What is the race to zero?
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.
It mobilizes a coalition of leading net zero initiatives, representing 1,049 cities, 67 regions, 5,235 businesses, 441 of the biggest investors, and 1,039 Higher Education Institutions. These ‘real economy’ actors join 120 countries in the largest ever alliance committed to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050 at the latest. Collectively these actors now cover nearly 25% global CO2 emissions and over 50% GDP.
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.
The UN High-Level Champions for Climate Action – Gonzalo Muñoz and Nigel Topping – with the Race to Zero Partners have opened a public consultation calling for written submissions to help shape the future of the Race to Zero campaign.
The purpose of this consultation is to help implement member commitments and strengthen the campaign beyond COP26 to accelerate the transition to a zero carbon economy. This written submission form is therefore seeking feedback around are four key areas for enhancement:
- The creation of verifiable plans;
- Tracking action and measuring impact;
- Encouraging positive policy to ensure integrity;
- Supporting members and holding them accountable to their commitments.
Each actor and institution is welcomed to reflect upon the contributions they can offer and the functions they can perform to halve emissions by 2030 and accelerate the shift towards a 1.5C aligned trajectory. In particular, feedback is sought from developing country stakeholders to continue broadening the reach and impact of the campaign.
The process for the public consultation is as follows:
- The High-Level Climate Champions, the UNFCCC and the Expert Peer Review Group, with the support of the Race to Zero Partners, opened the consultation through a public session on Wednesday, 23 June at 17:00 BST.
- Written submissions are welcomed from Wednesday, 23 June, 18:00 BST until Friday, 3 September, 12:00 BST. All submissions will be published on the Race to Zero website here.
- Responses will be reviewed by the UN High Level Climate Action Champions, the Race to Zero Partners and the UNFCCC. A closing session to outline the findings from the written submissions will be held in mid-September.
- Based on the feedback, the UN High Level Climate Action Champions, with the engagement of the Race to Zero Partners and through consultation with the UNFCCC and the Expert Peer Review Group, will lead a process to launch the next steps for the Race to Zero, involving all relevant partners.
Attached is a briefing document for further context.
With any questions, please contact RacetoZero@unfccc.int
