By joining you are committing to the following Race to Zero criteria. You have one year after you sign to set your targets, plans and reports. You do not need to have these in place before signing. These are known as the 5 P's.
Pledge at the head-of-organization level to reach (net) zero GHGs as soon as possible, and by mid-century at the latest, in line with global efforts to limit warming to 1.5C. Set an interim target to achieve in the next decade, which reflects maximum effort toward or beyond a fair share of the 50% global reduction in CO2 by 2030 identified in the IPCC Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5C. You have one year after you sign to set your targets.
Within 12 months of joining, explain what actions will be taken toward achieving both interim and longer-term pledges, especially in the short- to medium-term. You have one year after you sign to develop your plan.
Take immediate action toward achieving (net) zero, consistent with delivering interim targets specified. You have one year after you sign to develop your actions.
Commit to report publicly both progress against interim and long-term targets, as well as the actions being taken, at least annually. You have one year after you sign to develop your annual report.
Share any commitment statement your institution has in aligning advocacy/policy and/or your engagement with others on net zero goals. See p.38 on the 5th P Handbook for guidance.
Full details on the criteria, and accompanying interpretation guide and language guide. The criteria was updated on 15 June 2022 - current signatories have until 15 June 2023 to update their plans to reflect the new criteria. It is expected that universities and colleges include scope 3 emissions as the same as businesses do.
The Race to Zero criteria is set by an Expert Peer Review Group, which comprises scientific and technical experts from around the world.