Decarbonising everything is impossible – here’s why

Tuesday 26 May 2026
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The global conversation about net zero has focused almost entirely on energy and fossil fuels, with concern centred on the emissions released when they are burned. Yet this perspective overlooks a significant share of fossil fuel use. Approximately 15–20% is never combusted at all; instead, it is transformed into the physical fabric of modern life, including plastics, polymers, fertilisers, adhesives, solvents, and synthetic textiles. When these products are eventually discarded, their carbon returns to the atmosphere, contributing to global warming in a way that is both real and growing—yet still largely absent from mainstream net zero accounting.

Read more in The Conversation