Draft international net zero standard fails to win enough member votes
Media reports tied the opposition to fossil fuel-producing countries; the standards committee will now weigh its next steps.
The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) said its draft net zero standard failed to win the approval needed to advance, after a 12-week consultation drew nearly 5,000 comments, ESG Today reported Tuesday.
The draft international standard, labeled ISO/DIS 14060, "did not receive the level of approval required to advance in its current form," an ISO spokesperson said. The organization does not disclose how its national member bodies vote, but media reports citing people familiar with the process said the opposition came from fossil fuel-producing countries.
The standard was meant to give companies globally consistent guidance for credible net zero transition plans aligned with the Paris Agreement. It would have required interim and long-term emissions targets, a published transition plan within two years of setting a target, and validation and verification of progress.
Released in June after two years of development, the draft went out for consultation through ISO's national members in more than 170 countries. To move toward publication, a draft needs approval from two-thirds of participating members of the relevant technical committee, with no more than a quarter of votes cast against it.
The spokesperson said the volume of comments showed "extraordinary engagement" and that the committee will consider the feedback and "determine the appropriate next steps for the project."
This brief is based on reporting by Mark Segal, published Sept. 29, 2026, in ESG Today. Read the original: https://www.esgtoday.com/isos-proposed-net-zero-standard-fails-initial-vote-amid-record-feedback/
This article was produced with the assistance of AI tools and reviewed by an editor before publication.
