COP21 Q&A: What Is GHG Emissions Neutrality in the Context of the Paris Agreement?

The document defines GHG emissions neutrality as achieving net zero anthropogenic GHG emissions from all sectors, primarily through reductions and balancing remaining emissions with removals or negative emissions. It distinguishes this from carbon neutrality, which only addresses carbon dioxide. To limit warming to below 2 degrees C, CO2 emissions must reach net zero between 2060 and 2075, and total GHG emissions between 2080 and 2090. For a 1.5 degrees C limit, CO2 must reach net zero between 2045 and 2050, and total GHGs between 2060 and 2080. Achieving this requires a zero-carbon transformation, including increasing the low-carbon energy share in the electricity sector to over 80 percent by 2050 and phasing out unabated fossil-fuel use this century.

• GHG emissions neutrality is defined as net zero anthropogenic GHG emissions across all sectors, achieved primarily by reducing emissions to near zero and balancing any remainder with removals or negative emissions technologies.
• GHG neutrality differs from carbon neutrality because it encompasses all greenhouse gases, including methane, whereas carbon neutrality only addresses carbon dioxide. In 2012, non-CO2 greenhouse gases accounted for 23% of emissions.
• The timeframes for reaching net zero vary by temperature goal: for a 2 degrees C limit, CO2 must hit net zero between 2060-2075 and total GHGs between 2080-2090; for a 1.5 degrees C limit, CO2 must hit net zero between 2045-2050 and total GHGs between 2060-2080.
• Achieving GHG neutrality requires a systemic zero-carbon transformation. In most IPCC stringent mitigation scenarios for a 2 degrees C limit, the electricity sector's low-carbon energy share must rise from 30 percent to over 80 percent by 2050, and unabated fossil-fuel use must end this century.

APA

World Resources Institute (2015). COP21 Q&A: What Is GHG Emissions Neutrality in the Context of the Paris Agreement? https://www.wri.org/insights/cop21-qa-what-ghg-emissions-neutrality-context-paris-agreement

Chicago

World Resources Institute. COP21 Q&A: What Is GHG Emissions Neutrality in the Context of the Paris Agreement? 2015. https://www.wri.org/insights/cop21-qa-what-ghg-emissions-neutrality-context-paris-agreement.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Resources Institute |title=COP21 Q&A: What Is GHG Emissions Neutrality in the Context of the Paris Agreement? |date=11 December 2015 |url=https://www.wri.org/insights/cop21-qa-what-ghg-emissions-neutrality-context-paris-agreement |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldresourcesinstitute2015cop21, author = {{World Resources Institute}}, title = {{COP21 Q\&A: What Is GHG Emissions Neutrality in the Context of the Paris Agreement?}}, institution = {World Resources Institute}, year = {2015}, month = dec, url = {https://www.wri.org/insights/cop21-qa-what-ghg-emissions-neutrality-context-paris-agreement}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }