iDODDLE PI, Charlie Wilson, was part of a large team of scientists who published new work in Nature Energy that shows how a comprehensive set of demand-focused strategies could reduce CO2 emissions from buildings and transport by 51-85% and 37-91% respectively. The study outlines a mix of promising policy measures, which could help to maximise the benefits. In buildings, measures such as electrifying energy use through heat pumps, improving insulation, and reducing energy demand through behavioural shifts can significantly lower emissions. Similarly, in transport, electrifying vehicles, enhancing efficiency, and promoting the behavioural shift to popularise the use of public transport and cycling can drastically reduce emissions. Many of these measures are enabled by the digitalisation of daily life. The policy implications of the study are summarised in an accompanying policy brief. Net-zero progress and policy is often dominated by how we generate electricity. This new study shows that how we use electricity and other energy resources is both vitally necessary, highly complementary, and massively important in its contributions to reaching net-zero.
Access the full paper here.
