The bridge to net zero matters more than the destination

The study finds that current net-zero targets are not 'entirely zero', with remaining emissions averaging 21% of 2019 levels. It highlights a significant misalignment between long-term goals and current actions, noting that emissions under current policies are decreasing by only 0.2% per year, far below the -3.8% annual reduction rate required from 2030 to meet net-zero targets.

• Net-zero targets do not result in the complete elimination of emissions; instead, they leave substantial residual emissions. On average, these remaining emissions represent 21% of 2019 levels, ranging from 6% to 59% across the studied countries, totaling between 3.4 and 12.6 GtCO₂e (approximately 9% to 33% of 2019 global emissions).
• There is a gap between current policy trajectories and the reductions necessary to achieve net-zero targets. Between 2019 and 2030, emissions under current policies are decreasing by only 0.2% annually, and meeting 2030 NDCs would only increase this reduction to 0.7% per year. In contrast, achieving net-zero targets would require an annual reduction rate of 3.8% starting from 2030.

APA

NewClimate Institute (2024). The bridge to net zero matters more than the destination. http://www.newclimate.org/resources/publications/the-bridge-to-net-zero-matters-more-than-the-destination

Chicago

NewClimate Institute. The bridge to net zero matters more than the destination. 2024. http://www.newclimate.org/resources/publications/the-bridge-to-net-zero-matters-more-than-the-destination.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=NewClimate Institute |title=The bridge to net zero matters more than the destination |date=13 December 2024 |url=http://www.newclimate.org/resources/publications/the-bridge-to-net-zero-matters-more-than-the-destination |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{newclimateinstitute2024bridge, author = {{NewClimate Institute}}, title = {{The bridge to net zero matters more than the destination}}, institution = {NewClimate Institute}, year = {2024}, month = dec, url = {http://www.newclimate.org/resources/publications/the-bridge-to-net-zero-matters-more-than-the-destination}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }