Race to Zero is a global United Nations-backed campaign that mobilises cities, regions, businesses, and organisations to take rigorous and immediate action to halve global emissions by 2030 and achieve net zero by 2050. In a coordinated effort, all 15 UK National Parks joined this initiative, demonstrating a shared commitment to tackling climate change and securing a sustainable future for these protected landscapes.

The Race to Zero framework is built around five key steps: Pledge, Plan, Proceed, Publish, and Persuade. DNPA made its first commitment—Pledge—in January 2024, formally setting ambitious climate targets. We are now in the Plan stage, developing a clear roadmap to drive meaningful action and measurable progress.

As part of this work, the UK’s 15 National Parks, including Dartmoor, have collaborated with Small World Consulting to produce a consumption-based carbon footprint assessment for each protected landscape. These reports provide a robust, consistent evidence base for climate action, tailored to the unique characteristics and circumstances of each National Park.

Dartmoor’s assessment measures emissions across six key categories—energy use, food & drink, other shopping, visitor travel, land use (excluding agriculture), and agriculture. This comprehensive approach captures both direct emissions within the National Park and indirect emissions from the consumption patterns of residents and visitors, providing the most accurate picture of Dartmoor’s carbon footprint to date. As climate mitigation, adaptation and sustainable land management become ever more central to our lives, this data will guide our policies and actions, ensuring we maximise climate action while protecting Dartmoor’s Special Qualities for future generations.