Everybody’s Business: The net zero blind spot

Aug 1, 2023

In recent years the emission-cutting plans of major publicly-listed companies have received an increasing amount of attention. Much of this focuses on companies’ targets for net zero emissions, which is now the dominant framing that many entities, corporate and public sector, use for decarbonisation pledges and plans.

By comparison, the plans of major private companies receive very little attention. But private companies, accountable only to their owners, and with less regulatory scrutiny and oversight, make up a large share of the world economy: the aggregate annual revenue of the 100 largest private companies in the world amounts to over $4 trillion, almost 5% of the global economy.

In this report, we pull back the curtain on the world’s biggest private companies and ask how their pledges and plans for net zero compare to their publicly-listed counterparts.

Publication details
Theme(s)
The urgency of zero
Type(s)
Report
Author(s)
Hale, Thomas Smith, Steve
Year(s)
2022
Net Zero Tracker

Latest news

Oxford Net Zero launches autumn webinar series
Oxford Net Zero launches autumn webinar series

Join us this autumn for a series of webinars led by Oxford Net Zero fellows! Read more

Professor Myles Allen appointed Fellow of the Royal Society
Professor Myles Allen appointed Fellow of the Royal Society

Professor Myles Allen appointed Fellow of the Royal Society Read more

Oxford Net Zero is Hiring – Join as Fossil Fuel Fellow
Oxford Net Zero is Hiring – Join as Fossil Fuel Fellow

Oxford Net Zero has an exciting opening for a Research Fellow on Net Zero for the Fossil Fuel Sector and non-stipendiary Research Fellowship at Kellogg College. We are seeking to appoint a Research Fellow on Net Zero for the Fossil Fuel Sector ... Read more

See more news and events