Global cooperation

What is GONE?

The mission of The Group of Negative Emitters is to promote the need for net-negative emissions, and the solutions required to achieve them, in order to keep the 1.5°C target within reach. This includes promoting the full spectrum of approaches, from nature-based solutions to emerging technologies, needed to deliver net-negative emissions globally.

To avoid the worst consequences of climate change and achieve the Paris Agreement goals of limiting warming to 1.5°C it will be necessary to pursue negative CO2 emissions. Achieving net zero GHG emissions implies net negative CO2 emissions to counterbalance residual emissions.

Projected emissions suggest that warming will likely exceed 1.5°C this century and make it harder to stay below 2°C. While national policies aiming at reducing emissions have steadily increased globally, many countries have not formulated short-term goals or policy programs to realize their long-term ambitions while financial support for climate goals is insufficient in all sectors and regions. Furthermore, CDR is still a relatively new topic for many national policymakers and questions remain around how countries should think about and plan for CDR.

Therefore, there is a need for an alliance to create momentum or a race to the top among countries and other relevant actors, partly to set more ambitious climate targets and partly to encourage the initiation of necessary political efforts in the short and medium term, including to spur the scaling of CDR.

The primary purpose of GONE is, as a frontrunner alliance, to create momentum for global net-negative GHG emissions from mid-century, in order to limit warming to 1.5 degrees. Therefore, GONE will work on shifting the global narrative from focusing on 'net zero' to 'net negative'. This purpose will be achieved by bringing together a group of countries and other actors willing to be leaders and promote the goal of net negative emissions.

It is an essential time to work towards these ambitions, based on the conclusions of the Global Stocktake (GST) and on the back of the updated NDCs. Further, the GST calls for greater emphasis on long-term low emission development strategies (LT-LEDS) and aligning NDC’s with these. Since LT-LEDS have a longer scope, towards mid-century, these will be a key target to influence.

The scientific basis of the Group of Negative Emitters (GONE) rests on findings from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) showing that limiting global warming to 1.5°C, as agreed in the Paris Agreement, requires not only deep emissions reductions but also the removal of CO₂ from the atmosphere.

Most mitigation pathways assessed by the IPCC demonstrate that achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions will require net negative CO₂ emissions in the second half of this century to counterbalance residual emissions from hard-to-abate sectors such as agriculture, aviation, shipping, and industry.

GONE is grounded in climate science showing that carbon dioxide removal must complement emissions reductions, and that early deployment, policy development, and international cooperation are necessary to reach global net-negative emissions.

Members of GONE

GONE is intended as a frontrunner alliance of countries and other actors committed to achieving net negative emissions and promoting carbon dioxide removal. Members are expected to demonstrate ambitious climate targets, promoting and utilizing carbon dioxide removal and being willing to support knowledge sharing and the development of best practices with other members.

GONE has eight member countries consisting of Denmark, Panama, Finland, Ethiopia, Sweden, Kenya, Suriname and the Netherlands. Further,
GONE is collaborating with a long range of cities including Copenhagen, Stockholm, Helsinki, New York City and Amsterdam, through the City CDR Initiative.

Countries, states or cities can become members by formally committing to the alliance’s objectives, supporting the transition from net zero to net negative emissions, and actively participating in cooperation, policy development, and technical exchange within the alliance framework.

There are different membership categories. If you are interested in learning more about membership, please reach out to Frederik Jallov-Haag (frjah@kefm.dk) and Nikolaj Heldt Rønnow (niher@kefm.dk).

GONE's work so far

At COP28 in Dubai, GONE was soft launched by founding members Denmark, Panama and Finland to promote negative emissions, removing more CO₂ from the atmosphere than is emitted. The three countries set focus on the need for countries to set net-negative targets and the need for both technical and nature-based CDR in achieving these targets. The Ministerial key notes were followed by a panel with representatives from CHAMP, UNEP, the EU Commission and WRI.

GONE was officially launched at COP29 in Baku. At the event five additional members of the alliance were announced during the Ministerial panel: Ethiopia, Sweden, Kenya, Suriname and the Netherlands. The participants highlighted perspectives on the need for global net-negative emissions and how to achieve them, including the challenges involved.

During ACS2 GONE-members Ethiopia, Kenya and Denmark co-hosted the GONE-event ‘Driving Carbon Sinks and Removals on the African Continent’. With participation from member countries, WRI and the World Bank the event focused on the path to achieving negative emissions in Africa through Nature-based Solutions and innovative solutions.

During New York Climate Week GONE hosted the event ‘Scaling CDR: Where Policy Meets Industry’ at the Colombia University. The event gathered Ministers, representatives from the private sector and academia to discuss the importance of collaboration and coordination between policy makers and the private sector in scaling the needed technological solutions to achieve negative emissions.

At COP30 in Belém GONE was represented at several events hosted by UNEP, CDR30 and the COP30 Climate Champion Team, focusing on the importance of achieving negative emissions. The main event was the Ministerial event at the Danish Pavillion ‘Closing the Ambition Gap’. With Ministerial participation from five members countries the Ministers discussed the newly updated NDCs and how CDR and negative emissions should play a role in the future in achieving the 1.5-degree target. During the event it was also announced that the CityCDR Initiative, consisting of 20+ large cities, was joining GONE.

In 2026, GONE will be present at SB64 in Bonn and London Climate Action Week in June, New York Climate Week in September, and COP31 in Antalya in November. More information about these events will be shared as it becomes available.