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Which countries have a net zero carbon goal?
To end dangerous overheating of the planet, humans need to stop putting more greenhouse gases into the air than we take out.
The 2015 Paris Agreement set a global goal (couched in legalese) to reach net zero emissions in the second half of the century.
More than a hundred countries have joined an alliance aiming for net zero emissions by 2050. This is aspirational and not always backed by domestic action.
To make Climate Home’s list, the target must be included in a winning political manifesto, government statement, policy paper, climate law, submission to the UN or other nationally determined document.
Here is a handy guide to who is promising what.
Argentina
Target date: 2050
Status: Submission to the UN
Notes: Argentina raised its climate ambition in an updated plan to the UN in December 2020, pledging to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 and cap its 2030 emissions unconditionally at 359 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (MtCO2e), 26% lower than the previous cap of 483 Mt, presented in 2016.
Austria
Target date: 2040
Status: Policy position
Notes: A coalition government sworn in January 2020 promised to pursue climate neutrality by 2040 and 100% clean electricity by 2030, underpinned by binding carbon targets. The right wing People’s Party agreed to the goals in partnership with the Green Party.
Brazil
Target date: 2060
Status: Submission to UN
Notes: Brazil set an “indicative” goal of carbon neutrality by 2060 in its updated pledge to the Paris Agreement submitted December 2020. However it was not matched by an increase in ambition before 2030 and came as deforestation reached a 12-year high.
Bhutan
Target date: Currently carbon negative and aiming for carbon neutrality as it develops
Status: Pledged towards the Paris Agreement
Notes: With a population of less than a million, on low incomes, surrounded by forests and hydropower resources, Bhutan has an easier task balancing the carbon accounts than most. It has some green policies, but economic growth and rising demand for cars is putting upward pressure on emissions.
Canada
Target date: 2050
Status: Draft law
Notes: Justin Trudeau narrowly scraped a second term as prime minister in October 2019, on a platform that centred climate action. He presented a draft law in November 2020 that would require successive governments to create carbon targets and a plan to meet them every five years from 2030-2050. His Liberal Party falling short of a majority in parliament, Trudeau will need to broker deals with smaller parties to pass that law. Trudeau walked a tightrope on climate and energy policy in his first term, pushing through a carbon tax while defending controversial oil pipelines. He continues to face pressure from leftist and green parties to block the pipelines and from oil-producing provinces to water down climate policy.
Chile
Target date: 2050
Status: Policy position
Notes: President Sebastian Piñera announced the country’s intention to go carbon neutral in June 2019. Santiago was due to host UN climate talks later that year, but cancelled at the last minute due to civil unrest. In April 2020 the government reiterated its long term goal as it submitted a strengthened medium term pledge to the UN. For starters, the country will close eight of its 28 coal power plants by 2024 and phase out the fuel by 2040.
China
Target date: 2060
Status: Statement of intent
Notes: President Xi Jinping announced to the UN General Assembly on 22 September 2020 that China would strive to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. The country would adopt “more vigorous policies and measures” to peak emissions before 2030, he added. Beijing has prioritised clean energy in its recovery from the coronavirus pandemic, but many provinces are building new coal power plants to boost economic growth.
Colombia
Target date: 2050
Status: Submission to the UN
Notes: By 2030 Colombia will cut its emissions by 51% compared to business as usual, the country pledged in its in December 2020. The new target is a huge jump from the previous pledge which was a 20% of emissions reduction compared with business as usual by 2030. By 2050 the country aims to be carbon neutral.
Costa Rica
Target date: 2050
Status: Submission to the UN
Notes: Previous administrations said Costa Rica would be carbon neutral by 2021, which is… not happening. In February 2019, president Carlos Alvarado Quesada set out a climate policy package. A long term strategy submitted to the UN in December confirmed net zero emissions as the 2050 goal. The country is routinely celebrated for getting nearly all its electricity from renewables – primarily hydropower – but citizens still rely on petrol and diesel to get around. An e-mobility decree adopted in 2018 aims to change that.
Denmark
Target date: 2050
Status: In law
Notes: The government set out plans in 2018 to build a “climate-neutral society” by 2050. Its package included a ban on sales of new petrol and diesel cars from 2030 and support for electric vehicles. Climate change was a major theme in June 2019 parliamentary elections and the victorious “red bloc” parties enshrined tougher emissions targets in legislation passed six months later.
European Union
Target date: 2050
Status: Submission to UN
Notes: The European Commission is working towards a bloc-wide 2050 net zero emissions target, under a “Green Deal” published in December 2019. It was endorsed by the European Council of national leaders the same month, with Poland the only dissenting voice, refusing to commit to its implementation. The long term strategy was presented to the UN in March 2020.
Fiji
Target date: 2050
Status: Submission to UN
Notes: As president of Cop23, the UN climate summit in 2017, Fiji made an extra effort to show leadership. In 2018, the Pacific island state submitted a plan to the UN with the goal of net zero carbon emissions across all sectors of the economy. Its “very high ambition” scenario even goes carbon negative, but this is contingent on new technologies and international support. In December 2020, Fiji said it aims to slash emissions 30% by 2030, compared to 2013.
Finland
Target date: 2035
Status: Coalition agreement
Notes: Five political parties agreed in June 2019 to strengthen the country’s climate law, as part of negotiations to form a government. The target is expected to require curbs on industrial logging and a phaseout of peat burning for power generation.
France
Target date: 2050
Status: In law
Notes: French lawmakers voted a net zero target into law on 27 June 2019, the same day as the UK. Other parts of the government’s proposed climate and energy package remained to be agreed. Controversially, it proposed postponing nuclear power plant closures. In its first report in June, the newly established High Council for the Climate advised France must triple the pace of emissions reductions to meet the carbon neutrality goal.
Germany
Target date: 2045
Status: Draft climate law
Notes: Germany raised its climate ambition to target net zero emissions by 2045 following a landmark court ruling in May 2021. The cabinet adopted a 65% emissions reduction by 2030, 85-90% by 2040 and net zero emissions by 2045, all compared to 1990 levels. The previous targets were 55% by 2030 and climate neutrality by 2050. To achieve the goals, analysts say Germany must phase out coal by 2030, speed up the transition to electric mobility and increase the carbon price on transport and heating fuel.
Grenada
Target date: 2050
Status: Submission to the UN
Hungary
Target date: 2050
Status: In law
Notes: Hungary committed to climate neutrality by 2050 in a 3-page climate law passed in June 2020. That was not backed up by a strengthened 2030 emissions-cutting target, however, putting off the heavy lifting to next decade. The country is set to close its last coal power plant by 2025 and build new nuclear capacity, with Russia’s help.
Iceland
Target date: 2040
Status: Policy position
Notes: The strategy unveiled in 2018 focuses on phasing fossil fuels out of the transport sector, tree-planting and restoring wetlands. Iceland already has virtually carbon-free electricity and heating from geothermal and hydroelectric sources.
Ireland
Target date: 2050
Status: Draft law
Notes: Ireland’s coalition government approved a climate bill in March 2021 that enshrines emissions reduction targets in law and puts the country on a path to carbon neutrality by 2050. The government agreed to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by an average 7% per year and 51% between 2018 and 2030, in line with Paris Agreement commitments. Sectors such as transport and agriculture will require significant reform if they are to halve their emissions by 2030.
Japan
Target date: 2050
Status: Statement of intent
Notes: In October 2020, Japan announced its 2050 net zero target. Japan is the world’s fifth-largest emitter and relies on coal for a third of its electricity generation. The net zero target requires significant investment in renewables and a complete overhaul of the country’s existing climate strategy which focuses heavily on coal power.
Maldives
Target date: 2030
Status: Submission to the UN
Notes: The Maldives is aiming for net zero emissions by 2030, but this ambitious target is only attainable with significant financial support. The small, low-lying island state is already suffering severe climate impacts such as storm surges and coastal erosion.
Laos
Target date: 2050
Status: Submission to the UN
Notes: In its submission to the UN in May 2021, Laos said it is aiming to achieve net zero emissions by 2050 and reduce emissions by 60% from business as usual by 2030 – around 62Mt CO2. Agriculture is the biggest driver of emissions in the southeast Asian nation. Mitigation measures include expanding forest cover to 70% of land area by 2030 and rapidly ramping up renewables.
Marshall Islands
Target date: 2050
Status: Pledged towards the Paris Agreement
Notes: The low-lying island nation is acutely vulnerable to sea level rise and keen to set an example on decarbonisation. Its updated submission to the UN in September 2018 set out an aspiration to reach net zero emissions by 2050, albeit without concrete policies to get all the way. Depending on the availability of international support, the plan identified measures to cut emissions 56-87% from 2010 levels.
Nepal
Target date: 2050
Status: Submission to the UN
Notes: In December 2020, Nepal said in its national submission to the UN that it aims to achieve net zero emissions by 2050, by investing more in renewables, electric transport and reforestation. Nepal’s carbon emissions per capita are among the lowest in the world, but the country is highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Himalayan glaciers in Nepal have been losing almost half a metre of ice each year since the start of the century and floods and landslides are common.
New Zealand
Target date: 2050
Status: In Law
Notes: Unusually for a developed country, New Zealand’s biggest source of emissions is farming. A law passed in November 2019 sets a net zero goal for all greenhouse gases except biogenic methane (mostly from sheep and cattle), which is to be cut 24-47% from 2017 levels by 2050. It remains contentious with the meat lobby, which argues New Zealand will lose market share to countries with less stringent sustainability standards.
Norway
Target date: 2030/2050
Status: Policy position
Notes: Norway was among the first parliaments in the world to discuss climate neutrality, with lawmakers agreeing to aim for 2050 domestically and 2030 with international offsets. This was a signal of intent, not a binding climate law. The country benefits from abundant hydropower resources and has aggressive policies to electrify road transport, yet the government continues to back controversial Arctic oil drilling.
Panama
Target date: 2050
Status: Submission to the UN
Notes: Panama has pledged to become carbon neutral by 2050. Panama plans to restore 50,000 hectares of national forests, which will contribute to absorbing around 2.6 million tonnes of CO2 emissions by 2050, according to the NDC partnership.
Portugal
Target date: 2050
Status: Policy position
Notes: Portugal launched a roadmap in December 2018 for getting to net zero, outlining strategies for energy, transport, waste, farming and forests. It is one of the member states calling for the EU to adopt a 2050 net zero target.
Singapore
Target date: “As soon as viable in the second half of the century”
Status: Submission to UN
Notes: Like Japan, Singapore has avoided committing to a firm date for decarbonisation, but cited it as the ultimate goal of a long term strategy submitted to the UN in March 2020. Internal combustion engine vehicles are to be phased out by 2040, in favour of electric vehicles, but the island state said its clean energy potential was limited by a lack of space for solar panels.
Slovakia
Target date: 2050
Status: Policy position
Notes: One of the first EU member states to formally submit a long term strategy to the UN, Slovakia said it was aiming for “climate neutrality” in 2050. However the document focused on policies out to 2030 and noted further measures would need to be developed to meet the target.
South Africa
Target date: 2050
Status: Policy position
Notes: The government unveiled its Low Emission Development Strategy (LEDS) in September 2020, outlining its aim of becoming a net zero economy by 2050. However, the energy plan cited in the strategy still sees South Africa burning coal on this date. Currently over 90% of the country’s electricity is generated from coal and the country is building coal plants as well as supporting investment in renewables.
South Korea
Target date: 2050
Status: Submission to the UN
Notes: South Korean president Moon Jae-in formally committed to a 2050 net zero target in October 2020, turning an election promise into a policy pledge. This was later confirmed in a submission to the UN. After his Democratic Party won a landslide victory in April 2020, Moon declared that he would push ahead with his manifesto promise of a Green New Deal to decarbonise the economy by 2050 and end coal financing. It is a big deal for the 7th highest national CO2 emitter. South Korea gets over 40% of its electricity from coal and has been a major financier of overseas coal projects.
Spain
Target date: 2050
Status: Draft law
Notes: The government presented its draft climate framework bill to parliament in May 2020, as the country started to loosen restrictions on movement to halt the spread of coronavirus. Originally intended to create a long term framework for cutting emissions, the law doubles as a blueprint for economic recovery from Covid-19, said vice president Teresa Ribera. It sets interim targets for 2030, establishes a commission to monitor progress and bans new coal, oil and gas exploration licences with immediate effect.
Sweden
Target date: 2045
Status: In law
Notes: Sweden legislated its net zero target in 2017, bringing forward its timeline for carbon neutrality by five years in response to the Paris Agreement. It got extra attention in contrast with Donald Trump’s move to withdraw the US from the pact. At least 85% of the emissions cuts are to be achieved through domestic policies, leaving the door open for international credits to make up the rest.
Switzerland
Target date: 2050
Status: Submission to the UN
Notes: In its national submission to the UN in December 2020, Switzerland announced its intention to reach net zero emissions by 2050, deepening its target under the Paris Agreement of a 70-85% emission reduction. In 2015, the small land-locked country was the first in the world to submit its formal emissions reduction plan for 2030 to the UN. The country’s climate strategy includes developing technologies to remove carbon dioxide from the air – the mountainous country hosts some of the most advanced projects in this field – and investing in renewables.
Ukraine
Target date: 2060
Status: Policy position
Notes: In Ukraine’s 2030 economic strategy in March 2021, the country outlined its plans to achieve carbon neutrality “no later than 2060.” Under current plans, Ukraine is only on track to reach net zero emissions by 2070, according to Climate Action Tracker. The country will need to accelerate its deployment of renewable energy and bring forward its 2050 coal phase-out date if it is to meet its 2060 target.
United Kingdom
Target date: 2050
Status: In law
Notes: The UK already passed a framework law for cutting emissions in 2008, so setting a net zero target is as simple as replacing 80% with 100%. Parliament passed the amendment on 27 June 2019. Meeting the goal is tougher and the independent Committee on Climate Change (CCC) has emphasised more policies will be needed across sectors to give it life.
Scotland’s devolved parliament is working on a bill to reach net zero in 2045, based on its strong renewable energy resources and capacity to store CO2 in depleted North Sea oilfields. It is expected to pass into law by autumn 2019.
The CCC advised Wales would have a harder job and 95% emissions cuts by 2050 was feasible. The Welsh government accepted the recommendation and expressed an ambition to go further to net zero.
United States of America
Target date: 2050
Status: Statement of intent
Notes: Joe Biden was elected president of the US in November 2020 on a climate platform to aim for net zero emissions by 2050. His victory followed four years of erosion of climate protections under Donald Trump. Biden promised a $2 trillion “clean energy revolution” and 100% clean electricity by 2035, but a weak result for his Democratic Party in the Senate will limit his ability to deliver. The Sunrise Movement and other grassroots activists are mobilising to hold the incoming administration to its climate ambition.
Uruguay
Target date: 2030
Status: Contribution to the Paris Agreement
Notes: This is more of a forecast than a commitment, based on Uruguay’s anomalous trend of increasing forest cover. Combined with policies to reduce emissions from beef farming, waste and energy, this is expected to make the country a net carbon sink by 2030, according to its national submission to the UN pact.
Source: Climate Home News
Region: Global