The High‑Level Expert Group on the Net Zero Emissions Commitments of Non-State Entities (“HLEG”) was established by the United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, on 31 March 2022, to develop stronger and clearer standards for net-zero emissions pledges by non-State entities – including businesses, investors, cities, and regions – and speed up their implementation.
The HLEG report “Integrity Matters: Net Zero commitments by Businesses, Financial Institutions, Cities and Regions”, launched at COP27 in Sharm-el Sheikh, Egypt, provides 10 practical recommendations for credible, accountable net-zero pledges and details what non-State actors need to consider through each stage of their progress towards achieving net-zero ambitions.
Recommendations
- Announcing a Net Zero Pledge. Non-State actors should publish a pledge including targets for 2025, 2030 and 2035 and plans to reach net zero by 2050.
- Setting Net Zero Targets. Non-State actors should set short-, medium- and long-term absolute reduction targets, and relative emission reduction targets in their value chain, where appropriate.
- Using Voluntary Credits. High-integrity carbon credits in voluntary markets should be used for mitigation beyond the value chain, but cannot be counted towards non-State actors’ interim emissions reductions.
- Creating a Transition Plan. Non-State actors must publicly disclose transition plans indicating the actions taken to achieve all objectives. They should update them every five years and report on progress annually.
- Phasing Out of Fossil Fuels and Scaling Up Renewable Energy. Net-zero pledges should include specific targets for ending the use and/or support of fossil fuels, accompanied by a fully funded transition to renewable energies.
- Aligning Lobbying and Advocacy. Non-State actors need to align their external policy and engagement efforts with emission reduction targets.
- People and Nature in the Just Transition. Non-State actors with high land-use emissions should avoid converting remaining natural ecosystems. Financial institutions should avoid financing companies linked to deforestation.
- Increasing Transparency and Accountability. Non-State actors must annually disclose their greenhouse gas data, net-zero targets, plans and progress, and have their reported emissions cuts verified by independent third parties.
- Investing in Just Transitions. There needs to be a new deal for development including financial institutions and multinational corporations, governments, Multilateral Development Banks and Development Finance Institutions.
- Accelerating the Road to Regulation. Regulators should develop regulations and standards, starting with high-impact corporate emitters. A new Task Force on net zero Regulation should be formed to avoid fragmentation.
Updates
UN Chief urges to get on track to net zero at Davos 2025
“Now is the time to shift our collective efforts into overdrive, and make 2025 the biggest year yet for climate action,” he said, calling for the implementation of the recommendations of the High-Level Expert Group on Net Zero.
COP29: UN Secretary-General calls for robust transition plans
The UN Chief urged all non-State actors to create robust, accountable transition plans by COP30, aligned with the recommendations of the High-Level Expert Group on Net Zero. “Now is the time to fast-track, not backtrack,” he said.
High-Level Event on the Stocktake of Integrity Matters
The High-Level Event on the Stocktake of Integrity Matters took place on 14 November 2024, at COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan. Read the progress review by the High-Level Expert Group here.