Get involved in the UN Race to Zero campaign

Signatories of the BRC Climate Action Roadmap may wish to consider supporting the UN Race to Zero campaign. BRC’s Roadmap was launched in November 2020 at the UNFCCC Race to Zero team’s Dialogues.

What is the Race to Zero?

The UN’s core ask of business and non-state actors ahead of COP26 later this year to demonstrate their action on climate is to join the Race to Zero campaign. Launched by the High-Level Champions for Global Climate Action - Nigel Topping and Gonzalo Munoz - Race to Zero is a global campaign mobilising a coalition of leading net-zero initiatives representing 'real economy' actors such as subnational governments, businesses, investors, and universities, etc. These actors join 120 countries in the Climate Ambition Alliance, the largest ever alliance committed to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. Race to Zero is an ‘umbrella’ campaign - driven by science - that aggregates credible commitments to become net-zero, absolute zero, or climate positive from a range of leading networks and initiatives across the climate action community.

What is the ambition level?

The starting line or minimum criteria of the Race to Zero is as follows. Businesses must:

Pledge -Pledge at the head-of-organization level to reach (net) zero GHGs as soon as possible, and by mid-century at the latest, in line with global efforts to limit warming to 1.5C. Set an interim target to achieve in the next decade, which reflects maximum effort toward or beyond a fair share of the 50% global reduction in CO2 by 2030 identified in the IPCC Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5C
Plan - Within 12 months of joining, explain what actions will be taken toward achieving both interim and longer-term pledges, especially in the short- to medium-term.
Proceed - Take immediate action toward achieving (net) zero, consistent with delivering interim targets specified.
Publish - Commit to report publicly both progress against interim and long-term targets, as well as the actions being taken, at least annually. To the extent possible, report via platforms that feed into the UNFCCC Global Climate Action Portal.

Many of you in signing the BRC’s Climate Action Roadmap, will have already met this ambition, which makes it easier to join the Race to Zero.

How does my business join the Race to Zero?

Individual actors (such as businesses) 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 the Race to Zero. Retailers are invited to contact cross-sectoral initiatives UNGC Business Ambition for 1.5C, The Climate Pledge, or Exponential Roadmap Initiative to join the Race. BRC aims for the Climate Action Roadmap to be an official Race to Zero partner, but the joining process may not be complete by COP26. BA for 1.5C is the most popular route in, and in essence calls for companies to set science-based emissions reduction targets through the Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi), which underpins the initiative. You can find more information about the campaign and how to join online. Please be advised that the last date to join the Race via the BA1.5 campaign for recognition at COP26 is the end-September 2021.

Congratulations to the retailers that have already joined the Race to Zero

ICA Gruppen

Walmart Inc.

Tesco

Auchan Retail Portugal

Coop Sverige AB

Natura Cosmeticos SA

Tokmanni Oy

Amazon

J Sainsbury Plc

Target Corporation

El Corte Ingles

Best Buy Co

Ingka Holding B.V.

Kesko Corporation

Kingfisher

Koninjilke Philips NV

The attached provides more information on the above. For any questions, or for onward connections to the official partner organisations, please reach out to (sophiewilson@climatechampions.team).