What is Real Zero?
Real Zero refers to the complete elimination of all greenhouse gas emissions resulting from the extraction and burning of fossil fuels. Achieving Real Zero means a business has fully eliminated fossil fuels from its operations.
This approach differs from Net Zero targets, where carbon offsets, unproven technologies like carbon capture and storage and over-inflated estimates of natural carbon sinks are used to create the appearance of reduced emissions without meaningful changes to business practices.
While Net Zero is widely adopted globally, it is increasingly criticised for failing to deliver genuine emission reductions. Entities that continue to rely on offsets or defer decarbonisation in favour of the hope that carbon capture and storage will scale are knowingly hindering the energy transition.
Without taking real action to substantially reduce fossil fuel use, as stipulated by the IPCC, the planet will continue to warm, exacerbating threats like lethal humidity. We urge major businesses to look beyond superficial ambitions and lay out practical and transparent plans to eliminate fossil fuels from their operations.
Real Zero Statement
Real Zero means eliminating fossil fuels entirely. Real Zero is the only path that can reliably limit warming within the Paris Agreement’s guardrails.
Real Zero vs Net Zero
Real Zero stands in contrast to Net Zero.
Net Zero has moved away from its original definition of substantially reducing fossil fuel use, to mean continuing to burn fossil fuels but claiming to “offset” the emissions.
Net Zero ignores the clear scientific evidence that offsets are ineffectual and hindering the energy transition [1]. It also assumes that the world can capture carbon from fossil fuels at scale and permanently store it underground, contrary to evidence [2].
In addition, offsets based on natural carbon sinks do not take into account that these sinks are already weakening due to climate change – and are, at best, simply temporary.
Real Zero is far harder than Net Zero. But it is the only path that can prevent further escalation of climate impacts.
Based on current emissions and the global carbon budget, humanity would have to stop burning fossil fuels by 2030 to have a 50:50 chance of limiting warming to 1.5°C, and by 2040 for a 50:50 chance of staying well below 2°C [3].
We therefore call on businesses and governments to adopt Real Zero targets immediately – and to publish transparent plans on how they will eliminate fossil fuels, well before 2040.