This guide is for those that want to know how to tackle the nature and climate crisis.
It details how personal action can help achieve global goals to restore nature and stabilise climate.
You will learn the why, what and how of living net positive.
Why is it important to live net positive?
We have a straightforward choice: either help the planet heal, or continue living a polluting life that destroys nature and makes much of our planet uninhabitable.
To help the planet heal we need to align our lives with global goals for nature and climate. If we all did this we would stabilise our climate and restore nature. Making a plan and following it allows us to be on the right side of history where we can say to the next generation – “I took every action I could to make a better world”.
Even though many feel the government and big business should tackle these issues, they simply are not providing the answers. Annual global emissions and impact on nature increases every year even though most countries have signed agreements to do the exact opposite. This is because politicians and businesses fear these longer term decisions will lose them votes or investment.
Individuals have an important role in enabling social and political change. Changing individual behaviour paves the way for others to follow suit. Making an active decision to alter choices, whilst sharing those choices, will help influence those around us and society as a whole.
Living net positive is also the best way to stop worrying about the planet. Everyone avoids these feelings by; rationalising, displacing, suppressing, denying, or simply being apathetic (click here to learn more). The most effective way to alleviate worry is to take action to help make a better world!
Being net positive allows us to stop feeling worried as we’re now contributing to the solution. We can influence our friends and family resulting in a ripple of action to enable change from business leaders and politicians.
Sign up here to start your net positive journey
What is a net positive life for nature and climate?
Global leaders have agreed to halve carbon emissions and restore 30% of land to nature by 2030, and be at net zero by 2050. These science based targets will restore nature and stabilise climate change.
A net positive life aligns with these ambitions by using the country’s baseline carbon emissions, and then setting achievable forward looking targets.
Targets to Live a Net Positive Life that Align with Global Goals
| * | 2030 | 2040 | 2050 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carbon emissions** | >50% reduction | >75% reduction | Carbon negative |
| Land given back to nature*** | >50% of land | >60% of land | >70% of land |
**These targets have been set for Western countries, where per person, there is a disproportionate impact on nature and climate when compared with developing countries or the average. It is most important that these countries lead on the change – when establishing targets for other countries a different methodology is needed.
***Globally 37% of land is used for agriculture, 2% is developed upon, 15% is under conservation measures, with the rest held by indigenous people or in transition.
To live a net positive life:
- A plan that aligns with global objectives is needed.
- Adjustments required by the plan need to be followed through so each person can achieve objectives.
- People should use their plan to encourage others to make their own changes thus promoting a net positive society.
Being net positive means our lives are helping tackle the climate and nature crisis, rather than contributing to the problem.
All we need to do is make a plan and follow it through.
Click here to make your own NetPositiveLife plan.
How to make a net positive life plan?
Now that you want to align your life with global goals for nature and climate, we thought it would be useful to tell you how!
To make a net positive life plan, we need to calculate our footprint on nature and climate in all areas of our lives (food, home, transport, things you buy, services and financial impact). Then we need to figure out how we will reduce the impact from these areas by plotting out actions to 2030.
When we first did this it took ages! This is why we created the NetPositiveLifeApp. We put all the expertise from our team into this project, resulting in the first and only tool that allows you to plan a net positive life. It’s taken us over five years to develop this tool, and now it’s yours so you can utilise our expertise.
On the app, you receive the average carbon footprint of a UK citizen and then you plot the actions you’ve already taken and those you plan to take. When you’re not sure about an action, you can learn more through helpful information or videos we’ve found for you. The app informs you about the impact of those decisions, and gives you a graph showing how you are doing on your journey to net positive. The other amazing part is we also cost your actions allowing you to financially plan for those decisions, whilst seeing expected cost savings.
Here’s a summary of the amazing tools on the NetPositiveLifeApp – allowing you to align your life with global goals on nature and climate – your way:
🌱🔍 Carbon and nature life audit – breaking down impact in each area of life.
📈🤓 Real impact life actions – scientifically researched.
📰🎥 Curated ‘how to’ information – articles and videos, to support choices.
💡⭐️ Tips and support – inbuilt tips and supportive digital encouragement.
🗺️💷 Journey mapping – costing your choices
🤝📢 Social sharing – encourage your friends and family by sharing your plan.
👨👩👧👦 Group accounts – get family, company or group accounts for collective impact.
Make your tailored net positive life plan through the NetPositiveLifeApp.
Get tips, support, and journey mapping, as well as social sharing tools to show your commitment to nature and climate, whilst encouraging others.
