Read about the progress taken since 2018 which resulted in the creation of an accelerator programme for event sector SMEs, and read about actions taken before COP27.

Race to Zero is an initiative supporting the mandate of UN Climate Change High Level Champions, rallying non-state actors – including companies, cities, regions, financial and educational institutions – to take rigorous and immediate action to halve global emissions by 2030 and deliver a healthier, fairer zero-carbon world in time.

As of January 2023, Race to Zero members include 8296 companies, 52 regions, 1136 cities, 1125 educational institutions, 593 financial institutions and 64 healthcare institutions. If you want to know who has joined The Race to Zero you can find a list of participants on the UN Climate Champions website, in The Race to Zero section, under the heading ‘who is in’.

Click here for more information:

Climate Champions

‘Accelerators’ commit to transformationally amplifying membership in The Race to Zero and spreading awareness of The Race through consistent messaging and events.

Accelerate the Race to Zero

As of February 2023 there are 23 Race to Zero Accelerator programmes including: The Consumer Goods Forum, The Information Technology Industry Council, GSMA and Bankers for Net Zero.

When you join The Race to Zero for the first time you are committing to:

1- Pledge; to reaching net zero asap- 2050 at the latest, setting an interim target to achieve in the next decade that reflects a 50% global reduction of CO2 by 2030 including scope 1,2,3

2- Plan: within 12 months disclosing a transition plan outlining how criteria will be met including actions that will be taken in the next 12 months, within 2-3 years and by 2030

3- Proceed: take immediate action, where relevant contribute to sectoral breakthroughs

4- Publish: Report progress against interim and long-term targets annually. Report in a standardised open format and via platforms that feed into the UNFCCC Global Climate Action portal

5- Persuade: Within 12 months of joining align external policy and engagement including memberships in associations to the goal of halving emissions by 2030 and reaching global net zero goal by 2050

After June 15th 2022, The Race to Zero Criteria was updated so there is now a ‘starting line’ to be met. This means there is a criteria that you commit to before your sign up.

‘Starting line’ criteria lay out common procedural requirements for all individual members to meet, below which members cannot fall if they wish to join and remain in the campaign. Known as the 5 P’s, these criteria require members to Pledge, Plan, Proceed, Publish and Persuade.

For more information on the criteria Click Here

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. The EPRG also reviews Partners and their progress on an annual basis:

See here

For more details on the credibility of this initiative please read the Help Accelerate section.

There are 6 steps and you will receive an email directing you to resources for each step. These resources include recorded webinars, PDFs, measurement tools and more. Some resources are tailored to the event sector.

There are 3 stages to the sign up process. First you will sign up as a Positive Impact ambassador, second you will make your net zero commitment with Positive Impact, and finally on the SME Climate Hub Page.

The first stage exists so you can be supported in using your voice to champion the creation of a sustainable event sector. It also means if you get stopped from making your commitment we can follow up and empower you. This allows you to take control of your company’s accountability and lead by example utilising the free resources we deliver to you.

The second stage exists so your commitment can be tracked as being from the event sector. This stage made it possible for us to say in December 2021 that over 2% of Net Zero commitments within The Race to Zero are from the event sector.

The third stage is so that your commitment is registered with a Race to Zero partner - in this case, SME Climate Hub.

In the Net Zero Events Pledge there are at least 3 key points of difference including:

1- Race to Zero is a commitment to reach net zero by 2050 vs communicate a commitment to drive toward net zero 2050 which is the net zero event pledge

2- Race to Zero requires a transition plan which includes an outline of criteria that will be met vs an organisational pathway which is the net zero event pledge

3- Race to Zero requires annual reporting vs every two years which is the net zero event pledge

This accelerator programme is tailored to SMEs. Making a net zero commitment and receiving free resources will build your capacity to deliver in line with The Net Zero Events Pledge.

In addition, The Net Zero Event Roadmap does not meet Race to Zero criteria because it does not require reaching net zero by 2050 (instead it requires ‘communicate commitment to drive toward net zero by 2050). It does not require a transition plan with criteria that will be met (instead it asks for an organisational pathway) and it does not ask for annual reporting (instead it asks for reporting every 2 years).

Yes, you commit to disclosing your progress on a yearly basis. However, there are currently no requirements on how you do so, beyond reporting in a standardised format and via platforms that feed into UNFCCC global climate action portal. Producing an annual report is good practice and a surefire way of remaining transparent and aligning your targets with future emission targets.

In the first step of this programme you will receive resources that will help you understand the right terminology to use.

We recommend you become a Positive Impact Ambassador and make the most of the capacity-building opportunities within this community which will empower you to make a net zero commitment. Our resources aim to help you no matter which stage you are at within your sustainability journey.

Yes, more than one individual can sign up through the Positive Impact website. Think of the potential impact your collaboration could have on your company!

Watch this video to get an understanding of how to make your commitment and register it with SME Climate Hub.

We’ve put together a page all about SDG 13: Climate Action which contains a number of resources relating to carbon.

You can also see 10 ways to reduce your event’s carbon footprint using data from Project Drawdown.

The Race to Zero leadership criteria includes 'Persuade'. When you read the interpretation guide for persuade you will see that 'events' are referenced: ' all external engagement activities (e.g. lobbying, public relations campaigns, events, membership in associations that engage in public policy advocacy, etc.) are consistent with the objectives outlined in Pledge for halving emissions by 2030 and reaching global net zero by 2050.

Click here to find out more.

Race to Zero have provided a lexicon document which clarifies the meaning of different terms used as part of the Race to Zero.

You can find Net Zero Guidelines on the ISO website, and context about their creation from the BSI blog.

Download a PDF of the Race to Zero governance (current as of 2024)