ISO 14060 is set to provide an internationally recognised Net Zero Standard that public sector organisations can be verified against. The Standard is currently in draft form and opened for a 12-week public consultation period on 17 June 2026. The final version of the Standard is expected 2027.  

While public sector organisations have drawn on a variety of frameworks and approaches to guide climate action, ISO 14060 introduces a common reference point for demonstrating progress towards Net Zero. Under the familiar ISO banner, it provides a structured and independently verifiable framework for organisations that wish to assess and communicate their progress.

In the UK, the publication coincides with a wider inflection point for public sector decarbonisation:  

• Public bodies are having to look beyond grant-funded programmes that have financed a substantial portion of public sector decarbonisation over the past few years.  
• The years of action ahead look more uncertain than those behind us, and an increasing number of public sector organisations are publicly acknowledging that 2030 is out of reach for Net Zero (e.g. the Mayor of London).
• At the same time, numerous civic and climate action groups, from the Local Government Association to Climate Emergency UK, are mounting pressure on central government to place a legal climate change duty on local councils.  
• Local government reorganisation will result in a large cohort of new single-tier councils in England, all in need of new emission baselines, transition plans and Net Zero targets.

What does this mean for you organisation?

ISO 14060 arrives at an important time and shifts the conversation from setting Net Zero targets to demonstrating credible progress towards them. We see four reasons why the Standard is a good thing for public sector organisations:  

ISO’s claims framework (target set → committed with transition plan → demonstrating progress → achieved) provides a pathway to bridge the gap between declaring a Net Zero target and credibly demonstrating progress.  

The Standard provides greater autonomy in target setting but reinforces the core requirement for science-aligned emission reductions and permanent carbon counterbalancing before an organisation can claim to be Net Zero.  

ISO 14060 positions governance and leadership as fundamental enablers of Net Zero, with clear requirements for commitment and accountability from senior leadership. Rather than treating Net Zero as a distant end goal, the Standard seeks to embed it within organisational strategy and decision-making. It sets requirements for transition planning, dedicated financing, value chain engagement and the demonstration of measurable progress over time.

ISO 14060 embeds equity and justice as core principles of the transition. The Standard requires meaningful engagement with affected stakeholders, particularly vulnerable and marginalised groups, to ensure that the benefits and impacts of climate action are considered fairly. This will be particularly important for public bodies responsible for services such as social housing, public health, transport and leisure facilities, where transition decisions can have direct implications for local communities.

However, there is still a case for caution:

• With more than 300 requirements across the four-stage claims framework, organisations risk allocating disproportionate time and resources to accreditation at the very point where delivery needs to accelerate. This could create a two-tier public sector, with better resourced organisations able to pursue it while smaller bodies struggle regardless of their commitment to climate action.
• The draft Standard makes no distinction between public and private organisations, overlooking some fundamental differences in how climate action is delivered. Notably, public bodies invest public funds in climate action and must balance Net Zero ambitions against statutory responsibilities and value-for-money considerations. This is particularly relevant for wider contributions to global Net Zero, such as climate finance initiatives or offsetting, where expectations that may be reasonable for corporates can be harder to justify when spending public money.
• Resourcing remains the fundamental challenge. The Standard rightly emphasises the need for demonstrable, resourced delivery, but this comes at a time when many public bodies are facing increasing financial pressures and reduced access to dedicated decarbonisation funding.

Whether ISO 14060 becomes a widely adopted benchmark or an aspirational standard remains to be seen. Regardless, it arrives at a pivotal moment for public sector decarbonisation. As organisations grapple with delivering Net Zero in an increasingly constrained environment, the conversation is likely to shift from ‘do you have a target?’ to ‘can you demonstrate credible progress against it?’. ISO 14060 may become the Standard against which that question is answered.

The Carbon Trust has worked with the UK public sector for over 25 years, and we’re excited for the Standard to prompt a valuable new series of discussions. Please get in touch if you’d like to understand the implications of the Standard for your organisation.

Thank you to contributing author Maddie Liver.