We’re not on track for net zero by 2050. How do we get there?

The world is not on track to meet the goals necessary to avoid the most catastrophic impacts of global warming. Science tells us we must reach net zero emissions globally by 2050 or sooner, before we reach irreversible levels of climate change. However, the gap between ambition and action remains dangerously wide.

The implications of not reaching this net zero goal extend not only to human and ecological health but also to the ability of businesses and our global economy to remain functional and profitable.

Today, over 10,000 organizations worldwide have made net zero commitments. Of those, fewer than 7% have strategies that would actually achieve their goals. The hard truth is that without a massive scaling of credible net zero action across all sectors and regions, we will not succeed.

So how do we close this gap?

One answer lies in seldom-mentioned international, verifiable standards.

For years, the net zero transition has been driven largely by private voluntary initiatives and frameworks – many of which have been crucial in innovating good practice and mobilizing the private sector.

The Science Based Targets initiative, the Greenhouse Gas Protocol and new disclosure standards from the International Sustainability Standards Board are among initiatives that have helped create momentum and scale norms around measuring emissions, setting science-based targets, transition planning preparation and reporting regularly.

But the result has been patchy. Organizations are left to navigate a confusing maze of guidelines, methodologies and expectations. This fragmentation leads to hesitation, inconsistency and even greenwashing. It also adds unnecessary reporting and compliance costs – in time and money – which further hinders private sector action.

A unifying global reference point could unify what credible net zero action really means for an organization, how to measure progress and how to verify it.

Ultimately, having clarity and streamlining the transition can enable businesses to future-proof themselves, account for transition risk and avoid the enormous costs associated with inaction on climate change.

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) – a global network of over 170 government-recognized national standards bodies that develop internationally agreed-upon standards through a consensus-based process – has introduced a standard to benchmark net zero strategies, joining the thousands that quietly underpin global trade, safety and innovation.

At the 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27), ISO launched its Net Zero Guidelines following an international process involving more than 1,200 experts from over 100 countries.

The guidelines define the principles and recommendations for a credible organizational pathway to net zero; and they have already been downloaded tens of thousands of times by companies worldwide.

Now, ISO is converting the guidelines into the ISO net zero standard for organizations (ISO 14060).

The new ISO net zero standard has the potential to transform net zero governance by:

These elements can help scale effective net zero action significantly.

In turn, when it comes to informing policy design and setting regulations, such as mandatory disclosures and transition plans, governments are expected to draw from recognized international standards, as set out in the World Trade Organization’s Technical Barriers to Trade Agreement.

This approach facilitates economic cooperation and prevents costly and complex technical barriers to trade.

The difference between this effort and past voluntary initiatives lies in ISO’s global reach, consensus-based development and its ability to embed standards into policy and markets worldwide.

The development of the ISO net zero standard is a critical development in climate governance that is still flying under the radar.

At COP30, ISO is bringing this conversation to the global stage. Several high-level sessions throughout the conference will focus on net zero and the development of the ISO net zero standard.

These discussions aim to highlight the critical role of international standards in building trust, driving credible climate action and helping organizations worldwide navigate the complex path to net zero.

The process is underway and momentum is building towards a global public consultation about the standard. It is open, inclusive and global.

Policymakers, businesses from large organizations to micro-, small- to medium-sized enterprises, academic institutions, civil society and others are strongly encouraged to consider joining their National Standards Body to help shape this international standard.

The more diverse voices at the table, the stronger and more impactful the standard will be and the quicker the global economy can align around a transition that spurs sustainable growth.

The clock is ticking. We don’t have time to build new governance systems from scratch. But we can leverage the powerful standards systems we already have to scale and accelerate the transition to net zero, before it’s too late.