ISO releases draft net zero standard

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🗞️ Driving the news: The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has released a draft of its long-awaited Net Zero Aligned Organizations Standard (ISO 14060), establishing a global framework for how companies should design, implement, and report net zero transition plans

🔭 The context: The standard follows a multi-year development process building on ISO’s earlier 2022 Net Zero Guidelines
• It aims to harmonize approaches to corporate climate action by defining requirements for emissions reduction targets, transition planning, value-chain coverage (Scopes 1, 2, and 3), and the use of carbon credits for residual emissions
• It also introduces expectations for verified progress reporting and governance accountability, including publication of transition plans within two years of target-setting

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: If widely adopted, ISO 14060 could raise the baseline for corporate net zero credibility globally, reducing fragmentation across existing voluntary frameworks
• By emphasizing deep near-term emissions cuts and stricter validation of claims, it may help limit greenwashing and improve the environmental integrity of corporate transition strategies across sectors and supply chains

⏭️ What’s next: The draft is now open for a 12-week public consultation across ISO member countries, followed by a formal vote later this year
• Its final form will depend on how regulators, companies, and standards bodies align it with existing frameworks such as SBTi, GHG Protocol, and regional disclosure regimes

💬 One quote: “ISO 14060 has been developed to provide a globally agreed framework that helps organizations build credible transition plans.” – Noelia Garcia Nebra, ISO

📈 One stat: The working group behind ISO 14060 is described as one of the largest in ISO’s history, involving national standards bodies from more than 170 countries

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