What is the Net Zero Initiative?
The Net Zero Initiative (NZI) project was launched in 2018 at the initiative of consulting firm Carbone 4, with the support of ADEME, the French Ministry of Ecological Transition, and 21 other organizations committed to carbon neutrality.
The Net Zero Initiative framework aims to limit the rise in temperatures to +1.5°C compared with levels recorded in the pre-industrial era (1850–1900). This framework is intended to achieve an balance between anthropogenic emissions and removals, i.e., CO2 absorbed by natural carbon sinks. The Net Zero framework therefore offers organizations a methodology to define and structure their climate actions. These must meet the objectives set by the Paris Climate Agreement signed at COP21. The idea behind this framework is as follows: every organization must contribute to achieving carbon neutrality.
Industrial companies are under no general obligation to apply the Net Zero Initiative framework. It is a voluntary methodological approach designed to help organizations structure and assess their contribution to global carbon neutrality.
What is carbon neutrality?
According to the European Parliament: “Carbon neutrality implies a balance between carbon emissions and the absorption of carbon from the atmosphere by carbon sinks”.
Carbon neutrality does not mean the total elimination of greenhouse gas emissions, since carbon sinks help to mitigate our impact. However, natural carbon sinks such as soils, flora, fauna and oceans are not sufficient to absorb all our GHG emissions. According to ADEME, only 20% of the GHG emissions produced in France are captured by natural carbon sinks.
Dametis supports you in carrying out a GHG inventory, an industrial energy audit, and reducing your emissions.
To make up for this shortfall, artificial carbon sinks can be created—for example, forest planting and underground CO2 storage (CCS). However, they are very costly and cannot absorb enough carbon to tackle global warming. As long as we are unable to absorb all CO2 emissions, global warming will continue, leading to a growing decline in natural carbon sinks. It is a real vicious circle: the higher carbon emissions are, the less able the planet is to absorb them naturally, which further amplifies those emissions.
For environmental, economic and societal reasons, we need to stabilize temperatures and reduce our greenhouse gas emissions. The EU has therefore set itself the goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.
Good to know: what’s the difference between carbon neutrality and Net Zero?
Net Zero provides a methodology and concrete actions to help companies contribute to achieving carbon neutrality. These are two distinct concepts.
What are the objectives of the Net Zero Initiative?
The Net Zero framework is based on 5 key principles:
- The term “carbon neutrality” does not apply to an organization, but designates the global objective of balancing planetary emissions and absorptions.
- Organizations are actors in carbon neutrality, they can only contribute to it.
- Emissions reductions and negative emissions representing absorptions are identified differently and calculated separately.
- The concept of “contribution to global neutrality” has been refined and extended to include the marketing of low-carbon products and services. A distinction is now made between two types of avoided emissions: those that actually contribute to a reduction in emissions, and those that represent a small increase on the initial situation.
- Carbon finance cannot cancel out a company’s operational emissions. On the contrary, it can trigger avoided or negative emissions.
What is the Net Zero target for 2030 and 2050?
As part of its commitment to carbon neutrality, the European Union has adopted the “green deal” (“Green Deal”) and the resulting climate law. This new growth strategy should create jobs while improving our quality of life. The European Union has thus set a binding target of a 55% reduction in net emissions by 2030 compared with 1990, and carbon neutrality by 2050 for all member countries.
At national level, France reaffirmed this objective through the 2019 Energy and Climate Law. The National Low-Carbon Strategy (SNBC) is the action plan designed to steer climate-change mitigation policies. The SNBC provides for a 40% reduction in emissions by 2030 and 80% by 2050, with the remaining 20% absorbed by natural carbon sinks.
SBTi and Net Zero
You may have heard of the Corporate Net Zero Standard, created as part of the SBTi. Its aim is to enable companies to set science-aligned carbon-neutrality targets in line with IPCC expert projections under the Paris Agreement.
Version 2.0 of the SBTi Corporate Net-Zero Standard was published in June 2026, marking a shift from simply setting targets to concrete, operational implementation.
It should be distinguished from Carbone 4’s Net Zero Initiative, which is broader:
- SBTi Corporate Net-Zero Standard: implementing actions at the company level.
- Carbone 4 Net Zero Initiative: in addition to its own decarbonization actions, the company must seek to decarbonize its entire ecosystem and develop carbon sinks.
Learn more: SBTi framework and decarbonization
How to achieve carbon neutrality with the Net Zero Initiative?
To achieve carbon neutrality, two levers of action need to be activated:
- Greenhouse gas emissions, whether fossil or biogenic, must be reduced considerably.
- We need to increase the number of natural and man-made wells.
Each organization must therefore ask itself what actions it can take, at its own level, to contribute to reducing anthropogenic emissions and increasing carbon sinks.
The Net Zero Initiative is designed to encourage organizations to take action both within and outside their value chain. To achieve this, the strategy is based on three pillars. For each pillar, it is important for the company to measure performance, set achievable and ambitious targets, and dynamically steer action.
Net Zero Initiative dashboard
Pillar A: Reduce your own greenhouse gas emissions
The organization must limit its direct greenhouse gas emissions (scope 1 of the carbon footprint) and indirect emissions (scopes 2 and 3).
TIBC support from PACTE industrie.
Focus on carbon footprint scopes
Scope 1: all direct GHG emissions linked to the activity of the industrial site
Scope 2: all indirect CO2 emissions required for site activity but produced outside the industry.
Scope 3: all other indirect emissions produced upstream and downstream of the activity. Upstream emissions mainly include direct emissions from subcontractors and emissions linked to product processing. Downstream are GHG emissions linked to the use of products manufactured on the industrial site.
Step 1: Evaluate and quantify your CO2 emissions.
The industrial measurement of CO2 emissions must be regular to allow for an analysis of performance and results. The standard reporting frameworks are as follows: ISO 14064/14069, Bilan Carbone, GHG Protocol
Step 2: Set measurable, achievable objectives.
The objectives can be defined internally, based on an analysis of the various regulations, reference systems and standards, or with the help of an external service provider who is an expert in the field of GHG emissions.
Step 3: Manage and sustain performance.
Energymanagement makes a major contribution to controlling Scopes 1 and 2 emissions. It is also a lever over which companies often have the most control. Performance can therefore only be achieved through actions linked toenergy efficiency: audits, waste heat studies, ISO 50001 certification, energy mix opportunity studies.
Dynamic, digital tools must also be put in place.
In industry, EMS software can be a major ally in sustaining the solutions implemented by optimizing energy, water, and material losses.
Pillar B: Contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by others
As part of the Net Zero Initiative, the organization must contribute to reducing emissions from other organizations. To do so, it can:
- Offer its low-carbon products and services as a substitute for less responsible ones within another organization.
- Financing low-carbon projects outside our value chain.
Step 1: Measure annually the emissions avoided by the organization.
Continuously monitor the data
Step 2: Set targets for avoided emissions.
Setting avoided emissions targets for each product and service offered, as well as for each low-carbon project financed, will give the organization a clearer vision of the efforts required.
Step 3: Optimize and dynamically manage performance
To track progress in reducing emissions outside the value chain.
Pillar C: the company must contribute to increasing absorption wells
The company must contribute to the increase in carbon sinks, and there are two ways of doing this:
- Develop its own carbon sinks (direct absorption) within its value chain.
- Finance sequestration projects outside its value chain. Even if unrelated to the company’s activity, funding high-impact projects helps offset part of the company’s emissions.
Step 1: Measure negative emissions annually.
For this pillar, the company must assess its own negative emissions, as well as the negative emissions linked to project financing. To do this, the company can rely on standards such as ISO 14064, GHG Protocol Guidance on Removals, etc.
Step 2: Set absorption targets for your organization and the projects it finances.
The company must set a concrete amount of carbon to capture, define the deadline, and specify which actions will achieve it.
Example: finance a portfolio of projects expected to generate 1,000 tCO₂ of additional cumulative removals over the 2027–2030 period.
Step 3: Manage and optimize your contribution to increasing absorption sinks.
In particular by supporting projects that capture carbon: forest restoration, wetland restoration, biochar production and use, etc.
The advantages of following the Net Zero Initiative standard in the industrial sector
The Net Zero Initiative benchmark now serves as a framework for companies to contribute to climate change, and is already usable, although it will be improved and further developed over the coming years. This framework marks the beginning of a significant change, if every company implements the actions outlined in the Net Zero Initiative framework. The collective movement will make it possible to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.
Today in France, industry is responsible for more than 18% of greenhouse gas emissions. By following this framework, you will help slow climate change for a better future. Implementing carbon-neutral actions will also enable you to benefit from various advantages:
- Access low-carbon funds
- Improve your performance
- Lighten your bills
- Reduce your risk
- Gain a competitive edge
- Access new markets
- Improve your brand image
Reducing CO2 emissions helps improve industrial performance by optimizing manufacturing processes, controlling water and energy consumption, and reducing environmental effluents. The impact is lower long-term costs and reduced regulatory risk by complying with constantly evolving environmental standards.
Implementing sustainable actions also strengthens image and reputation, and therefore provides a competitive advantage. Today, actions to reduce emissions and CO2 sequestration can, in some cases, be eligible for funding or subsidies (Fonds Chaleur, Diag Décarbon’Action, Energy Savings Certificates, etc.).
Dametis supports you in implementing the recommendations of the Net Zero framework
To achieve carbon neutrality and implement low-carbon actions, Dametis experts can support you! Company energy audit, energy mix and waste heat opportunity study, low-carbon investment trajectory (TIBC), training, turnkey projects or implementation of EMS software—we help you reduce your carbon footprint.
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