the Caribbean & South Asia only
- Thu 7 Nov 201907:06GMTBBC World Service East and Southern Africa & East Asia only
- Thu 7 Nov 201914:06GMTBBC World Service Australasia
- Thu 7 Nov 201915:06GMTBBC World Service except Australasia, East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa
- Thu 7 Nov 201918:06GMTBBC World Service East and Southern Africa, South Asia & West and Central Africa only
- Thu 7 Nov 201920:06GMTBBC World Service Australasia, Online, Americas and the Caribbean, UK DAB/Freeview & Europe and the Middle East only
- Thu 7 Nov 201921:06GMTBBC World Service News Internet & East Asia only
- Sat 9 Nov 201917:06GMTBBC World Service News Internet
- Mon 11 Nov 201900:06GMTBBC World Service East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa only
- Mon 11 Nov 201909:06GMTBBC World Service except East and Southern Africa & East Asia
- Sat 11 Jan 202017:30GMTBBC Radio 4
Featured in...
![]()
Life in the climate crisis—The Inquiry
What impact is climate change having on our world - and what will it mean for the future?
Podcast
![]()
The Inquiry
The Inquiry explores the trends, forces and ideas shaping the world


