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NETWORK / 14 / JUNE 2019 DECARBONISATION Achieving net-zero carbon In light of the latest report from the Committee on Climate Change (CCC) Duncan Botting, managing director of Global Smart Transformation, looks at the role and impact that the electricity and gas industry have on others ability to deliver solutions to climate change and considers if the right environment exists to deliver the required outcomes. W ith the latest report from the CCC released the stark reality of the chal- lenge that is before us and the hard decisions we will need to take as society are laid bare. As a power system community, some of our number have been patting themselves on the back and point- ing fingers at other sectors to "do their bit" for carbon dioxide reductions. Are we part of the solution or part of the problem for these other sectors? Can we stand by and point the finger at others? The CCC delivered a hard hitting, realistic and sobering report to parliament and the Scottish Government on 2nd May 2019. The recommendations were clear and unambig - uous and based on hard science and engi- neering facts. We have the technology today, we are still able to meet a net-zero target by 2050 (or 2045 in Scotland) and we all must change our behaviour, not just consumers. It will not be easy, but it is achievable to meet our Paris Agreement goals. With our industry congratulating itself on the achievements of enabling a radical decarbonisation in power generation it is for others in transport, the built environment (heating and cooling) and industry to do their bit now. So how did this playout in the report? Well, congratulations on the initial activity but you are far from complete – was the main thrust of the report. Especially the networks businesses - a quadrupling of infrastructure deployments is needed if the other sectors are to make their contribution to the overall figures. Government and regulators And how about policy makers and regula- tors? They had better be ready to re-think their policies and regulators better be ready to re-open RIIO-ED2 to enable the required