We’re in a Race.
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’ll be 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.
Race To Zero is a global campaign to rally leadership and support from businesses, cities, regions, investors for a healthy, resilient, zero carbon recovery that prevents future threats, creates decent jobs, and unlocks inclusive, sustainable growth.
All members are committed to the same overarching goal: halving emissions by 2030 and achieving net zero emissions as soon as possible – and by 2050 at the very latest.
It mobilizes a coalition of leading net zero initiatives, representing now over 3,500 members including 23 regions, 708 cities, 2,162 companies, 571 higher education institutions, and 127 investors, alone making up over 15% of the global economy. These ‘real economy’ actors join 120 countries in the largest ever alliance committed to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050 at the latest. Net zero commitments globally now cover at least 68% of the global economy (US$84,575 billion), 56% of the global population (over 4.2 billion people), and 61% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
Led by the High-Level Climate Champions for Climate Action – Nigel Topping and Gonzalo Muñoz – Race To Zero mobilizes actors outside of national governments to join the Climate Ambition Alliance, which was launched at the UNSG’s Climate Action Summit 2019 by the President of Chile, Sebastián Piñera.
The objective is to build momentum around the shift to a decarbonized economy ahead of COP26, where governments must strengthen their contributions to the Paris Agreement. This will send governments a resounding signal that business, cities, regions and investors are united in meeting the Paris goals and creating a more inclusive and resilient economy.
Individual actors (such as regions, cities, businesses and investors) are invited to join an initiative or network, which is an official Race to Zero partner. By joining one of the partners they will be directly included in Race to Zero.
Actors can currently join through the following partners:
Businesses: Business Ambition for 1.5 C, B Corporation, Business Declares, The Climate Pledge, SME Climate Hub, Exponential Roadmap Initiative, Business Declares and Pledge to Net Zero.
Chambers of Commerce: International Chamber of Commerce Chambers Climate Coalition
Cities: RED Argentina de Municipos Frente al Cambio Climatico, ICLEI’s Climate Neutrality Framework
Sectoral initiatives: Health Care Without Harm, Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action, Water UK, and International Wineries for Climate Action.
Investors: UN-convened Net-Zero Asset Owner Alliance, Net-Zero Asset Managers Initiative, Paris Aligned Investment Initiative, UN-Convened Net Zero Banking Alliance
Regions/States: Under2Coalition
Country-wide: Japan Climate Initiative Race to Zero circle
Universities: Global Universities and Colleges for the Climate, Second Nature
Join the Race to Zero. Because we can do this, together. And we’re already on the way.
It was a perfect storm of circumstances that propelled Barbados to begin driving an exemplary and entirely sensible green energy revolution: a convergence of appealing prices, industry and finance support and favourable legislative reforms.
In the race against climate change, every fraction of a degree by which the global temperature rises counts. Every country – and every business – must bring the best they have to this race with the shared goal of winning it, argues María Mendiluce, CEO of the We Mean Business Coalition.
The only way to reverse some of these catastrophic patterns, and to regain a kind of stability in climate and weather systems, is “climate repair”, argues David King & Jane Lichtenstein from the University of Cambridge.
The heavy industry and long-distance transport sectors hold the key to avoiding the worst impacts of climate change. Show that we can decarbonize these, and we can decarbonize the whole global economy, argue Faustine Delasalle, Co-Executive Director, Mission Possible Partnership & Anthony Robert Hobley Co-Executive Director, Mission Possible Partnership.