From Zero to HeroFrom Zero to Hero

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. Focusing on ‘Better’ instead of ‘Bigger’, the objective is to build momentum around the shift to a decarbonised 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.

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When you hear that everyone needs to do their bit to stop the climate crisis, you might think of two categories: world leaders with the ability to influence billions in funding from governments - and normal citizens with the collective power to make meaningful change by living a more conscious lifestyle.

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But what about all that space in between nations and its people? Although it’s critical that countries make radical changes from the very top, there are so many more levels to global governance that can also make transformative contributions. That’s where the Race to Zero campaign comes in.

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The Race to Zero is a United Nations-led campaign that is working to fill that gap — by working with businesses, cities, regions, investors, and financial and educational institutions to commit to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050 at the latest.

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This means that any place or group that signs up to the campaign pledges to contribute nothing to global warming by the designated date, ensuring it doesn't put any more greenhouse gases into the atmosphere than it removes. It’s an inclusive movement that's helping to gain ground in unconventional sectors in the global tussle to slow the climate crisis and mitigate its impacts. But it’s about much more than a net zero target.

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Planetary Progress

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So far 733 cities, 31 regions, 3,067 businesses, 173 investors, and 622 higher education institutions have signed up, alongside 120 countries, it’s the largest ever alliance committed to hitting net zero carbon emissions by 2050, and by COP26, the aim is that signatories for Race to Zero will account for 25% of global carbon dioxide emissions. The idea is this: to supercharge a healthy green recovery focused on job creation and sustainable growth.

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Climate activists including Greta Thunberg have previously criticised net zero commitments because of the length of the time-scale involved. What use is a promise to deliver change by 2050, the argument goes, if the next decade is the most critical to reduce carbon emissions?

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That’s why an important aim of the Race to Zero campaign is to halve global emissions by 2030 - to create a tangible short-term objective to force through immediate action now. Signing up for the Race to Zero means also signing up to the Climate Ambition Alliance, a coalition set up in 2019 to encourage nations to increase ambition in their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) as established in the Paris Agreement. NDCs are the updated pledges nations must make every five years for reducing emissions. Find out more about NDCs here.

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Get Involved

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There’s a few criteria you have to hit to officially become part of the movement.

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First, you must pledge to hit net zero ASAP and set that target we’ve been talking about for a 50% emissions reduction by 2030. Then within a year of signing up, you have to come up with a plan on how you’re going to hit those targets. You’ve then got to follow through and take that action, and publish results on progress annually.

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If all goes well, the Race to Zero campaign will recognise your targets as "credible and science based", offer access to a community of knowledge-sharing, and support you in achieving your climate goals. Find out everything you need to get started here.

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There are so many initiatives associated with the Race to Zero that all the names of businesses, cities, universities, and more that have joined as a result would be far too long to list here. In terms of educational institutions, the universities already set up to join the race are as varied as University College London and New York University to the University of Calabar in Nigeria. Cities signed up include Tokyo, Paris, Lagos, Los Angeles, and Liverpool, with international businesses like Mastercard, Netflix,

Deloitte, and Etsy, Inc. all involved too!

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The Race to Zero has a sister campaign associated with it called the Race to Resilience, calling on the same groups to step up to improve climate resilience. That means an approach that’s more people focused, especially with those from vulnerable communities. The campaign aims to build the resilience of 4 billion people particularly at risk to the consequences of the climate crisis by 2030, for example from extreme heat or drought.

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It was launched on Jan. 25 at the Climate Adaptation Summit by Alok Sharma, the UK-appointed President of COP26. You can read more about how businesses, investors, policymakers, individuals, and more can contribute to the Race for Resilience here.

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When consumers speak out as one, we can force companies to listen. You can do that by signing the Global Citizen petition calling on businesses to halve their emissions by 2030 - a key component of the Race to Zero campaign. Add your name here. There’s a number of other environmental actions you can take with Global Citizen too. Head here to send a message to the White House to protect vulnerable communities from the consequences of the climate crisis; call on the UK to show better leadership ahead of hosting COP26; demand Europe plant more trees and much, much more.

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Get Involved Today

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