The Race to Zero campaign has concluded

The UN-backed Race to Zero campaign, launched in 2019 by the UN Climate Change High Level Champions, concluded this year. Its primary goal was to rally non-state actors (such as companies, cities, regions, and healthcare institutions) to take “rigorous and immediate action to collectively halve emissions by 2030 and reach Net Zero by 2050.” Planet Mark was one of 10 Partners of the campaign; this meant if organisations set net zero targets and/ or demonstrated ongoing decarbonisation with the certification body, they were automatically recognised by the UN. As of January 2026, the Race to Zero campaign has officially concluded, having achieved what it set out to deliver – global awareness of net zero as the solution for the climate crisis. Over 15,000 non-Party stakeholders were mobilised in the campaign.

 

The launch of the Net Zero Recognition Framework

Building on from the Race to Zero campaign, the UNFCCC has launched the Net Zero Recognition Framework (NZRF). Like the Race to Zero campaign, the NZRF will be supported by partners who are “eligible net zero initiatives (ENZI’s)”, and Planet Mark’s Net Zero Certification Programme has been publicly acknowledged as one of eight ENZI’s worldwide. While the Race to Zero Campaign was about awareness of net zero and encouraging non-state actors to make net zero commitments, the NZRF allows organisations to disclose their decarbonisation strategies and track progress towards their net zero goals.

Announced at COP30, the NZRF programme pilot will take place throughout 2026, which according to the UNFCC, aims to “better understand participation processes and test the technical feasibility of showcasing participants’ net-zero journeys on the Non-State Actor Zon for Climate Action (NAZCA) portal.” You can find out more on the UNFCCC’s website here: Net-zero Recognition Framework | UNFCCC.

 

What the Net Zero Recognition Framework entails

Eligible Net Zero Initiatives, “ENZI’s”, will assist the non-state signatories that they work with to opt into the NZRF and support their progress throughout the programme. Partners of the Race to Zero campaign were invited to opt in as ENZIs earlier this year; a key requirement was to have the initiative criteria reviewed by an independent third party.

Signatories that opt into the programme through an ENZI will have their net zero commitments publicly available on the UN-backed NAZCA portal. There are five different levels that signatories can progress through in the NZRF programme, starting with Level 1 (Public Commitment) through to Level V (Net-Zero Commitment Achieved). The figure below highlights these different levels.

Reference: UNFCCC

 

What this means for Planet Mark Members

Our Partner, Planet Mark, was one of ten partners of the Race to Zero campaign. Planet Mark has since been invited to be (one of eight, worldwide) ENZIs for the NZRF. This means that Planet Mark Members, through their Planet Mark Net Zero Certification, may opt into the NZRF - following the successful transition of the pilot phase. Please not that only members of ENZI’s, such as Planet Mark, can participate in the NZRF.

Planet Mark is working a handful of their Net Zero Committed Members during the pilot phase this year. Stay tuned to hear updates from the pilot phase and what comes next.

If you’d like to learn more about the NZRF programme or how to become a Planet Mark Member so that you can participate, speak to one of their experts today.