There’s more to net zero than metaphysical anxiety

November 24, 2025

https://johnmenadue.com/post/2025/11/net-zero-and-the-metaphysics-of-anxiety-in-australia/

We have a finite planet with finite resources. The chemistry of those resources requires some absolute, measurable rebalancing to sustain a liveable climate. To preserve a sustainable environment we must achieve absolute reduction of atmospheric carbon pollution. Without setting clear and scientifically credible targets we will never achieve those goals.

The absolute goal that we must achieve hasn’t changed; the scale of that challenge increases day by day as insufficient policy action is taken. As we have seen, over the course of this century and before, the longer governments delay, the bigger the task ahead becomes.

At the end of the day we can achieve a sustainable environment within a range of atmospheric settings; the idea of ‘net zero by 2050’ is simply a clear target to focus global attention.

To ascribe the significance of net zero to metaphysical anxiety downplays the significance of the absolute reality of climate science. This is not a philosophical debate; it’s crucial to passing a liveable world on to our grandchildren.