You may wonder if net zero targets are real promises. As of October 2025, around 145 countries had announced or were considering a target, covering close to 77% of global emissions, though most are vaguely designed.
For the wider picture, follow our latest climate news coverage.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Countries with a net zero target announced or under consideration | Around 145 (as of October 2025) |
| Share of global emissions those countries cover | Close to 77% |
| Countries whose target design the Climate Action Tracker rates acceptable | 6 of 41 assessed |
| Share of global emissions with insufficient target design | 63% |
| United Kingdom 2035 emissions cut, against 1990 levels | 81% |
| Warming by 2100 if current climate plans are fully implemented | 2.3-2.5°C |
The figures come from the Climate Action Tracker’s net zero evaluations and the World Resources Institute’s analysis of 2025 climate plans. They can change, so check the sources before you rely on them.
What a net zero target actually promises
A net zero target is a government’s stated goal of bringing greenhouse gas emissions down to net zero. The Climate Action Tracker (CAT) says well-designed targets are key for reducing global carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions to net zero around 2050 and 2070, respectively. That is necessary to keep warming to the Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C limit, according to CAT’s October 2025 update.
The promise only counts when action follows. CAT warns that a target can distract from the urgent need for deep emission reductions if national climate plans and short-term action are inconsistent with it. Ambitious targets, by contrast, can guide the implementation of Paris-aligned actions in the short and medium term.
To judge them, CAT has identified ten key elements of each country’s target. It checks whether the scope, the architecture and the transparency meet what it defines as good practice.
How many countries have set net zero targets?
As of CAT’s October 2025 update, around 145 countries had announced or were considering net zero targets, including China, the EU and India. Together they cover close to 77% of global emissions, according to CAT.
The United States shows how fast a pledge can change. The Biden Administration committed to a net zero target by 2050 as part of the US long-term strategy submitted to the UNFCCC in 2021, but the Trump Administration reversed course. CAT therefore considers the US to no longer have a net zero target, even though 19 states are still pursuing net zero.
The count is broad. CAT’s chart of emissions coverage includes targets agreed in law, targets set as part of an initiative and targets still under discussion, so a headline number does not mean every pledge is legally binding.
Are the targets well designed?
Mostly not yet. CAT’s evaluations of G20 countries and selected others show that most net zero targets are formulated vaguely and do not yet conform with good practice across different design elements. The numbers from CAT’s October 2025 evaluation are stark:
- Targets covering a total of 63% of global emissions have a design that remains insufficient (CAT).
- Only six of the 41 countries assessed, responsible for 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions, are rated acceptable on scope, architecture and transparency (CAT).
- Another 11 countries, responsible for 9% of global emissions, fall into the average category (CAT).
Two further design questions matter. CAT’s analysis points to residual emissions in target years of up to a fifth of current emissions, which have to be balanced by removals.
CAT also says reliance on carbon dioxide removal must be kept as low as possible. Removal options at this stage are either reversible, such as forestry sinks, or expensive and technologically unmature, according to the same CAT page.
What have countries pledged for 2035?
Net zero dates are long-range, so the nearer-term plans are where progress shows. These are the nationally determined contributions, or NDCs, that set targets through 2035. As of 9 November 2025, 108 countries, covering 71% of the world’s emissions, had submitted new ones, WRI reported.
WRI singled out the United Kingdom for a goal to cut emissions 81% from 1990 levels by 2035. It said that would put the country on track to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. The same WRI analysis says the European Union aims to cut emissions 66.25%-72.5% below 1990 levels by 2035, with EU Council goals of a 90% cut by 2040 and net zero by 2050.
LSEG’s NDC 3.0 Tracker from February 2025 shows how some earlier plans were tightened. Japan moved from a 2030 target of 46% below 2013 levels to a 2035 target of 60% below 2013 levels. Canada moved from 40-45% below 2005 levels to 45-50%, and Brazil from 53% below 2005 levels to 59-67%.
Do the pledges add up to 1.5°C?
Not yet. WRI says last year’s projections put the world on track for 2.6-2.8°C of warming by the end of the century if countries achieved their plans. The UN Emissions Gap Report, cited in WRI’s analysis, puts the figure at 2.3-2.5°C by 2100 if current commitments are fully implemented, still well above the Paris Agreement’s goal of 1.5-2°C.
Under laws and measures already in place, WRI says the world is still headed for 2.8°C. New unconditional NDCs are projected to cut emissions by an additional 3.2 gigatons of carbon dioxide equivalent by 2035 compared to 2030. That leaves an emissions gap of 28 GtCO2e to hold warming to 1.5°C, and the plans submitted so far achieve less than 14% of the additional reductions needed (WRI).
Our guide to IPCC reports covers the scientific assessments that frame these temperature goals.
WRI links warming at these levels to more extreme storms, fires, floods and heatwaves. Our explainer on extreme weather events looks at those risks.
How to judge a net zero pledge
A date alone says little, so use a short checklist when you read a headline about a new target.
- Who is promising? CAT’s method applies exclusively to national governments, not to subnational or non-state actors such as corporations.
- Is the design clear? Look at scope, architecture and transparency, the three areas CAT assesses.
- Are there short-term goals? CAT says robust short-term targets and pathways are required to fully realise a net zero ambition, in particular the 2030 and 2035 goals.
- How much relies on removals? Heavy reliance on carbon dioxide removal carries uncertainty over reliability, costs and permanence.
- When was the status checked? Pledges change, as the US case shows, so note the date of any source.
These steps follow the CAT evaluation, which is as of October 2025.
Frequently asked questions
What is a net zero target?
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It is a government’s pledge to bring greenhouse gas emissions down to net zero. CAT says carbon dioxide needs to reach net zero around 2050 and all greenhouse gases around 2070 to keep warming to 1.5°C (CAT, October 2025).
Does the United States have a net zero target?
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As of CAT’s October 2025 update, CAT considers that it does not at national level. The Trump Administration reversed the earlier 2050 commitment, although 19 states are still pursuing net zero (CAT).
Are net zero targets enough to limit warming to 1.5°C?
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Not on their own. WRI’s November 2025 analysis says that if countries fully implement their current commitments, warming could be limited to 2.3-2.5°C by 2100, which is above the 1.5-2°C goal (WRI).
Can the CAT method rate a company’s net zero pledge?
Show answer
No. CAT states that its evaluation method applies exclusively to national governments and cannot be directly applied to subnational or non-state actors, especially corporations (CAT).
