One thing we can do is try to hire more remote workers. Each person that doesn’t need to drive everyday is someone who doesn’t need to emit carbon every day
I'm thinking European levels of rural, where food delivery is possible, don't know if it would be doable at US rural levels though.
In developing ones cities are typically wealthiest more -> CO2 emissions due to higher standard of living.
In first-world cities are more efficient.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2009/mar/23/city-dwe...
Pets do contribute surprisingly a lot of CO2 when you add them up, based on their meat consumption. But it's less than what a human would consume in meat and especially a lot less when you add how much humans transport themselves around.
And they might not drive but a lot of owners like to drive some where to 'walk' their dog. Although considering the levels of obesity, that the exercise might be a net benefit.
Now I don't think dogs or cats cause anything like as much co2 as humans, but it is significant, and given the scale of reductions in co2 required, I think we are probably going to get to a point where large pet ownership is at least questioned.
For many people, pets are family. How do they contribute more co2 than most people, anyway, when they rarely drive?
My dog only sticks around because I feed it. But then that's the same for my partner.
I suppose you could say its some kind of need for companionship? For me and my partner that's evolutionarily good for raising our spawn. But my dog has been genetically bred for 1000s of years for our purposes, maybe for a dog, it's unnatural to love, and a form of genetic enslavement? Maybe they've just learnt they get rewarded when they show 'love'.
Of course theres also the chance that you're anthropomorphising an animal.
There are ways to have a symbiotic relationship with another animal without strict verbal communication. Maybe you just haven't taken the time to learn about your animal and the things that make it unique and worth loving. Because it might already be doing that about you.
I know I wake up every morning to my cat purring on my face and nestling into me and she starts purring the moment I pick her up. She's not sticking around for table scraps.
I used to own rats. If you want to really learn just how emotionally intelligent pets can be, get a pair of those. Some of the most social creatures you'll ever meet.