The European Outdoor Group (EOG) has voted to make it mandatory for members to commit to the UN’s Race to Zero initiative by the end of 2024 or be excluded from its rolls.
In an open vote among members, 88 percent were in favor of Race to Zero proposals, which were endorsed by the EOG board and executive team. There are 106 eligible members, of which 72 voted in favor of the mandate and 10 voted against. Of the total, 24 abstained or did not vote in the proceedings, which took place over three weeks and therefore allowed plenty of time for members to consider how they would vote. Voting was open to all members of the EOG, but not associated members.
Matt Gowar, EOG president, said he was pleased with the result of the Race to Zero vote, the high level of engagement in the process and the quality of the discussions leading up to the vote. He added that in his view, enforcement of many of the Race to Zero measures is inevitable anyway but that it sends an important message of solidarity and belief in the notion of climate change.
“Our industry is sending a clear signal that it is fully committed to serious, sustained and accelerating action to reduce emissions,” he said. “I am certain EOG members will continue to tackle this existential challenge with great energy, and in doing so will encourage and enable our colleagues in the outdoor industry and other sectors to follow our lead.”
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Race to Zero is United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change’s (UNFCCC) campaign to marshal support from “businesses, cities, regions and investors for a healthy, resilient, zero carbon recovery that prevents future threats, creates decent jobs and unlocks inclusive, sustainable growth.” It was launched at the UNSG’s Climate Action Summit 2019 by Sebastián Piñera, then president of Chile, with the objective of building momentum around the move to a carbon zero economy where governments must strengthen their contributions to the Paris Agreement.
Race to Zero is the largest alliance of organizations committed to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. It is a coalition of major net-zero initiatives that include non-state actors, companies, financial institutions, cities, states and regions, educational institutions and healthcare institutions.
The EOG has been the voice of the European Outdoor Sector for 20 years and has often led the business community in matters relation to responsible business practices. Mandatory membership in Race to Zero was proposed at the summer meeting in June.
Major challenges the EOG has addressed include the Single Use Plastics Project and Carbon Reduction Project, and it supports organizations like the European Outdoor Conservation Association and the Microfibre Consortium. Members have signed the Sustainability Charter, which outlines the EOG’s position on what best practices entail.
Arne Strate, general secretary of the EOG, warned that businesses should not be reluctant to sign on to the Race to Zero, whose principles most organizations already subscribe to. “Our team will help guide everyone in the right direction, providing assistance to those among our membership who need it to meet the new requirement by the end of 2024,” he said. “Achieving net zero is a necessary outcome for all of business and Race to Zero is an articulation of that and its urgency.”
He added that strong support from membership gives the team a mandate to escalate work in this area, increasing its scale and reach for the collective good.