New data reveals that the United States and Iran are the only two countries among the world's top 20 carbon dioxide emitters that lack a net-zero target, directly countering claims that the UK is isolated in its climate ambition. According to the Net Zero Tracker, a consortium that monitors net-zero policies globally, 140 of the world's 198 countries—71%—have adopted net-zero goals.
The findings come as right-leaning figures in the UK, including Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch and GB News owner Paul Marshall, have argued that Britain's net-zero target is unilateral and should be abandoned. Badenoch recently claimed other countries are "not following us," while Marshall warned of "unilateral economic disarmament."
Background
The UK made history in 2019 as the first major economy to enshrine a net-zero target into law. Since then, nearly all major emitters have followed suit: China announced its target in 2020, and India, Saudi Arabia, and Russia set goals in 2021. Today, approximately 74% of global emissions are covered by some form of national net-zero target, according to the Net Zero Tracker.
Of the 34 nations with legally binding net-zero targets, the UK remains among the most committed. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the world's leading climate authority, has stated that reaching net-zero CO2 emissions is essential to halting global warming.
The United States briefly had a net-zero target under former President Joe Biden, but the current Trump administration rescinded it. Despite this, 18 U.S. regions and 43 cities still maintain net-zero commitments.
What This Means
"Ironically, of the world's 20 largest emitters, only the US and Iran lack net-zero targets—precisely as the Iran crisis exposes the risks of dependence on fossil fuels and volatile oil markets," John Lang, lead of the Net Zero Tracker, told Carbon Brief. "Arguing against net-zero is arguing for greater exposure to geopolitical instability and energy price shocks."
If the UK were to scrap its net-zero target—as urged by the opposition Conservatives and the hard-right Reform UK party—it would join a small group of major emitters that includes Iran and the United States. This would align Britain with nations widely criticized for their lack of climate action and reliance on fossil fuels, potentially undermining its leadership role on the global stage.
Scrapping net-zero would also expose the UK to the very geopolitical and economic risks that Lang highlighted. As global energy markets remain volatile, maintaining a clear path to net-zero could enhance energy security and attract investment in clean technologies.