Factcheck: US and Iran are world’s only major emitters without net-zero targets

<p>Many right-leaning figures have tried to push the idea that the UK is an outlier on net-zero.</p>

<p>Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has <a href="https://www.carbonbrief.org/factcheck-why-conservative-leader-kemi-badenoch-is-wrong-about-uks-net-zero-goal/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">claimed</a> that other countries are “not following us” in aiming to cut emissions to net-zero, while GB News owner Paul Marshall <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/media/2026/mar/30/focus-on-net-zero-policy-is-harming-britain" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">said</a> in March that the UK is “pursuing a path of unilateral economic disarmament”.</p>

<p>Both are <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/02/12/us-trump-abandon-net-zero-britain/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">among</a> <a href="https://www.conservatives.com/news/energy-is-prosperity" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">those</a> on the <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/04/19/ed-milibands-hubris-is-making-net-zero-unachievable/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">right</a> of UK politics who have falsely claimed that the UK’s net-zero target is “unilateral” and that this is a reason why the goal should be abandoned.</p>

<p>However, these claims ignore that <a href="https://zerotracker.net/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">140</a> of the world’s 198 countries (71%) have net-zero targets. </p>

<p>In fact, Iran and the US are the only two of the world’s <a href="https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/annual-co2-emissions-per-country?tab=table&amp;country=~OWID_WRL&amp;tableFilter=countries" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">top 20</a> carbon dioxide (CO2) emitters that lack a net-zero target, as shown in the map below.</p>

<p>If the UK were to scrap its net-zero target, as called for by both the opposition <a href="https://www.carbonbrief.org/factcheck-why-conservative-leader-kemi-badenoch-is-wrong-about-uks-net-zero-goal/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Conservatives</a> and hard-right <a href="https://www.carbonbrief.org/uk-election-2024-what-the-manifestos-say-on-energy-and-climate-change/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Reform UK</a>, this is the group of major emitters it would be joining.</p>

<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img alt="Countries with net-zero targets, as of May 2026." class="wp-image-62399" height="1170" src="https://www.carbonbrief.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/us-iran-worlds-major-co2-emitters-without-net-zero-targets.png" width="2100" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Countries with net-zero targets, as of May 2026. Data source: Net Zero Tracker</figcaption></figure>

<p>The latest <a href="https://www.carbonbrief.org/factcheck-why-conservative-leader-kemi-badenoch-is-wrong-about-uks-net-zero-goal/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">assessment report</a> from the <a href="https://www.ipcc.ch/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change</a> (IPCC), the world’s foremost authority on climate science, said the only way to stop global warming was to reach net-zero CO2 emissions.</p>

<p>The UK was the <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-becomes-first-major-economy-to-pass-net-zero-emissions-law" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">first</a> major economy to set a net-zero target in 2019.</p>

<p>Since then, almost all of the world’s major emitters have followed suit, with China <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-54256826" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">announcing</a> a net-zero target in 2020 and <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-59125143" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">India</a>, <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-58955584" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Saudi Arabia</a> and <a href="https://climateactiontracker.org/countries/russian-federation/net-zero-targets/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Russia</a> launching goals in 2021.</p>

<p>Around 74% of global emissions are now covered by some kind of national net-zero target, according to data from the <a href="https://zerotracker.net/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Net Zero Tracker</a>, a consortium tracking net-zero policies.</p>

<p>According to the Net Zero Tracker, 34 nations –&nbsp;including the UK –&nbsp;have set a net-zero target into law, signifying the highest possible level of commitment.</p>

<p>In addition, 63 nations have stated their goal in a policy document, 16 nations have made a net-zero “pledge” and 23 nations have a net-zero “proposal”. (<a href="https://www.carbonbrief.org/explainer-why-some-countries-are-aiming-for-net-negative-emissions/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Four nations</a> have declared that they have already reached net-zero.)</p>

<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img alt="Types of net-zero targets across countries." class="wp-image-62400" height="592" src="https://www.carbonbrief.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/34-nations-set-net-zero-target-law.png" width="1902" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Types of net-zero targets across countries. Data source: Net Zero Tracker</figcaption></figure>

<p>The US, the world’s <a href="https://www.carbonbrief.org/analysis-worlds-biggest-historic-polluter-the-us-is-pulling-out-of-un-climate-treaty/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">largest historical emitter</a> when counting its cumulative climate impact since the start of the industrial revolution, had a <a href="https://www.carbonbrief.org/media-reaction-us-inflation-reduction-act-and-the-global-clean-energy-arms-race/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">net-zero target</a> under former president Joe Biden. However, it was <a href="https://www.carbonbrief.org/qa-what-trumps-us-exit-from-unfccc-and-ipcc-could-mean-for-climate-action/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">abandoned</a> by the current Trump administration.</p>

<p>Despite this, some 18 regions and 43 cities in the US still have some form of net-zero commitment, according to the Net Zero Tracker.</p>

<p><a href="https://zerotracker.net/meet-the-team" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">John Lang</a>, lead of the Net Zero Tracker, tells Carbon Brief:</p>

<blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">
<p>“Ironically, of the world’s 20 largest emitters, only the US and Iran lack net-zero targets – precisely as the <a href="https://www.carbonbrief.org/qa-what-does-the-iran-war-mean-for-the-energy-transition-and-climate-action/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Iran crisis</a> exposes the risks of dependence on fossil fuels and volatile oil markets.</p>
</blockquote>

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<blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">
<p>“Arguing against net-zero is arguing for greater exposure to geopolitical instability and energy price shocks. The UK has already shown that cutting fossil-fuel dependence can go hand in hand with economic growth, reducing emissions by <a href="https://www.carbonbrief.org/analysis-uk-emissions-fall-2-4-in-2025-as-coal-hits-400-year-low/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">54%</a> since 1990 while almost doubling the size of the economy.”</p>
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<p>The post <a href="https://www.carbonbrief.org/factcheck-us-and-iran-are-worlds-only-major-emitters-without-net-zero-targets/">Factcheck: US and Iran are world’s only major emitters without net-zero targets</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.carbonbrief.org">Carbon Brief</a>.</p>