Countries, cities and corporations committing to go ‘carbon neutral’
bIn May 2017, the people of Greater Manchester elected Andy Burnham as GM Mayor. In his manifesto, he committed to a new, accelerated ambition for Greater Manchester on the green economy and carbon neutrality, building on the leadership of the six local authorities that signed a 100% clean energy pledge in 2015.
Ahead of the Green Summit on March 21st (2018), the Greater Manchester Combined Authority commissioned the world-leading Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research at the University of Manchester to provide an evidence-based answer to the question of what that “new goal” for carbon neutrality should be.
The Tyndall Centre findings are that for Greater Manchester to make its ‘fair’ contribution towards the 2 degree C commitment enshrined in the Paris Agreement, our remaining carbon budget for energy and ground transport is 71 million tonnes. And in order to stay within that budget, we need to:
* deliver 14% carbon savings per annum;
* halve our emissions in the next 5 years;
* achieve carbon neutrality by 2038.
While this may be challenging, it is not unprecedented – many countries, cities and corporations around the world have already pledged to be ‘zero-carbon’ or ‘carbon-neutral’ far ahead of 2050.
We have compiled the table below to highlight some of the countries, cities/regions and corporations / organisations that have committed to going “carbon neutral” or “zero carbon” before the 2050 deadline.
However, as there is not yet a standard definition of what the different terms mean, pledging to go ‘carbon neutral‘, “zero carbon“, net zero carbon or “zero net carbon” often means different things to different people. Is a business referring to just their energy use or their entire operations? Is a city or country taking into account embedded emissions from manufacture and production in other countries or the impact of airports and aviation? What is clear is that we need to aim for ‘real zero emissions.’
Greater Manchester has identified an evidence-based ‘carbon budget‘ – the challenge now is to work together to make it happen.
If you don’t see your business, school, university, public sector organisation listed below – why not ask them what they are doing to reduce their ‘carbon emissions’ and when they will be ‘zero carbon’ or ‘carbon neutral’?
If they are listed, why not ask them how they are going to succeed.
P.S. Have we missed any pledges? Let us know…
Year | Country | City / Region | Organisation |
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2020 |
California (USA): new homes to be zero carbon by 2020 |
Bank of America: pledges to go ‘carbon neutral’ by 2020 Bosch pledges to be carbon neutral by 2020 Brecon Carreg (Wales): aims to be Carbon Neutral by 2020 Colorado College Achieves Goal Of Becoming Carbon Neutral Evian: Objective: Zero Net Carbon by 2020 EY pledges to be carbon neutral by end of 2020 FUCHS vows to go ‘carbon neutral’ by 2020 Mott MacDonald to become carbon neutral by end of 2020 Philips: targets carbon neutrality by 2020. See also Carbon footprint Santander commits to become carbon neutral in 2020 Signify Aims to be Carbon Neutral by 2020 Singapore state investor Temasek to be carbon neutral by 2020 Standard Life Aberdeen: We’re pledging to be carbon neutral by 2020 |
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2021 |
Costa Rica: pledges carbon neutrality by 2021. |
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2022 |
Aran islands (Ireland): could be carbon neutral by 2022 |
Burberry: we have set ourselves a goal to become carbon neutral by 2022 Dock to Dish Montauk (USA) has set a goal of being carbon neutral by 2022 Gloucester Brewery (UK) – We’ve made a pledge to be carbon neutral by 2022 Larsson & Jennings (UK) – We are not perfect but we continue to strive for perfection and have a clear goal to be carbon neutral by 2022. Mace: Going carbon neutral by 2022. Morgan Stanley: commits to sourcing 100% of its global energy needs from renewable energy by 2022 The Ollerton Group: believes in protecting our environment for our future generations and aims to become carbon neutral by 2022. PGAC (Belgium): To become carbon neutral by 2022 Voith (Germany) – vows to be carbon neutral by 2022 |
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2024 | Sir Robert McAlpine commits to net zero carbon within five years | ||
2025 |
Ethiopia: Aspiring to Become a Carbon Neutral Middle Income Manufacturing Hub by 2025 |
Adelaide (Australia): Carbon Neutral Strategy 2015–2025 Brighton & Hove: working towards becoming a ‘One Planet’ region, endorsed by BioRegional. The objective is for all buildings and structures over which the local authority has direct influence to be ‘net zero carbon’. A detailed plan for achieving zero carbon by 2025 will be put in place within three years of writing the One Planet Action Plan. Cheshire East Council commits to becoming carbon neutral by 2025 Copenhagen (Denmark): As part of its determination to become carbon-neutral by 2025. See Copenhagen Climate Plan (Short version) Gateshead: As part of the Council’s 2030 vision, it is planned to make Gateshead carbon neutral by 2025. Joensuu (Finland): The city of Joensuu has set itself the objective of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and becoming carbon neutral by 2025. Lahti (Finland) to become carbon-neutral by 2025. Missoula (Montana, USA): City Council passes plan to be carbon neutral by 2025.
Tower Hamlets council (London) to become carbon neutral by 2025 and to introduce a revised environmental plan to meet the target. |
Arthur Hotel Group (Copenhagen, Denmark): to become the first carbon-neutral hotel group in the world. Ecotricity: Our next challenge is to ensure that Ecotricity is totally carbon neutral by 2025 Loyola University (Chicago, USA): Carbon neutral by 2025. Macalester College (USA): committed to being carbon neutral by 2025. Patagonia: Carbon Neutrality by 2025 SAP to Go Carbon Neutral by 2025 Siemens Gamesa: carbon neutral by 2025. “This is one of the most ambitious climate commitments a company can take on.” University of California (USA): UC, a national leader in sustainability, has pledged to become carbon neutral by 2025, becoming the first major university to accomplish this achievement. University of Sheffield: Carbon Neutral University Network. An open network of students, staff and the general public committed to encouraging and developing solutions to support the University of Sheffield to become Carbon Neutral by 2025. University of Wisconsin Oshkosh (USA): bold plan to achieve carbon neutrality by 2025 Volvo: We aim to be climate neutral (in terms of CO2) in all our own manufacturing operations by 2025. “This is a global commitment which we will achieve through energy efficiency and by securing climate neutral energy supplies.” Wates Group has committed to produce zero waste and emit zero carbon from its operations and vehicles by 2025. WSP: set a target for its entire UK business to become carbon neutral by 2025. |
2026 | Harvard University will aim to become carbon-neutral by 2026. | ||
2027 |
Cleveland Clinic (USA): recently announced plans to become carbon-neutral by 2027. Northumbrian Water: aims to become carbon neutral by 2027 by converting all sewage sludge into energy through anaerobic digestion, improving energy efficiency and purchasing zero-carbon electricity. |
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2028 |
Guerlain: “Our more ambitious target is to be carbon neutral by 2028.” Wellington Water (New Zealand): It makes sense for us to follow the Council’s lead and |
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2029 |
Sonderborg (Denmark): zero carbon masterplan by 2029. Turku (Finland): carbon neutral by the year 2029. Turku’s New Climate Plan to the Global Forefront |
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2030 |
Norway: pledges to become climate neutral by 2030. Parliament approves radical proposal of accelerated emissions cuts and carbon offsetting to achieve climate goal 20 years earlier than planned. |
Aarhus (Denmark): will decide in September whether to finance a plan to become carbon-neutral by 2030. It would become one of only a handful of cities in the world to set such ambitious climate change targets. (It did!) Bristol: plans to become carbon neutral by 2030. Christchurch (New Zealand): has set itself a target of becoming net carbon neutral by 2030. Espoo (Finland): Carbon neutral by 2030. Kensington and Chelsea to be carbon neutral by 2030 Oslo (Norway): Carbon Neutral by 2030. |
Bath Spa University: setting out a clear long-term vision for the University to become Carbon Neutral by 2030.</[p> Boston Scientific: carbon neutral by 2030 Carlsberg: launched a new sustainability programme, with plans to eliminate carbon emissions and halve water usage by 2030 Church of England Sets 2030 Net Zero Carbon Target Kingspan targets net zero carbon manufacturing by 2030 Siemens: carbon-neutral operations by 2030. See also: Strong business case to go carbon neutral. Sky b University of Bristol: Aiming to become a net carbon neutral campus by 2030. |
2031 |
Brisbane (Australia): says it will become carbon neutral by 2031. |
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2032 |
Park City (Utah, USA): carbon neutral by 2032. |
Gettysburg College (USA): strive to achieve carbon neutrality by its 200th anniversary in 2032. |
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2033 |
Transport for Greater Manchester: has a target to become carbon neutral by 2033 “building on the success of already reducing carbon emissions by 19% in the last three years.” |
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2034 |
Niestal (Germany): municipality’s declared goal to become carbon neutral by 2034. |
Avangrid | |
2035 | Finland pledges to become carbon neutral by 2035 |
Helsinki (Finland): seeks to Be Carbon Neutral by 2035. Montgomery County (Maryland, USA): adopts IgCC and commits to zero carbon by 2035. San Luis Obispo (California, USA): wants to be carbon-neutral 10 years faster than the rest of California. Tampere (Finland): aims to become carbon neutral by 2035. >Vaasa (Finland): aims to be carbon-neutral by 2035. |
Avangrid have pledged to be carbon neutral by 2035.
Cornell University (USA): plans to be carbon neutral by 2035. ESB (Ireland): Carbon-neutral generator by 2035. Iberdrola (USA): committed itself to gradually phasing out its emissions, so as to be carbon neutral by 2035. St John’s University (USA): to be carbon neutral by 2035 Verizon goes carbon neutral by 2035. |
2040 |
Iceland: Prime Minister announces plan for Carbon-Neutral Iceland by 2040. |
Des Moines (Iowa, USA): still following its goals–which were set back in 2015–to reduce emissions by 25% by 2020, 50% by 2030, and be carbon neutral by 2040. Liverpool: I have also pledged to at long-last harness the power of the River Mersey to spearhead our aim to be carbon neutral by 2040. Reykjavík (Iceland): plans to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to zero by 2040 by reversing urban sprawl and promoting walking, cycling and public transport. Santa Fe (USA): goal of being carbon neutral by 2040. Stockholm (Sweden): carbon neutral / fossil-free by 2040. Turku (Finland): Carbon-neutral by 2040 – see 2029 update. |
Mars: committed to making its roughly 150 factories worldwide carbon neutral by the year 2040. McGill University (Canada): aims to become carbon neutral by 2040. Sainsbury’s in £1bn investment to become carbon neutral by 2040 University of Edinburgh: committed to become zero carbon by 2040. The University’s Climate Strategy 2016 lays out a comprehensive whole institution approach to climate change mitigation and adaptation in order to achieve its ambitious targets. University of Portland (Oregon, USA): Carbon neutral by 2040. |
2045 |
Sweden: committed to cutting its net carbon emissions to zero by 2045, becoming the first country to significantly upgrade its carbon ambitions since the Paris accord in 2015. The law was drawn up by a cross-party committee and passed with an overwhelming majority in parliament by 254 votes to 41. |
Hawaii: Governor David Ige (D) signed a bill implementing the most ambitious climate law in the United States. The new law, which comes into effect July 1, sets the goal for the state to become carbon neutral by 2045. |