SCENARIOS FOR REDUCING EMISSIONs
Digital Art on Metal 30" W X 30" H
THE GRAPH
WHAT'S INSPIRING
Reducing carbon emissions from a higher scenario (RCP8.5) to a lower scenario (RCP4.5) can be accomplished with a combination of many technologies and policies. In this example, these emissions reduction “wedges” could include increasing the energy efficiency of appliances, vehicles, buildings, electronics, and electricity generation (orange wedges); reducing carbon emissions from fossil fuels by switching to lower-carbon fuels or capturing and storing carbon (blue wedges); and switching to renewable and non-carbon-emitting sources of energy, including solar, wind, wave, biomass, tidal, and geothermal (green wedges). The shapes and sizes of the wedges shown here are illustrative only.
Source: adapted from Walsh et al. 2014.6
Fourth National Climate Assessment, US Global Change Research Program, Appendix. Frequently Asked Questions, Figure A5.24, DeAngelo, B., J. Edmonds, et al,, nca.2018.globalchange.gov