About GoZero
Our vision
GoZero envisages a world in which humanity lives sustainably and in harmony with nature and within Earth's planetary boundaries.
Our mission
To end the overshoot of Earth's planetary boundaries. We work to help redesign our systems to put the wellbeing of people and the planet at their heart. We empower citizens, communities and local businesses with strategies and actions to drive systems change and the reduction of ecological impacts, notably greenhouse gas emissions and biodiversity loss.
Our approach
Individual citizens, community groups, businesses and government all have a role to play in addressing the multiple, interlinked ecological crises that humanity faces. While there is growing concern, humanity's response has been largely ineffective so far, with greenhouse gas emissions, plastic pollution, habitat loss and extinctions continuing to rise. GoZero's approach to ending the overshoot of planetary boundaries follows these stages: Reconnect - Reimagine - Reduce - Regenerate - Reward. See a summary below and find out more about our approach here.
Reconnect
Our lives are increasingly disconnected from community and nature. A major root cause of our ecological predicament, is the erroneous belief that we are separate from nature and above all other forms of life. This narrative enables a culture of overconsumption that relies on unsustainable resource use and disregard for other forms of life. However, we know that our economy and wellbeing are rooted in nature.
Disconnection from community also undermines our wellbeing. It disempowers us. We compensate by engaging in overconsumption. Individual efforts to address ecological collapse can feel insignificant, whereas collective efforts feel more meaningful and have greater transformative potential.
We believe that the antidote to the many crises we face is to be found in reconnecting with nature and with our communities. Individual actions on their own will not bring about the scale or speed of change that is required. We require an all-of-society response to avert ecological collapse. This begins by reconnecting.
Reimagine
Our ecological predicament is an inevitable consequence of the way our extractive, wasteful economy is designed. To avert the worst consequences of ecological breakdown, we must work collectively to reimagine and redesign our systems and economy, placing the wellbeing of people and planet at the centre of what we value.
This means changing what we value. At present, our economic and political system rewards overconsumption rather than regeneration.
Reduce
Reducing consumption is the foundation of any credible climate and ecological actions, and yet most solutions on offer provide new technologies or mechanisms that perpetuate overconsumption and overshoot. We're not going to consume our way out of a crisis created by overconsumption. So much of what we consume is unhealthy and unnecessary.
Market-based climate solutions and technological fixes are structurally incapable of delivering the transformation needed to end overshoot of planetary boundaries. Even the drive to replace all fossil fuel machines with electric versions, while better in terms of emissions, will continue the culture of consumption that threatens other planetary boundaries, such as land use, freshwater use, plastic and other pollution, and biodiversity integrity.
Regenerate
Alongside efforts to change our systems and reduce our ecological impacts, there is need to make large-scale efforts to restore and regenerate nature. The regeneration of Earth's natural systems are key to any successful climate strategy. Restoring the health of our soils has the potential to sequester vast amounts of atmospheric greenhouse gas. Restoring freshwater systems provides climate resilience and protects habitats and biodiversity.
Reward
GoZero helps citizens, organisations and businesses to go beyond measuring their footprints, and track their positive impacts - their ecological handprint. This includes actions to connect with community and groups, take individual actions to reduce ecological damage and collective actions to drive systems change and regenerate nature.
We believe that by setting monthly goals, providing tools to track progress, and giving opportunities for all people to participate in ending overshoot, we will increase the impact of our collective response. Many market-based solutions and technologies, such as solar panels and EVs, are only available to more wealthy persons or larger organisations. Importantly, we reward reduction in consumption, not just consuming new technologies.
Our tracking system also gives value to participation in collective, community actions that are available to all, meaning that anyone can succeed in achieving their monthly impact target. When the target is reached, they unlock donations to nature regeneration projects provided by our supporting businesses.
Our Values
Impact-driven
Creating a sustainable future by championing the reduction of ecological harm and systems change is at the core of what we do. We are driven by our passion to protect and conserve the health of our planet - not just for us, but for the generations to come. We are working to enable all climate actors to become emissions-free and drive down greenhouse gases in our atmosphere and to reduce overshoot of the other planetary boundaries.
Integrity
We will do what is right, even when it is not easy. Our commitment to transparency, accountability and governance, notably in how we measure climate action, is the foundation of trust that we build with our members, businesses and partners. It is our continuous commitment to rigorously scrutinize and reward authentic behaviour that creates positive action and systems change.
Independence
Independence allows us to make decisions that prioritise the needs of our planet and our members. We are data-informed and are not beholden to any political agenda or industry. Our independence allows us to be nimble and proactive to changing circumstances, and to operate guided by ethics, fairness and equality.
Collaboration
Real change starts when we come together. We believe that all actors engaged in creating positive climate action, preventing ecological harm, and systems change towards an economy with people and planet at its heart, are our friends and allies. Creating a secure, sustainable future is only possible by building a community of people and organisations with shared goals and aligned interests, and fostering cooperation and participation among its members. We want you to join us to create this future, together.
About Carbon Points™
GoZero's points system measures the positive actions that people, community groups and businesses take to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and wider ecological impacts, including waste, pollution, water and land use, resource extraction and biodiversity loss.
For the People
Members with free accounts can earn points by having their QR code scanned when supporting climate actions, community events and efforts to build a healthy economy, centred on people and planet. GoZero subscribers can also earn Carbon Points by reducing their ecological impacts and through GoZero Challenges.
Find out more about how Carbon Points™ works.
For Organisations
GoZero works to make actions to reduce climate and ecological harm more accessible for organisations and businesses. Existing emissions measurement and certification processes can be overly time-consuming, complex and costly, especially for SMEs.
We are currently running a pilot project with 11 businesses in central Wellington as part of the Race to 2030 to demonstrate how small businesses can make measurable reductions with simple strategies.
Businesses that take action to reduce their environmental impacts generate points in our system, which they can use alongside donations to nature regeneration projects to reward their customers, clients and employees.