Integrity Matters: Are credibility standards fit for states and regions?

In 2022, the United Nations published the ‘Integrity Matters' report outlining 10 recommendations for net zero emissions targets set by non-state entities. These standards aim to accelerate credible and accountable progress towards the 1.5°C goal. 

Based on these recommendations, the UN Secretary-General issued a call to action and announced plans to host the Climate Ambition Summit in September 2023 open only to those that have shown leadership aligned with the UN’s recommendations. In response to this call, the Under2 Coalition, the largest global network of subnational governments committed to net zero emissions by 2050, worked closely with states and regions to identify those meeting the standards. Nearly a fifth of the coalition responded to this call with their transition plans.

This policy summary analyses the submitted transition plans from Under2 Coalition governments, with the aim of answering one critical question: do the global climate leadership standards work as a framework for states and regions? Our analysis identifies opportunities to both strengthen these standards and how the standards can be leveraged to build state and regional capacity to unleash their significant emissions reduction potential.