According to a net zero commitment tracker this year, 73% of national commitments are now enforceable law or policy (up from 67% in 2025) – but 38% of tracked regions (around 1,540) have no long or short-term emission targets, making it harder to hold them accountable.
Sector-wise, the Net Zero Stocktake 2026 recorded that finance companies are around twice as likely as other sectors to have no mitigation target. Regionally, the gap is widest in China: 58% of companies lack a target, versus 22% in the US and 9% in the rest of the world.
John Lang, Lead, Net Zero Tracker (Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit) said: “Net zero target-setting has held firm globally and more detailed plans have emerged. Dig beneath the surface and progress is uneven. But Chinese firms are catching up, and European firms continue to lead. In one sense it’s remarkable how many US firms have stuck with net zero – the only scientific way to stop climate change getting worse.”
“Conflicts are exposing the costs of fossil-fuel dependence, strengthening the case for net zero – clean energy goes hand in hand with energy security and lower import bills. At COP31, if leaders back the ‘35 by 35’ electrification target, they will help turn net zero goals into demonstrable progress.”
Despite Trump’s turn away from net zero, corporate targets have largely held in the US with targets still covering half of the largest US firms and 15 of 21 tracked US states remain committed to net zero, yet it is losing ground to Europe and China.
The Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit say the largest target gap lies between national and corporate net zero targets, vs subnational governments. Only 28% of cities, and 29% of states and regions have net zero targets, despite controlling many of the systems needed to deliver national and corporate plans.
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