Why we need to talk about decarbonisation
When I decided to help model Slovakia’s decarbonisation scenarios to 2050 (SAV, 2024) it was not because it was green or popular. I did it because I could see no reasonable alternative in today’s world and we might need to prepare for changing conditions in climate, energy systems, economy and in our personal lives.
Slovenská verzia: Prečo sa vlastne bavíme o dekarbonizácii?
1) What is decarbonisation (a definition so we talk about the same thing)
Decarbonisation means gradually cutting greenhouse gas emissions, especially carbon dioxide, until they reach net zero. These emissions come mainly from burning coal, oil and gas in energy, transport, industry, heating and agriculture. This may sound technical, but it would really be about using less energy and causing fewer emissions in everything we do: from lighting and heating to travel, food, shopping, work and waste. I see it as a way to rebuild our society and our economy more sustainably, so we would not have to rely on fossil fuels that were once cheap and effective, but may now show their limits.
Why might this matter to you?
a) System, markets and infrastructure
Dependence on fossil fuels could bring economic uncertainty because geopolitical events might drive energy prices up and disrupt supplies. Decarbonisation, as shift to a low carbon economy, could open new job opportunities and strengthen competitiveness. Clean energy technologies such as solar panels, electric vehicles and heat pumps are spreading quickly and the global market for them might more than triple by 2030.
We may already feel the effects of climate change. The Paris Agreement aims to limit warming to 1.5 °C above the average for 1850 to 1900. That level of global surface temperatures has been temporarily exceeded in 2024. Extreme weather such as heatwaves, floods or droughts are becoming more common. Those changes might affect nature, public health, the economy. For example, milder winters might lower heating bills but hotter summers could raise the need for cooling and push up household energy costs, increasing the risk of energy poverty.
b) Companies, investors and cities
Consumers and investors decide to choose sustainable options more often. Companies, banks and investors factor in carbon footprints and climate resilience when making decisions. They expect businesses and governments to act responsibly and sustainably.
This creates pressure for modernisation, but at the same time space for innovation and new types of services. For cities this means thinking about transport, air quality, shade and greenery so that it is possible to function normally in them even during heatwaves. It is not only about a tonne of CO₂, but also about how the environment we live in looks and feels.
c) Households and everyday life
As an EU member, Slovakia might join a wider transformation. Under the European Green Deal the EU plans for climate neutrality by 2050 and for a cut of at least 55 % in net greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 compared with 1990. The aim would be that decarbonisation, economic growth and environmental protection go hand in hand.
In practice this will also translate into everyday life – into how we live, how we move around and what bills we pay. This is where decarbonisation often becomes most visible.
3) What decarbonisation might look like in practice
In practice decarbonisation might look like:
- transforming energy, industry, transport, buildings and agriculture towards a net-zero system by 2050. Any remaining emissions would be balanced by active carbon removal from the atmosphere.
- using energy more efficiently through better insulation of buildings, low-emission transport options, more efficient industrial technologies and smarter energy systems.
- moving to renewables such as solar, wind, hydro and geothermal power so that by 2050 large share of our final energy use could come from electricity generated by those sources, supported by stable nuclear power.
- promoting industrial innovation and a circular economy that reduces waste and maximises reuse of materials. Carbon capture, use and storage would play a role in hard to decarbonise sectors such as steel or cement.
- making everyday changes in how we travel, heat our homes or choose our food.
If it is done thoughtfully, it can mean more stable energy bills, more bearable summers in flats and houses and cleaner air, rather than just “bans and restrictions”.
4) Conclusion
You could view decarbonisation as a set of imposed measures. Or, as I would see it, as a more comprehensive approach that could help us build a more resilient and efficient society and bring benefits in the form of cleaner air and a healthier environment.
Though, decarbonisation would involve unavoidable spending. We already pay part of it today in the form of damage from extreme weather, poorer health and improvised repairs to infrastructure. The difference is whether we spend it now on better infrastructure and sustainable systems or spend it later on repairing damage? Thoughtful investment today could help us avoid crisis management tomorrow.
This text is based on the publication Decarbonising Slovakia: Pathways to climate neutrality in 2050, which analysis how a climate-neutral Slovakia around 2050 could function in one specific scenario with technological change, new policies and behavioural changes of all of us.
