net zero

[net zeer-oh]

noun

1. the condition of producing no more greenhouse gas emissions than are removed, reabsorbed, or offset.

   Our goal is net zero even if that is not yet precisely attainable.

adjective

1. Also net-zero relating to, producing, or resulting in no overall increase in negative environmental impacts, such as energy consumption, greenhouse gas emission, or water use.

   The possibility of achieving net zero emissions by 2050 remains affected by many uncertainties.

   Net-zero apartment buildings have become highly desirable in urban settings.

   Attracting investors is a major incentive for adopting a net-zero business model.

Word History and Origins

Origin of net zero¹

First recorded in 1985–90

Example Sentences

Ministers have pledged to reach net zero - the point where we're adding no more carbon dioxide to the atmosphere – by that date.

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The chair of the government's Energy Security and Net Zero Select Committee said "parts of the sector that are making healthy profits" should contribute towards the debt.

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A survey report commissioned by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero highlighted what it called an ''immediate risk to the fabric of the building and health of the occupant''.

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In a statement, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero said that the residents of Fishwick and Chilton had been ''let down by poor installation''.

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Nigel Farage’s insurgent Reform UK party is winning over Labour voters by heaping scorn on net zero.

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