Seven actions to get the world on track

This is a big month for climate progress – or potentially a lack of. With the heated discussion on climate finance ahead of COP29 and the possibility of a climate-sceptic being elected as US president, a lot hangs in the balance this November. ?

But what’s certain is that whatever the outcome, we can’t afford to waste another year – let alone four – when it comes to taking bold climate action. We’re falling behind on emissions targets with every passing year. In 2022, the IPCC calculated that greenhouse gas emissions needed to come down 43% by 2030 to stay on course, an annual decrease of around 5%. Yet global emissions remain at dangerous levels and coal and oil usage have gone up. ?

Focussing on 2030 and 2050 targets is important but neglects the fact that we’re collectively failing right now. And we can’t pin our hopes on discovering a silver bullet innovation that will solve all our emission reduction challenges. We need concrete, real-world action in the next 12 months, with existing scalable solutions, to get the world in a better place by COP30. ?

That’s why we’ve launched a Global To Do List - seven actions that every business and government can take to cut emissions and put us on track. They’re ambitious but achievable, chosen because they will drive the biggest, most immediate results across key sectors and systems. They include increasing energy efficiency, banning the relining of coal powered blast-furnaces, and shifting markets by buying clean products and services. But let’s focus on a few. ?

It’s Time to unleash renewables. This one’s a no-brainer – we know that renewable energy is cheaper and more profitable than fossil fuels. At COP28 the world agreed it’s Time to Triple, but our work shows that the roll out is being held back by regulations, unambitious targets, and a lack of infrastructure. To achieve the tripling target for 2030, we must break down these barriers – and we need to do it this year.?

In South Korea, for example, strict permitting and siting rules are blocking the expansion of renewables. Over half of local governments have rules requiring solar facilities to be located away from residential areas and roads, knocking-out swathes of land, and offshore wind developments must obtain permits from as many as 10 administrative agencies under 29 different laws.?

Another example: in South Africa, grid limitation is a significant barrier, with the gap between the pace of new renewables and grid capacity widening at an alarming rate. Only 30GW of renewables can be added to the current grid, far short of the 190GW needed to reach net zero. These constraints put a large number of renewables projects at the Northern, Eastern, and Western Cape at risk.?

It’s Time to get serious on methane. While methane has a much shorter lifetime than CO2, its warming effect is 84 times more potent over 20 years. And the emissions of this highly dangerous gas are going up, not down. Governments need to build a more powerful global agency that by COP next year has the authority to audit fossil fuel companies’ declarations and delivery, and the resources and talent to tackle the biggest leaks. ??

These are just two of the actions we need to take in the coming year; discover all seven.?

Long story short, we need to implement scalable and effective solutions now. The submission of updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) in February 2025 presents a real opportunity to accelerate progress, and it’s essential they include ambitious policies that will break down barriers to the roll-out of renewables and emissions reductions. ?

What we’ve achieved in the last decade is remarkable, but we must confront the work that needs to be done in the next year head on. Further delay is dangerous. It’s an enormous challenge, but broken down into tangible steps forwards, with dedicated energy and resources, we can build a better future that benefits us all. ?

We can’t waste another year.?

Helen Clarkson, Climate Group CEO

Under2 Coalition General Assembly at COP29

Our upcoming Under Coalition General Assembly will take place on 14 November 2024 at COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan. We’ll bring together ambitious state and regional leaders from across the globe under the theme Subnational leadership to global progress to strengthen collective climate action.

This year, our focus will be to push for stronger NDCs in time for the next deadline of February 2025, calling for effective climate finance, and showing far more ambition on methane emissions reduction.

One year, Seven Actions

The world is off track to reach its climate goals. We need concrete, real-world action from businesses and governments that will drive results in the next 12 months. To drive that action, we’ve developed a Global To-Do list to drastically cut emissions and put the world on track. Seven ambitious actions with a role for every government and business, that they can start taking now.

Research and reports

• The new RE100 TimeToTriple Report shares inspiring interviews with climate leaders on the opportunities to triple global renewable energy capacity in key areas and regions, the essential role of business collaboration, and the importance of targeted finance. It’s Time to hit the tripling-target and reap the economic benefits of the renewables roll out.
• Our Climate Week NYC 2024 report sums up the biggest moments and top line numbers from the week, giving an overview of the widespread impact and momentum of the event. Discover highlights from the Opening Ceremony and The Hub Live, as well as a truly inspiring wider week of climate action.

Latest news

• Climate Group launches the 24/7 Carbon-Free Coalition - We launched a new energy initiative, the 24/7 Carbon-Free Coalition, to help transform the energy system, eliminate carbon emissions from the grid, and build a more sustainable future, with founding partners including Google, AstraZeneca, Iron Mountain Data Centers, Shree Cement, Vodafone UK and AirTrunk. To stay updated, subscribe to the 24/7 newsletter or find out how 24/7 CFE could benefit your business in this upcoming webinar.
• Three new Future Fund projects - The Under2 Coalition has selected three new local projects in Brazil, Mexico, and Indonesia to support under the Future Fund project this year. These projects stood out for their long-term impact and scalability, and their potential to inspire governments across the network to be more ambitious.
• Inspiring Climate Group India events - We recently convened the India Net Zero Steel Forum in Mumbai, bringing together stakeholders in the steel industry to exchange ideas and strategic initiatives to speed up demand for low emissions steel. And, in August, we brought together senior government officials from six states along with senior civil society leaders, at the inaugural North East Climate Forum in the Indian state of Meghalaya.

Essential reads

• Businesses can lead the charge towards 24/7 carbon-free electricity Read now
• The transforming power of government food procurement Read now
• Accelerating Europe’s renovation revolution Read now
• Decarbonising steel and concrete: “We’re in the age of urgency” Read now
• The future of road transport in India Read now

We've been driving climate action fast, since 2004

For the past two decades, we’ve been working with our global network of businesses and governments to unlock the power of collective climate action and drive progress at scale and speed.

To mark our 20th anniversary, this year, we created a new video showcasing why, at this important moment in our history, our mission has never been more critical. We’re calling for leaders to pick up the pace and amplify the need for change now, not later. It’s Time to lead.