What you can do now
Put your city in the strongest position to thrive in the zero-carbon, nature positive economy.
We have guidance to help cities set climate science-based targets. Nature science-based targets for cities are under development. Nature loss and climate change crises are fundamentally interlinked. We can solve the climate crisis – but only if we recognize the urgency of tackling the nature crisis alongside it.
Climate Guidance for cities
Our cities guide for climate science-based targets for cities was developed by our core ‘cities’ partners CDP, C40, Global Covenant of Mayors, ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability (ICLEI), the World Resources Institute (WRI), and the Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF).
Backed by months of technical research and testing, the guide assesses and explains three science-based climate target methodologies and their technical criteria. It advises cities on which methodology to use and how to use the methodologies to determine interim and net zero targets
Setting nature targets
We have guidance to help cities set climate science-based targets.
Plans to develop the Cities’ Science Based Targets for Nature program were announced during COP28. The program is set to unfold over the next 18 months until spring 2025, at which point initial guidance for cities will be available.
It is a collaborative effort with some of the world’s leading cities networks, research institutions, and advisory organizations focused on cities: CDP, WWF, WRI, C40, ICLEI, Durham University, The Nature Conservancy and Arup. At the heart of the consortium, Metabolic and Urban Biodiversity Hub will act as core delivery partners.
Read moreThe Race to Zero
The Race to Zero campaign aims to get support from businesses, cities, regions and investors for a healthy, resilient, zero-carbon transition to and build momentum ahead of COP26, where governments must strengthen their contributions to the Paris Agreement.
700+ cities have now joined the Race to Zero – a global campaign run by the COP26 Presidency and High Level Climate Champions – and are committed to setting a science-based target for climate. This is a target in line with delivering a fair share of a 50% global reduction by 2030 and reaching net zero carbon by 2050, consistent with limiting global warming to 1.5°C.
To get started on setting or checking your city’s emissions reduction target, follow our guide. For targets to be compatible with the Race to Zero, they must cover all greenhouse gases and territorial emissions. Cities can use the Tyndall methodology to calculate robust carbon budgets for energy, but these will need to be supplemented with targets for other emissions in order for cities’ target to be eligible for Race to Zero.
The Cities Race to Zero track of the Race to Zero campaign is a collaboration of SBTN’s core cities partners and United Cities and Local Governments (C40 Cities, CDP, the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy (GCoM), ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability (ICLEI), (UCLG), CDP, the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and the World Resources Institute (WRI).
Join the Race to Zero campaign