WBCSD joins the Race to Zero as Accelerator

Geneva, 4 October 2023 – The World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) has officially joined the Race to Zero as an Accelerator, bolstering the global effort to combat climate change and achieve a net-zero carbon future by 2050.

Led by the UN Climate Change High-Level Champions, the Race to Zero is one of the world’s largest net-zero campaigns, brings together a diverse array of non-state actors, including businesses, cities, regions, financial institutions, healthcare providers, and educational institutions, with a shared goal of halving global emissions by 2030. 

Accelerators, such as WBCSD, play a pivotal role in strengthening the campaign’s credibility and driving the expansion of its membership base by facilitating the implementation of stringent net-zero criteria and encouraging new members to join the initiative.

WBCSD is a global community of 200+ leading businesses driving systems transformation for a better world in which 9+ billion people can live well, within planetary boundaries, by mid-century. Together, we tackle three pressing, interconnected challenges our world faces: the climate emergency, the loss of nature and mounting inequality.

As an Accelerator, WBCSD will work alongside the Race to Zero campaign on five priority areas: raising ambition, driving systems change, increasing accountability, net zero aligned advocacy and regionalisation. WBCSD aims to onboard more and more businesses to the joint goal of halving emissions by 2030, and taking credible climate action. 

WBCSD’s membership in the Race to Zero Accelerator underscores our unwavering commitment to sustainability, climate action, and driving meaningful change on a global scale. By aligning with the Race to Zero campaign, WBCSD aims to leverage its extensive network and expertise to accelerate the transition to a sustainable, net-zero future for all.

H.E. Razan Al Mubarak, UN Climate Change High-Level Champion for COP28 said: “I am excited WBCSD is now a Race to Zero Accelerator because WBCSD can support the 9,000 businesses in the Race to Zero with specialised business resources that ensure the implementation of climate action and the halving of global emissions by 2030. Additionally, a $10 trillion opportunity lies in nature-positive business models that align with net-zero and nature-positive goals” – 

Peter Baker, President & CEO, WBCSD said: “I am pleased that WBCSD has solidified its relationship with Race to Zero by becoming an Accelerator. Together, and with the help of our member companies, we will drive meaningful change, forging a path toward a sustainable and equitable world for all.”

Notes to editors: 

For WBCSD media enquiries, please contact: Zara Parian: parian@wbcsd.org

For Race to Zero media enquiries, please contact: Tessa Vincent: tessavincent@climatechampions.team, Fabio Scaffidi-Argentina: fabiosc@climatechampions.team