The status of fossil fuel phase-out commitments across nations, regions, cities, and companies with net zero targets

The report finds a significant gap between net zero targets and actual fossil fuel phase-out commitments. While some progress is visible in corporate coal phase-outs and among European entities, the majority of analyzed countries and companies have not committed to ending fossil fuel activities on a timescale consistent with the Paris Agreement. National net zero targets cover 88% of global GHG emissions, but only 7% of those emissions are covered by at least one phase-out commitment.

• There is a stark disparity between the coverage of net zero targets and actual fossil fuel phase-out commitments at the national level. While national net zero targets cover 88% of global GHG emissions, only 7% of those emissions are covered by at least one full or partial phase-out commitment regarding the exploration, production, or use of coal, oil, or gas.
• Commitments to phase out fossil fuel exploration are very low among producing nations. Only 3% of oil-producing countries and 3% of gas-producing countries with net zero targets have committed to fully phase out exploration for those respective fuels. Coal exploration shows slightly more momentum, with 15% of coal-producing countries with net zero targets setting full or partial phase-out pledges.
• National fossil fuel production phase-outs are minimal, with only 6% of production covered by a net zero target being subject to at least one phase-out pledge. Specifically, 13% of coal-producing nations with net zero targets have committed to full phase-outs, representing only 5% of global coal production. None of the four largest coal producers—China, India, Indonesia, and the United States—have production phase-out targets.
• Corporate progress is most evident in coal production, where 56% of publicly-listed companies engaging in coal production have a full or partial phase-out pledge. However, oil and gas production phase-outs are lagging, with only 3% of companies actively involved in oil production and 3% in gas production having full phase-out pledges.
• Geographic analysis reveals that European Union-based companies are more ambitious, with 27% having a full or partial phase-out commitment. In contrast, North American companies lag significantly, with only 9% having any kind of phase-out commitment. African companies show a high percentage of targets, with 50% of the sample having a commitment.
• Phase-out commitments for fossil fuel use are rare among subnational governments. Stockholm is the only city with a net zero target that has a full phase-out commitment for fossil fuel use, aiming to be fossil-free by 2040. No regions with a net zero target have a full phase-out pledge for coal, oil, or gas use.

APA

Net Zero Tracker (2023). The status of fossil fuel phase-out commitments across nations, regions, cities, and companies with net zero targets. https://ca1-nzt.edcdn.com/Reports/NTZ_In_the_Pipeline_Status_Fossil_Fuel_Phase_Outs_2023.pdf?v=1701634514

Chicago

Net Zero Tracker. The status of fossil fuel phase-out commitments across nations, regions, cities, and companies with net zero targets. 2023. https://ca1-nzt.edcdn.com/Reports/NTZ_In_the_Pipeline_Status_Fossil_Fuel_Phase_Outs_2023.pdf?v=1701634514.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Net Zero Tracker |title=The status of fossil fuel phase-out commitments across nations, regions, cities, and companies with net zero targets |date=December 2023 |url=https://ca1-nzt.edcdn.com/Reports/NTZ_In_the_Pipeline_Status_Fossil_Fuel_Phase_Outs_2023.pdf?v=1701634514 |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{netzerotracker2023status, author = {{Net Zero Tracker}}, title = {{The status of fossil fuel phase-out commitments across nations, regions, cities, and companies with net zero targets}}, institution = {Net Zero Tracker}, year = {2023}, month = dec, url = {https://ca1-nzt.edcdn.com/Reports/NTZ_In_the_Pipeline_Status_Fossil_Fuel_Phase_Outs_2023.pdf?v=1701634514}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }