Toward Net Zero: How North America Can Lead with Pragmatism and Partnership

The idea of achieving net zero emissions by 2050, where the carbon we emit is balanced by the carbon we remove, isn’t just a government buzzword. It’s a shared vision for a healthier, more sustainable future across North America.

But how we get there matters more than lofty headlines or idealistic deadlines.

In Canada, Robert Lyman, a seasoned energy economist, has become one of the most prominent critics of the current net zero pathway. In the U.S., former White House Climate Advisor Gina McCarthy and Princeton energy modeler Jesse Jenkins offer a framework-focused, data-driven roadmap that blends ambition with realism.

So what happens when we blend these voices, one cautious, the other progressive? We get a balanced blueprint for achieving net zero that doesn’t collapse under its own weight.

🧭 The Two Views: Realism Meets Structure

Robert Lyman’s Canadian Perspective
Lyman warns that Canada’s net zero plans are riddled with unrealistic assumptions, massive cost projections, and threats to grid reliability. He’s not anti-environment, he’s pro-feasibility. His message: if we push too fast, too hard, we risk economic backlash, public distrust, and energy instability.

“One does not pursue goals like this because they offer measurable benefits, one does so for symbolic or ideological reasons.” Robert Lyman

McCarthy and Jenkins’ U.S. Framework
Gina McCarthy, by contrast, sees net zero as achievable, if we align governments, markets, and communities. She emphasizes smart regulation, business accountability, and measurable milestones. Jenkins adds to this with Princeton-led models showing that decarbonization is technically feasible, as long as it’s paired with grid investment, innovation, and equity.

“You can’t manage what you don’t measure. That’s how we drive accountability across the system.” Gina McCarthy
“We need clean electricity, efficient buildings, electrified transport, and clean industry, all at once.” Jesse Jenkins

🔍 What They Agree On

Despite their different tones, all three experts agree on four core principles:

1. Grid Resilience Must Come First
   You can’t decarbonize power without investing in reliability. That means batteries, smart grids, regional interconnections, and clean-firm power like hydro, nuclear, or geothermal.

2. Buildings Are Ground Zero for Change
   Passive House and LEED standards reduce energy use by up to 90 percent. This is the low-hanging fruit, affordable, scalable, and a public health win.

3. Policy Must Be Transparent and Phased
   Both Canada and the U.S. need to move in stages, not with sweeping mandates, but with realistic targets and funding structures the public can support.

4. People Need to Be Part of the Plan
   Energy transitions succeed when citizens understand the why and the how. Education, retrofit support, and household incentives are essential to avoid backlash.

🇺🇸🇨🇦 A Continental Blueprint for Net Zero

Imagine if North America acted together, not with identical laws, but with coordinated strategy and shared goals. Here’s what that could look like:

1. A North American Clean Energy Grid

• Canada exports hydro to U.S. states

• U.S. states export solar and wind to Canada’s eastern grid

• Joint planning ensures reliability, peak load balancing, and job creation

2. Shared Building Code Reform

• Harmonize Passive House and LEED adoption

• Bulk discounts for materials, labor training, and compliance

• Retrofit targets tied to tax credits and property value benefits

3. Transparent Emissions Tracking

• One standardized dashboard for emissions by province and state

• Real-time public visibility into progress

• Independent audits and course correction protocols

4. Public Buy-In Through Financial Literacy

• Citizens understand energy bills, emissions, and choices

• Net zero becomes a household value, not just a policy

• Fund retrofit kits, EV grants, and home energy coaching

🔧 What Needs to Change Now

For Canada:

• Simplify climate regulations to avoid policy stacking

• Invest in building codes and public education before carbon taxes

• Empower municipalities to lead, not just follow federal policy

For the U.S.:

• Protect clean energy investments from political swings

• Scale Jesse Jenkins’ four-pillar plan: clean electricity, electrified transport, efficiency, and industry

• Treat grid infrastructure as national security infrastructure

✅ A United Front for a Better Future

Net zero isn’t a pipe dream. It’s a practical destination, if we get the roadmap right.

Robert Lyman reminds us to avoid ideology without economics. Gina McCarthy and Jesse Jenkins show us how to match ambition with structure.

Together, their insights form a continental call to action: build smart, stay transparent, phase change, and empower people.

It’s time for Canada and the U.S. to lead the world, not just in setting goals, but in getting them done.