Net Zero Initiative

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The Net Zero Initiative, launched in June 2018 and led by Carbone 4 in collaboration with about ten pioneering companies, and supported by a high-level scientific advisory board, has published its framework for organizations’ contributions to carbon neutrality.

This document proposes a common language for all stakeholders seeking to manage their climate action in a sincere, ambitious, and transparent manner with a view to achieving global net-zero emissions, and in line with existing tools and methodologies.

Now is the time for action; and to act as effectively as possible, it is essential that all stakeholders align on the same priorities, the same concepts, and the same long-term vision.

Download the summary - Download the executive summary

Download the guidelines - Download the complete guidelines

THE KEY PRINCIPLES OF THE FRAMEWORK

The Net Zero Initiative framework provides organizations with a way to describe and organize their climate action in order to maximize their contribution to global carbon neutrality.

The framework is based on several key principles:

1. The word “ carbon neutrality " (or "net zero") drefers solely to the global goal of balancing emissions and removals. This term does not apply to an organization.

2. Organizations may only contribute on the path toward global carbon neutrality.

3. The emissions reductions and the negative emissions (also known as “absorptions”) are strictly distinguished and counted separately.

4. The concept of “contribution to global neutrality” is expanded to the field of marketing of low-carbon products and services. “Avoided emissions” are divided into two families : those that represent a genuine absolute decrease in emissions, and those that are merely a “smaller increase” compared to the initial situation.

5. Carbon finance can lead to avoided or negative emissions, but cannot “cancel” the company’s operational broadcasts. It is counted separately.

THE NET ZERO INITIATIVE DASHBOARD

The framework is based on the idea that an organization must, within its own scope, take three complementary actions to contribute to global carbon neutrality:

To contribute to the overall reduction in emissions, it must:

1. Reduce its own direct and indirect emissions

2. Reduce others' emissions:
– In marketer low-carbon solutions (under certain conditions)
– In funding low-carbon projects outside its value chain

To help increase global removals, it must:

3. Increase carbon sinks:
– In developing Carbon sequestration at home and throughout the value chain
– In funding absorption projects outside its value chain

The three pillars—A. Reducing emissions; B. Helping others reduce emissions; and C. Developing carbon sinks—must all be addressed simultaneously. They cannot be combined in any way: they cannot be added together or subtracted from one another.

Each organization is therefore encouraged to:

1. Measure your performance across these three areas
2. Set ambitious goals for all three at the same time
3. Manage them dynamically over time.

View the Net Zero Initiative 2020–2021 Report

AUTHOR : César Dugast (Carbone 4)

CONTRIBUTIONS AND PROOFREADING

Carbon 4 : Renaud Bettin, Alexandre Florentin, Luc Bachelet, Stéphane Amant, Alexandre Joly, Marion Moneuse

Scientific Advisory Board : Olivier Boucher (Pierre-Simon-Laplace Institute), Richard Baron (European Climate Foundation / 2050 Pathways), Anne Bringault (Climate Action Network France), Benoît Leguet (I4CE), Michel Colombier (IDDRI), Dimitar Nikov (Ministry of Ecological and Solidarity Transition), Marion Verles (SustainCERT / The Gold Standard), Minh Cuong Le Quan (Staterre), Alain Grandjean (Carbone 4 / FNH), Jean-Marc Jancovici (Carbone 4 / The Shift Project)

Companies : Christine Faure-Fedigan (ENGIE), Thibaud Brac de la Perrière (EDF), Philippe Tuzzolino (Orange Group), Jean-Manuel Canet (Orange Group), Marie-Thérèse Durand (Poste Immo), Dang Tran (Poste Immo), Sophia Garcia (Remade), Aurélia Menacer (RATP Group), François Garreau (Generali), Élodie Bressaud (BPCE Group), Christian Le Seach (BPCE Group), Nathalie Pons (Havas), Aurélien Painchaud (Havas), Sébastien Nunes (ClimateSeed)

Other contributors : Gilles Dufrasne (Carbon Market Watch), Julia Grimault (I4CE), Claudine Foucherot (I4CE), Gabriella Cevallos (I4CE), Yann Briand (IDDRI), Augustin Fragnière (UNIL)

Graphic Design : Théo Girard (Carbone 4)