International Reducing CO2 Emissions Day is a holiday that’s observed annually on the 28th of January.  As the name of this holiday insinuates, this is a day for everyone to try to reduce their carbon footprint.

The goal of this holiday is to show people that it is easier than they think to reduce the amount of CO2 they pump into the atmosphere every year, and if they can do it on this one day of the year, then they can most likely do it every day of the year. In other words, this holiday is merely a starting point for people who want to be friendlier to Mother Earth.

The History Of International Reducing CO2 Emissions Day

Scientists have known about the effects of CO2 on the atmosphere for over 100 years now. Early scientists such as Svante Arrhenius knew that adding more and more CO2 into the atmosphere would eventually lead to the greenhouse effect and alter the planet’s temperature. Even so, real action on climate change wasn’t taken up until the 1990s.

In 1997, the Kyoto Protocol was signed. This was considered to be a good first step, even though it didn’t go nearly far enough to curb climate change. In 2015, the Paris Agreement was adopted and this legally bound 196 countries to a global commitment to limit global warming and combat climate change. The goal of this agreement was to achieve a CO2-neutral planet by 2050. Unfortunately, we’re not currently close to achieving that goal.

This holiday was created after the Paris Agreement to encourage everyone to reduce their current carbon footprint. Even though large companies and governments are the main drivers of climate change, people can make a difference by making simple changes to their lifestyles. This can be done simply by upgrading your heating system to a more modern and economical one, using low-energy lighting, reducing the amount of trash produced, and recycling when possible.

Observing International Reducing CO2 Emissions Day

Everyone is encouraged to reduce their carbon footprint and help the planet achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. In the previous section, we’ve listed some tips for doing just that, but we’ll add a few more in this section.

People can reduce their carbon footprint by using energy-efficient appliances, insulating their homes, reducing the amount of meat they consume, and switching to electric vehicles. On this holiday, we also encourage people to spread the word about this holiday far and wide. That can easily be done simply by using the hashtag #InternationalReducingCO2EmissionsDay on social media.