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.
The global stocktake will provide critical information for countries and stakeholders to see what progress has been made on meeting the Paris Agreement goals, as well as identify any remaining gaps and opportunities for increased action.
Direct air capture could be a solution for combatting carbon emissions that are hard to avoid – like those from certain industries – and for removing carbon that has been emitted over past decades.
The NHS – which makes up 4% of the UK’s total carbon footprint – is aiming to reach net zero by 2045. If it succeeds, it’s likely to become the world’s first healthcare system to do so.
The more we delay action, burn fossil fuels and destroy nature, the more brutal climate change will become, according to the latest IPCC scientific report on mitigating climate.
