One mission, one future – NO time to waste.
The Race to Zero is a global campaign to rally leadership and support from businesses, cities, regions, and investors for a healthy, resilient, zero carbon recovery that prevents future threats, creates decent jobs, and unlocks inclusive, sustainable growth.
The Cities Race to Zero is a track of Race to Zero for cities only, where cities are uniting to demonstrate their support for inclusive climate action in line with the goals of the Paris Agreement.
Global city partners C40, ICLEI, the Global Covenant of Mayors, CDP, UCLG, WRI and WWF, are working together to recruit 1,000 cities to the Race to Zero. Their collaboration ensures that cities are aligned on the science-based targets required to achieve a net-zero future and provides support to cities signing onto the campaign. This partnership also ensures that the Cities Race to Zero commitment is consistent with existing reporting metrics and does not require additional reporting burdens.
Through their commitments to the Paris Agreement, cities around the world are already working towards the goals of the Race to Zero. Signing onto the Cities Race to Zero will be a powerful signal to national governments that cities are ready and willing to partner with them to reach their highest climate ambitions.
Cities signing onto the Cities Race to Zero must commit to the following:
- Publicly endorse the following principles:
- We recognise the global climate emergency.
- We are committed to keeping global heating below the 1.5°Celsius goal of the Paris Agreement.
- We are committed to putting inclusive climate action at the center of all urban decision-making, to create thriving and equitable communities for everyone.
- We invite our partners – political leaders, CEOs, trade unions, investors, and civil society – to join us in recognising the global climate emergency and help us deliver on science-based action to overcome it.
- Pledge to reach (net)-zero in the 2040s or sooner, or by mid-century at the latest, in line with global efforts to limit warming to 1.5°Celsius.
- In advance of COP26, explain what steps will be taken toward achieving net zero, especially in the short- to medium-term. Set an interim target to achieve in the next decade, which reflects a fair share of the 50% global reduction in CO2 by 2030 identified in the IPCC Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5°Celsius.
- Immediately proceed to planning at least one inclusive and equitable climate action as listed on www.citiesracetozero.org that will help to place your city on a resilient pathway consistent with the 1.5°Celsius objective of the Paris Agreement and begin implementation no later than 2022.
- Report progress annually, beginning no later than 2022 to your usual or the recommended reporting platform.