Global Climate Action from Cities, Regions and Businesses 2021

The report finds that while the number of non-state and subnational actors setting climate targets is growing, there is limited evidence that this ambition is translating into realized impacts. Full implementation of individual targets could reduce 2030 emissions by 2.0 to 2.5 GtCO2e/year, while international cooperative initiatives' goals could lead to a reduction of 16 GtCO2e/year. However, progress is uneven, with only half of city governments and 80% of companies meeting their 2020 targets.

• The scale of non-state and subnational climate action is expanding, with subnational actors holding post-2020 targets covering 11% of the global population and 12% of global emissions. Over 800 firms in the ten analyzed economies have set quantifiable post-2020 targets, representing combined revenues of approximately USD 13 trillion. Additionally, 297 international cooperative initiatives (ICIs) include 13,583 businesses, 4,510 investors, 13,012 cities and regions, and 2,424 NGOs.
• The collective 2030 ambition of these actors has not increased significantly since 2019. However, full implementation of individual targets could result in 2.0 to 2.5 GtCO2e/year of additional reductions compared to the pre-COVID "current national policies scenario" for 2030. If the aspirational goals of ICIs are fully implemented, emissions could be reduced by 16 GtCO2e/year below current national policy projections, bringing total levels close to a 2°C emissions pathway.
• There is a gap between target ambition and realized impact, exacerbated by a lack of GHG inventory data. Analysis of available 2020 data indicates that only 80% of companies and 50% of city governments achieved their 2020 emission reduction targets.
• Car manufacturers' electric vehicle (EV) sales targets could drive a higher share of EV sales than those expected from the national policies of the US, China, and the EU. Because a significant portion of these manufacturers' emissions occurs in their value chain through product use, fulfilling EV sales goals and improving fossil fuel cars could create transformational change.

APA

NewClimate Institute (2021). Global Climate Action from Cities, Regions and Businesses 2021. http://www.newclimate.org/resources/publications/global-climate-action-from-cities-regions-and-businesses-2021

Chicago

NewClimate Institute. Global Climate Action from Cities, Regions and Businesses 2021. 2021. http://www.newclimate.org/resources/publications/global-climate-action-from-cities-regions-and-businesses-2021.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=NewClimate Institute |title=Global Climate Action from Cities, Regions and Businesses 2021 |date=23 June 2021 |url=http://www.newclimate.org/resources/publications/global-climate-action-from-cities-regions-and-businesses-2021 |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{newclimateinstitute2021global, author = {{NewClimate Institute}}, title = {{Global Climate Action from Cities, Regions and Businesses 2021}}, institution = {NewClimate Institute}, year = {2021}, month = jun, url = {http://www.newclimate.org/resources/publications/global-climate-action-from-cities-regions-and-businesses-2021}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }