Over the last decade, companies with a net-zero goal reduced their emissions by 10% on average, while those without targets saw their emissions increase. Encouragingly over the last two years corporate commitments to net-zero have increased, with almost one-third of Europe’s largest listed companies now having pledged to reach net-zero by 2050. However, whilst the number of newly set targets is reassuring, only 5% of those European companies are on track to achieve their net-zero target dates, and only 9% are on course to meet a 2050 target. 

In fact some industries will only be on track for net-zero by 2050 if they double the pace of emissions reduction in this decade and more worryingly, some sectors will need even more radical acceleration to reach net-zero by mid-century. Therefore there is a critical need to reevaluate the speed of delivery of net-zero commitments and ensure that the focus on long-dated targets does not reduce the sense of urgency around emissions cuts. 

The Financial Times, in partnership with Accenture, hosted this insightful panel session during COP26 in Glasgow. The discussion provides actionable insights into how companies can accelerate their net-zero transition, in particular through increased cross-industry collaboration and digital technologies, in order to create the collective momentum needed to meet the challenge our world faces to reach net zero by mid-century and hold global warming to 1.5°c.

Understand

The big picture, not just the individual strands of the business you work in

Connect

And build relationships with some of the biggest names in your industry

Discover

New approaches and strategies to help win market share

© Financial Times Live

FT Live and its journalism are subject to a self-regulation regime under the FT Editorial Code of Practice