On World Environment Day (June 5), the UN Climate Change High-Level Climate Action Champions launched the Race to Zero Campaign. The campaign aims to bring together the largest ever coalition of leaders – from governments, businesses and investors - committing to achieving net zero emissions by 2050.

The campaign mobilizes a coalition of leading net zero initiatives, representing 449 cities, 21 regions, 992 businesses, 38 of the biggest investors, and 505 universities. Collectively these actors now cover nearly 25% global CO2 emissions and over 50% GDP. 

CDP is calling on cities and businesses to join the race through two initiatives: 

The Business Ambition for 1.5°C campaign (led by the SBTi, in partnership with the UN Global Compact and the We Mean Business Coalition) is an urgent call-to-action for companies to set emissions reduction targets in line with a 1.5°C future. On World Environment Day the campaign announced it now counts 237 companies in its ranks, a 34% increase on the 177 companies announced at COP25 last December and with some big new joiners including H&M Group, Colgate Palmolive, Rolls Royce, Diageo, Adobe and Capgemini.

Science Based Targets for Cities  is a new collaboration by CDP, C40, ICLEI, WRI, and WWF, supported through the Science Based Targets Network (SBTN).  The collaboration will provide a framework for cities to play their part in reducing their emissions in line with limiting global temperature rise to 1.5°C.