A race against time and against ourselves. Against the dangerous idea that we can’t do this, that there is no way.
Unlike most races, it won’t have one winner. In this race we all win, or we all lose. Winning it requires a radical, unprecedented level of collaboration, from all corners of our world. From our cities, businesses, regions and investors. From people everywhere.
Together we’re racing for a better world. A zero carbon and resilient world. A healthier, safer, fairer world. A world of wellbeing, abundance and joy, where the air is fresher, our jobs are well-paid and dignified, and our future is clear.
To get there we need to run fast, and get faster. We need more and more people to join the race, and right now. This is not about 2050, it’s about today.
Together, we can do this. And we’re already on our way.
The world’s largest coalition of non-state actors taking immediate action to halve global emissions by 2030
Helping deliver a healthier, fairer, net zero world
Race to Zero is a global campaign rallying non-state actors – including companies, cities, regions, financial, educational, and healthcare institutions – to take rigorous and immediate action to halve global emissions by 2030 and deliver a healthier, fairer, net zero world.
Since June 2020, over 13,000 members have joined the campaign and are committed to the same overarching goal: reducing emissions across all scopes swiftly and fairly in line with the Paris Agreement, with transparent action plans and robust near-term targets.
All members must meet robust science-aligned criteria, which was clarified and strengthened through an extensive consultation process in June 2022. Partner initiatives are responsible for helping to bring members to the starting line to credibly race to zero emissions.
Race to Zero mobilizes a coalition of leading net zero initiatives, who are the 26 ‘Partners’ of the campaign. Partners are responsible for managing their members and keeping them in line with their own internal process as well as the Race to Zero criteria.
Over 13,000 non-state members have joined Race to Zero’s Partners, representing over 9,000 companies, 600 financial institutions, 50 regions, 1100 cities, 1100 educational institutions, 70 healthcare institutions and 30 other organisations, to collectively halve global emissions by 2030.
Race to Zero is showing up strong at COP28, and our four priorities are
Showcase real economy, global progress of Race to Zero Partners and members, keeping strong on net-zero and moving from Pledge to Plan.
Create momentum behind a high ambition Global Stocktake outcome that drives collaboration by committing to increase net-zero aligned advocacy to close the policy gap on implementation.
Advance and strengthen key frontiers of net zero transitions, including key topics such as (a) professional service providers and net zero (b) fair share, equity and justice and (c) climate solutions.
Build on experience of the campaign to support UNFCCC in strengthening accountability in the ecosystem.
Race to Zero partner, the Exponential Roadmap Initiative spoke to BT Group about the fourth climate pillar: how the company is influencing climate action in society.
Ørsted: Transforming your business model in line with 1.5°C
Since the late 2000s, Ørsted has taken a holistic approach to climate action, working across the 4 Climate Pillars outlined in the 1.5°C Business Playbook. But more must be done, argues Denmark’s largest energy provider.
Normative: Supporting businesses on their path to net zero
As members of the Exponential Roadmap Initiative, Normative supports the 1.5°C Business Playbook– a guideline for exponential climate action- and are taking action across the 4 Climate Pillars of the Playbook.
Houdini: A holistic formula in the Race to Zero (and beyond)
“Houdini’s vision since 2001 has been, maximum experience, zero impact and beyond. It is what we are working towards with uncompromising commitment and speed since 2001. We apply a holistic formula in the Race to Zero (and beyond), taking action across the 4 Climate Pillars of the 1.5°C Business Playbook”, Eva Karlsson, CEO, Houdini Sportswear.
Ericsson: Digitalization as a driver in the Race to Zero
According to Ericsson’s peer-reviewed research, ICT solutions have the potential to enable 15% emission reductions across industries by 2030, while being responsible for only 1.4% of the global carbon footprint.
How are companies accelerating their commitments to net zero? 6 CEOs share their strategies
Six global business leaders, representing companies that are all members of the Race to Zero, discuss the strategies needed to drive the net-zero transition.
Amongst the UK Government’s Transport Decarbonisation Plan and the Heat & Buildings strategy, the Green Skills Taskforce is due to report this summer on how to deliver three million green jobs in the UK by 2030
15 sectors of global economy shift the dial on climate
With 40 days to go before the pivotal COP26 climate conference in Glasgow this November, over half the sectors that make up the global economy are now committing to halve their emissions within the next decade and achieve near-term emissions reductions targets known as the 2030 Breakthroughs.
Advertising’s leaders set pathway to net zero industry worldwide
Leaders from many of the largest companies and associations in the world’s advertising industry have announced their intent to apply learning from the UK and plan the roll out of Ad Net Zero internationally to major markets
Storebrand Asset Management provide a comprehensive overview of their approach to tackling deforestation, from designing a policy to delivering real-world impact.
GFANZ launches regional network to support climate finance in Africa
GFANZ, a practitioner-led, global coalition of financial sector institutions working to accelerate the world’s transition to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, has announced the formation of its Africa Network and the creation of an Advisory Board to bolster transition finance opportunities on the continent.
A coalition of stakeholders from across the climate action ecosystem have developed a roadmap aimed at steering the fashion industry on a path to a zero carbon future.
H&M Group CEO: Our mission is to make sustainable fashion accessible to all
“The science is clear, business as usual is not an option and the pace we had in the past, cannot be the pace in the years to come,” H&M CEO, Helen Helmersson discusses the company’s race to become circular and climate positive.
Marco Gobbetti: Burberry’s race to climate positive by 2040
Burberry has announced a strategy to protect, restore and regenerate nature, which includes expanding support for farming communities, in line with its commitment to become climate-positive by 2040.
Shirley Rodrigues, Deputy Mayor for Environment and Energy and the Greater London Authority; Catherine McGuinness, Chair of the Policy and Resources Institute at the City of London Corporation; and Georgia Gould, Leader of Camden Council discuss the monumental challenge and opportunity of a net zero London.
Carbon neutral cities: Can we fight climate change without them?
Chatham House Associate Fellow and chartered member of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), Karim Elgendy explores the role of buildings in the race to net zero cities.
Carbon negative by 2030: Meet the healthcare trailblazers
The US healthcare system is responsible for 8.5% of the country’s total greenhouse gas emissions. This year, despite the challenges of COVID19, one of the largest health systems pledged to become carbon negative by 2030.
40 healthcare institutions representing more than 3,000 hospitals and health centres have credibly committed to halve their own emissions by 2030 under the Race to Zero.
The second episode features former F1 World Champion, Nico Rosberg, owner of Extreme E team, Rosberg Xtreme Racing, and Sara Price, who will race for Chip Ganassi Racing in the Extreme E rallies over the course of 2021. Their mission? To demonstrate that high performing motor racing can engage people around the world in the clean transport revolution, with an aim of influencing government and private sector leaders to speed up the transition of the road transport industry.
Race to Zero ‘Partners’ are the pillars under the campaign. They are the funnels through which individual members can join the Race. Partners are independent initiatives, subject to their own governance structures and decision making process. Partners join the Race to Zero campaign out of a shared commitment to driving high ambition non-state actor leadership, to halve emissions by 2030.
Race to Zero has already grown to 13,000+ members over three years, but we can do more to implement and accelerate climate action.
To drive recruitment and create an enabling environment for net zero action, initiatives and networks may wish to support the Race to Zero as Accelerators.
Accelerators commit to aligning with Race to Zero’s criteria; accelerating membership; sharing knowledge, hosting events; engaging with the Race to Zero team and enhancing diversity across regions and sectors.
Accelerators:
Build support for the campaign and encourage non-state actors to join the net zero movement,
Create an enabling environment for net zero implementation,
Enhance the capacity of non-state actors in underrepresented regions,
Over 13,000 members have joined Race to Zero through 29 initiatives and networks – all of which are official Partners of the campaign. Please note there are instances where a member is signed-up to multiple initiatives. All members must meet stringent criteria and are part of the largest ever alliance committed to halving emissions by 2030.
Race to Zero will support Partner Initiatives to continue strengthening their own norms, processes and criteria, based on lessons learned from implementation, informed by the recommendations of the Integrity Matters report, and in line with their own governance, as requested by the UN Secretary General to all net zero initiatives.
The Expert Peer Review Group (EPRG) reviews Race to Zero Partner applications and provides independent recommendations to the Champions on whether initiatives meet the criteria for participation.
UPDATE: Race to Zero to collaborate with UN Climate Change on strengthening accountability and showcasing effective climate leadership: Race to Zero to support UN Climate Change Recognition and Accountability Framework, avoid process duplication, and continue work with partners to drive effective voluntary action across the economy. 31 May 2023.
The High Level Champions have also convened a group of global leaders with a range of expertise and knowledge across regions and sectors to support both Race to Zero and Race to Resilience.
This report is a first joint progress report to reflect on the progress made across two major UN-backed global climate campaigns Race to Zero and Race to Resilience, ahead of COP27. Together, both campaigns rally over 13,000 companies, financial institutions, cities, states, regions and others (referred to as non-State actors) to step up their ambition, put plans in place and scale action on adaptation and resilience and on greenhouse gas emissions reductions. It showcases the actors racing together to make a resilient, zero carbon world a reality.
In this report, 40+ organisations call for a pivot: for all non-state actors to join the Race to Zero; ratchet their policy engagement; and help inform, shape and drive the standards, policies and regulations needed to align with 1.5C (and halve emissions by 2030).
From the launch of the COP28 Presidency and SME Climate Hub partnership to engaging events during New York Climate Week and the progression across our 5P criteria, September has been a pivotal month for the Race to Zero.
It was a busy, but exciting, month for Race to Zero in April, starting with the release of the updated ‘Who’s in’ section. The campaign now has over 11,000 members committed to net zero by 2050.
Race to Zero has initiated two new working groups to address specific areas that will catalyze holistic global action towards halving emissions by 2030.
The Race to Zero acknowledges the significant contributions of Professional Services Firms, such as legal entities, consultancies, and communication agencies, in the global net zero transition. While these entities inherently have low operational emissions, there exists a vast scope of their influential potential. The new “Net Zero for Professional Service Providers Working Group” aims to:
Identify the barriers to implementation.
Establish common principles for effective climate action.
Map the landscape of stakeholders.
Formulate guidelines that resonate with the Race to Zero’s global objectives.
Co-Chairs: Alexis McGivern and Ranjita Rajan.
Alexis McGivern is the Net Zero Standards Manager at Oxford Net Zero. She has a rich academic and professional background that includes being a Pershing Square Scholar at the University of Oxford. Additionally, Alexis has been at the forefront of numerous climate initiatives, such as the Global Youth Climate Training Programme and the 26,000 Climate Conversations initiative.
Ranjita Rajan is an influential voice in the field of sustainability and net-zero transitions. With experience spanning various continents and roles, Ranjita chairs Oxford Global Partnership and serves as a Business Fellow at Oxford University’s Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment.
With a pressing demand for inclusivity in global climate action, the Race to Zero has introduced the “Fair Share, Equity, and Justice Working Group.” This group is poised to ensure that the principles of fairness, equity, and justice are infused into net-zero actions. The primary mission is to highlight best practices and challenges, especially in emerging markets and developing economies, and provide a platform where diverse experiences merge to create actionable strategies for equitable net zero transitions.
Co-Chairs: Ulka Kelkar and Mariana Nicolletti.
Ulka Kelkar is the Director of Climate at the World Resources Institute India. With over two decades of experience, she has been an active participant in various national and international climate policy groups, serving on numerous governmental committees and taskforces.
Mariana Nicolletti leads the climate change adaptation and disaster risk management research at the Centre for Sustainability Studies of FGV. She has a long-standing history of working on mitigation and adaptation projects with different stakeholders and has a special focus on climate justice.
Five steps to get industries on track for net zero
The World Economic Forum’s first Net Zero Industry Tracker, developed in collaboration with Accenture, reveals the scale of the challenge and sheds light on how industries can get on track for net zero.
Company net-zero targets at risk without immediate improvement on deforestation
New analysis, commissioned by the UN Climate Change High-Level Champions, finds a five-fold increase in companies committed to net-zero from the forest, land and agriculture sectors — the second highest emitting industry after energy.
Signals of change: Why a net zero world by 2050 is within reach
Deloitte Climate and Sustainability Consultant, Talal Rafi, explains why with increasing support for environmental sustainability, green investments and climate innovation, key sectors can decarbonize and move towards a net zero.
