Case Study
February 19, 2025
An Action Plan for Solving Our Climate Crisis Now
1.0
Electrify Transportation
→
Reduce 8 gigatons of transportation emissions to 2 gigatons by 2050.
1.1
Price
→
Achieve global price parity between EVs and gas-powered vehicles by top emitters by 2030.
Updated April 2025
Insufficient Progress
$55,694 (average EV) vs. $45,264 (average full-size car) in the U.S.
Source: Kelley Blue Book, 2024
Insufficient Progress
EV share of car sales was 24.0% in 2024
(BEVs and PHEVs)
Source: BloombergNEF, 2025
1.4
Trucks
→
Increase sales of zero-emissions medium and heavy trucks to 30% of all new truck sales by 2030; 95% by 2045.
Updated April 2025
Failing
Electric share of global truck sales was 0.9% in 2023
(BEVs, FCVs, and PHEVs)
Source: BloombergNEF, 2023
1.5
Miles
↓ 5 Gt
→
Increase miles driven by electric vehicles (two- and three-wheelers, cars, buses, and trucks) to 50% of the global total by 2040, 95% by 2050.
Updated May 2025
Insufficient Progress
EV global share of miles driven across road vehicles in 2023: 6.3%
(BEVs, FCVs, and PHEVs)
Source: BloombergNEF, 2024
1.7
Maritime
↓ 0.6 Gt
→
Deploy low-carbon fuel for 5% of maritime shipping by 2030; zero out emissions for the shipping industry by 2050.
Updated April 2025
2.0
Decarbonize the Grid
→
Reduce 24 gigatons of global electricity and heating emissions to 3 gigatons by 2050.
2.1
Zero Emissions
↓ 16.5 Gt
→
Tap emissions-free sources to generate 50% of electricity worldwide by 2026, 90% by 2035.*
Updated April 2025
Insufficient Progress
39% of electricity came from emissions free sources in 2023
Source: Energy Institute, 2024
2.2
Solar & Wind
→
Make the cost of solar and wind lower than fossil fuels by 2025.
Updated April 2025
2.3
Storage
→
Reduce the cost of short-duration electricity storage to less than $50 per kWh by 2028 and the cost of long-duration electricity storage (up to 30 days) below $10 per kWh by 2030.
Updated April 2025
Insufficient Progress
Short-duration storage: $165 per kWh
Long-duration storage: Limited Data
Source: BloombergNEF, 2024
2.4
Coal & Gas
→
Stop the build-out of new coal and gas plants immediately; retire or zero out emissions from existing plants by 2040.*
Updated April 2025
Code Red
Now in operation globally: 6,538 coal-fired plants and 7,986 gas plants
Source: Global Energy Monitor, 2025
2.5
Methane Emissions
↓ 3 Gt
→
Reduce flaring and eliminate leaks and venting from coal, oil, and gas sites by 2030.
Updated April 2025
Code Red
3 gigatons of methane emissions from the energy sector in 2023 (CO2 equivalent)
Source: International Energy Agency, 2024
2.6
Heating & Cooking
↓ 1.5 Gt
→
Cut fossil fuels for heating and cooking in half by 2040.*
Updated April 2025
Failing
In 2022, building heating generated 2.5 Gt of emissions and over 7 billion people used fossil fuels for cooking
Source: International Energy Agency and World Health Organization, 2024
Insufficient Progress
Global average: $252 of GDP per Exajoule of Fossil Fuel Consumption
Source: Energy Institute and World Bank, 2024
3.0
Fix Food
→
Reduce 9 gigatons of agricultural emissions to 2 gigatons by 2050.
3.1
Farm Soils
↓ 2 Gt
→
Improve soil health by increasing carbon content in topsoils to a minimum of 3% by 2035.
Updated April 2025
Limited Data
Limited Data
3.2
Fertilizers
↓ 0.5 Gt
→
Stop overuse of nitrogen-based fertilizers and develop cleaner alternatives to cut emissions in half by 2050.
Updated April 2025
Failing
The world uses 65.4 kilograms per hectare of nitrogen-based fertilizers
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization and Our World in Data, 2024
3.3
Cows
↓ 3 Gt
→
Cut emissions from beef and dairy consumption by 25% by 2030, 50% by 2050.
Updated April 2025
Code Red
3.3 gigatons of emissions from beef and dairy in 2022
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization, 2024
3.4
Rice
↓ 0.5 Gt
→
Reduce methane and nitrous oxide from rice farming by 50% by 2050.
Updated April 2025
4.0
Protect Nature
→
Go from 6 gigatons of emissions to -1 gigatons by 2050.
4.1
Forests
↓ 6 Gt
→
Achieve net zero deforestation by 2030; end logging and other destructive practices in primary forests.
Updated May 2025
5.0
Clean Up Industry
→
Reduce 12 gigatons of industrial emissions to 4 gigatons by 2050.
5.1
Steel
↓ 3 Gt
→
Reduce emissions from steel production 50% by 2030, 90% by 2040.
Updated April 2025
Code Red
3.4 gigatons of emissions from steel production (CO2 equivalent)
Source: Climate TRACE, 2025
5.2
Cement
↓ 2 Gt
→
Reduce emissions from cement production 25% by 2030, 90% by 2040.
Updated April 2025
5.3
Other Industries
↓ 3 Gt
→
Reduce emissions from other industrial sources (primarily plastics, chemicals, paper, aluminum, glass, and apparel) 60% by 2050.
Updated April 2025
6.0
Remove Carbon
→
Remove 10 gigatons of carbon dioxide per year from the atmosphere.
6.1
Nature-Based Removal
↓ 5 Gt
→
Increase carbon removal by at least 3 gigatons per year by 2030 and 5 gigatons by 2040.
Updated April 2025
6.2
Engineered Removal
↓ 5 Gt
→
Remove at least 1 gigaton per year by 2030 and 5 gigatons by 2050.
Updated April 2025
7.1
Net Zero Pledges
→
The five top emitters’ heads of state say their countries will reach net zero by 2050.*
Updated May 2025
Insufficient Progress
China: 2060
U.S.: No Current Target*
EU: 2050
India: 2070
Russia: 2060
Source: United Nations Climate Change, 2025
7.2
Action Plans
→
The five top emitters are on track to cut emissions in half by 2030.
Updated April 2025
Code Red
2030 trajectory (Policies and action against fair share):
China: <3°C
US: <3°C
EU: <3°C
India: <3°C
Russia: 4°C
Source: Climate Action Tracker, 2024
7.3
Carbon Price
→
National prices on greenhouse gases are set at a minimum of $75 per ton, rising 5% annually.
Updated April 2025
Insufficient Progress
Global average price: $36 per ton
24% of global emissions are covered by a carbon pricing mechanism
Source: World Bank Carbon Pricing Dashboard, 2024
Failing
$1.3 trillion in explicit fossil fuel subsidies globally
Source: International Monetary Fund, 2024
7.5
Methane
→
The top five emitters pledge to control flaring, prohibit venting, and mandate prompt capping of methane leaks.
Updated April 2025
Code Red
The top five emitters take the Global Methane Pledge
China – No pledge
US – Pledge
EU – Pledge
India – No pledge
Russia – No pledge
Source: Global Methane Pledge, 2024
7.6
Refrigerants
→
The top five emitters commit to phasing out hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs).
Updated April 2025
On Track
All five major emitters have ratified the Kigali amendment
Source: United Nations Ozone Secretariat, 2024
8.2
Government
→
A majority of key government officials support the drive to net zero.
Updated April 2025
Limited Data
Limited Data
8.3
Business
→
100% of Fortune Global 500 companies commit to reach net zero by 2050.
Updated April 2025
Failing
15.0% of Fortune Global 500 Companies have a net zero commitment
Source: Speed & Scale, 2025
Data is pulled from Fortune Global 500 websites to track emissions targets of each corporation
8.4
Education
→
The world achieves universal education through ninth grade by 2040.
Updated April 2025
Insufficient Progress
1.9 years (global average loss of life due to air pollution)
Source: Air Quality Life Index (AQLI), 2025
8.6
Jobs
→
The global clean energy transition creates 65 million new jobs by 2040.
Updated April 2025
Insufficient Progress
16.2 million people employed in clean energy jobs
Source: International Renewable Energy Agency, 2024
9.1
Batteries
→
10,000 GWh of batteries are produced annually at less than $80 per kWh by 2035.
Updated April 2025
9.2
Electricity
→
The cost of zero-emissions baseload power drops to $0.02 per kWh by 2030.
Updated April 2025
On Track
$0.03 per kWh for utility-scale onshore wind
$0.04 per kWh for utility-scale solar PV
Source: International Renewable Energy Agency, 2024
9.3
Green Hydrogen
→
The cost of producing hydrogen from zero-emissions sources drops to $2 per kg by 2030, $1 per kg by 2040.
Updated April 2025
9.4
Carbon Removal
→
Cost of engineered carbon dioxide removal falls to $100 per ton by 2030, $50 per ton by 2040.
Updated April 2025
Insufficient Progress
Weighted average of $316 per ton of carbon removed through DACCS, not at scale
Source: CDR.fyi, 2025
9.5
Carbon-Neutral Fuels
→
Cost of synthetic fuel drops to $2.50 per gallon for jet fuel and $3.50 for gasoline by 2035.
Updated April 2025
Failing
Jet Fuel: $2.38 (Traditional) vs. $5.95 (Sustainable)
Vehicle Fuel: $3.24 (Diesel) vs. $3.96 (Biodiesel)
Source: International Air Transport Association, BloombergNEF, and Alternative Fuels Data Center, 2024
Diesel and Biodiesel are U.S. prices
10.1
Financial Incentives
→
Global government support and incentives for clean energy expand to $600 billion per year.
Updated April 2025
Limited Data
Limited Data
10.2
Government R&D
→
Public investment in sustainability research and development increases to $120 billion per year.
Updated July 2025
Insufficient Progress
Low carbon R&D globally: $26.8 billion
Source: International Energy Agency, 2025
10.3
Venture Capital
→
Private investment into cleantech startups totals $50 billion per year.
Updated April 2025
10.4
Project Financing
→
Clean energy project financing rises to $1 trillion per year.
Updated June 2025
Achieved
Clean energy financing is at an all-time high, hitting $1.3 trillion
Source: BloombergNEF, 2025
10.5
Philanthropy
→
Philanthropic dollars for tackling emissions grow to $30 billion per year.
Updated April 2025
Insufficient Progress
Less than 2% (between $9 billion and $16 billion) of philanthropic giving is dedicated to climate change mitigation
Source: ClimateWorks Foundation, 2024