Despite political backtracking, net-zero commitments rise in 2025: Accenture

Despite political reversals on climate policy in 2025, including the United States’ renewed withdrawal from the Paris Agreement, corporate commitments to net-zero emissions have continued to strengthen. According to an Accenture report, 41% of the world’s 2,000 largest companies have now set net-zero targets covering their entire value chains, a significant increase from 2024, and the average number of decarbonization actions adopted by companies has also risen. However, the proportion of companies on track to achieve operational net-zero by 2050 remains low, particularly in high-emitting sectors such as energy, natural resources and utilities, where emissions have largely continued to grow. The report also highlights a gradual decoupling of revenue growth from emissions, suggesting that decarbonization no longer necessarily comes at the expense of business performance. Companies that establish science-based targets, develop clear transition plans, ensure board-level oversight and link executive compensation to climate performance show more tangible emissions reductions. Overall, even as global political consensus on climate action becomes more fragmented, large companies are increasingly embedding net-zero and decarbonization into their core business strategies.