To keep global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius over pre-industrial levels, net zero emissions must be achieved by the middle of this century. This implies that in less than three decades, we must reverse more than a century of growing emissions and reduce yearly emissions to near zero, while actively extracting carbon from the atmosphere to balance out all remaining unavoidable emissions.
Individuals must do everything possible to reduce our usage of fossil fuels in order to assist accelerate this process. However, many people are unaware of the most efficient methods for doing so. Fortunately, the current report by the UN climate change panel IPCC devotes a chapter to all of the ways in which behavioral changes might hasten the transition to net zero.
The chapter provides an examination of 60 specific activities that can aid in the battle against climate change, based on research performed by Diana Ivanova at the University of Leeds, to which I participated.
These acts were divided into three categories: avoiding consumption, moving consumption, and improving consumption (making it more efficient). The graphics below, created for the IPCC report, demonstrate what we discovered.
What to avoid
Transport is by far the most effective item to avoid. Living without a car saves an average of 2 tonnes of CO2 emissions per person per year, while skipping a single long-distance return travel saves an average of 1.9 tonnes. That is the equivalent of driving an average EU automobile from Hamburg, Germany to Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia and back.
Because the great majority of the world's population does not fly at all, and just a tiny fraction of those who do travel regularly, flyers may significantly reduce their carbon footprints with each flight they skip.
What to shift
But living sustainably is more than just giving up goods. Shifting to a different method of doing things can result in significant savings in emissions. Because driving is so harmful, switching to public transportation, walking, or cycling may make a huge difference, with additional advantages for your own health and local air pollution levels.
Similarly, transitioning to more sustainable diets may significantly lower your carbon footprint due to the high emissions connected with meat and dairy, notably those produced by farming sheep and cows. A completely vegan diet is the most efficient method to do this, although moving from beef and lamb to pork and chicken can result in significant savings.