Tracking, evaluation and comparison of climate change mitigation policies and actions from a wide range of stakeholders to support ambition-raising efforts.
Action to combat climate change is diverse. National governments, regions, cities, companies and individuals embark on the challenge to reduce emissions. We develop and apply methods to monitor climate change mitigation action and commitments between peers and evaluate collective progress towards the objective of holding global warming below 2/1.5°C.
NewClimate Institute staff has years of experience in the evaluation of mitigation commitments and policies, and analysis of their effect on emissions. We connect to policymakers, practitioners and researchers all over the world to identify best practices and provide cross national insights on strategies to keep the Paris Agreement’s long-term goal within reach.
Flagship projects include the Climate Action Tracker, Climate Change Performance Index, and global aggregation of subnational and non-state climate actions.
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Associated projects
Implications of the decrease of RES-E and battery cost projections for the revision of the NDCs of Argentina, Mexico and Indonesia
Key mitigation technologies, i.e. renewable power generation and battery technologies, are substantially cheaper now than projected in 2015. This project investigates the potential impact of these investment cost reductions for three countries: Argentina, Mexico, and Indonesia.
Climate Action Tracker – Scaling Up Climate Action
In a consortium with Climate Analytics and Ecofys, NewClimate Institute contributes to the Climate Action Tracker’s Scaling Up Climate Action country series. The first round of our analysis covers South Africa, the European Union, Indonesia, Turkey, Argentina, and Australia.
Climate Action Tracker – Climate Governance Series
Developing a framework for assessing countries’ readiness to implement ambitious climate policy.
Climate Change Performance Index
The Climate Change Performance Index is an instrument to enhance transparency in international climate politics. It aims to encourage countries which have, up to now, failed to take ambitious actions on climate protection as well as to highlight countries with best-practice climate policies.
Pathways and entry points to 1.5 °C (PEP1p5)
Return to all expertise and projects This project, jointly developed by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK), the Mercator Research Institute on Global Commons and Climate Change (MCC) and NewClimate Institute, aims to develop a scientific and policy relevant assessment of the long-term goal to limit global temperature increase to 1.5°C in the… Read More
Analysing the aggregate impact of global non-state and subnational climate action
Return to all expertise and projects NewClimate Institute is analysing the aggregate impact of non-state and subnational actors (cities, regions and businesses) around the world on greenhouse gas emissions. Since 2018 this research has been conducted in collaboration with Data-Driven Envirolab, PBL Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency, CDP, German Development Institute and University of Oxford. We… Read More
Implementation of future GHG mitigation goals: Framework conditions and transformative challenges in selected focus countries
Return to all expertise and projects To hold temperature increase to the levels agreed on in the Paris Agreement, countries will have to revisit their mitigation plans and identify options to strengthen them. Additionally, industrialised countries in particular will have to identify areas where cooperative solutions with developing countries and emerging economies can be most… Read More
Climate Action Tracker – Decarbonisation Module
Tracking sectoral decarbonisation indicators for over 30 countries. Return to all expertise and projects In a consortium with Climate Analytics and Ecofys, NewClimate Institute contributes to the “Climate Action Tracker” (CAT) Data Portal, which is a database of decarbonisation indicators on sector- and country-level for over 30 countries. Tasks under this work include (a) maintaining,… Read More
Developing guidance under ICAT – non-state and subnational actors
Providing policy makers with tools and support to measure and assess the effects of their climate policies. Return to all expertise and projects Under the umbrella of the Initiative for Climate Action Transparency (ICAT), an initiative aimed at providing policy makers with common tools and support to measure and assess the effects of their climate… Read More
What the Paris Agreement means for climate action in the Netherlands
Translating the goals of the Paris Agreement into the context of the Netherlands. Return to all expertise and projects The long-term global climate goals of the Paris Agreement adopted by nearly 200 countries in December 2015 imply the necessity for enhanced efforts for greenhouse gas emissions reductions in the Netherlands. The phrasing of the long term… Read More
The potential of business initiatives in emission reduction
How individual companies are contributing to emission reduction. Return to all expertise and projects Aside from national and sub-national governments taking action against climate change, large potential for emission reductions exists in the corporate sector. More and more companies are making commitments to contribute to the long-term targets of the Paris Agreement. These include, for… Read More
What the Paris Agreement means for Germany’s climate action
Translating the goals of the Paris Agreement into the German context. Return to all expertise and projects The long-term global climate goals of the Paris Agreement adopted by nearly 200 countries in December 2015 imply the necessity for enhanced efforts for greenhouse gas emissions reductions in Germany. The phrasing of the long term goals of… Read More
Climate Transparency
Climate Transparency is an open global consortium with a shared mission to stimulate a ‘race to the top’ in climate action through enhanced transparency. For this purpose, comprehensive, comparable and credible information about government climate action is spread by bringing together the most important actors in assessing and communicating climate action for the benefit of key influencers and decision makers.
International Cooperative Initiatives (ICIs) outside the UNFCCC
Evaluation of the impact of global, regional and national initiatives outside UNFCCC on greenhouse gas emissions. The German Environmental Agency (UBA) commissioned a consortium of NewClimate Institute, Öko-Institut and Fraunhofer ISI to analyse the impact of international, regional and national initiatives outside the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) on greenhouse gas emissions.… Read More
Mitigation impacts of energy efficiency and renewable energy actions under the One Gigaton Coalition
Quantifying GHG emission reductions resulting from renewable energy and energy efficiency initiatives and programmes in developing countries. NewClimate Institute, together with Yale University, has set up a comprehensive framework to quantify the impact of energy efficiency (EE) and renewable energy (RE) actions in developing countries that are attributable to the One Gigaton Coalition. The One… Read More
Climate Policy Database
Assessment of good practices in the implementation of climate change policies. NewClimate Institute analyses which major emitting countries are implementing good practice policies or policies from a policy menu to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Top 30 emitting countries which cover 82% of global GHG emissions are analysed. The project first establishes a package of… Read More
The contribution of energy efficiency to reducing the cost of decarbonisation
How can energy efficiency policies lower the costs of decarbonisation?
How much more could Germany achieve through non-state action?
Quantifying the possible contribution of International Cooperative Initiatives to the mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions in Germany
UNEP Emissions Gap Reports
Return to all expertise and projects Since 2010, UNEP synthesises information on the gap between current trend in greenhouse gas emissions and where they would have to be in order to stabilise global temperature increase below internationally agreed levels. Today the Emissions Gap Report series is one of the flagship publications of UNEP. NewClimate Institute… Read More
Assessment of progress in policy implementation and emissions scenario analysis for major emitting economies
Enhancing analytical capacity on international climate change mitigation and tracking progress of action. Return to all expertise and projects This project, led by PBL Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency, informs the Directorate General Climate Action (DG CLIMA) of the European Commission on developments in the field of climate policies. Together with PBL and International Institute for… Read More
Mitigation responsibilities under a 2015 international climate agreement
Analysis of options for mitigation commitments post-2020 under the new international climate agreement to be finalised in 2015. Return to all expertise and projects A new international climate agreement is to be finalised in 2015. It is to enter into force in 2020 and to include – besides other aspects such as finance and adaptation-… Read More
Climate Action Tracker
Climate Action Tracker provides regularly updated information on countries’ emission reduction policies. It reflects the latest status of the progress being made at international climate negotiations on mitigation commitments. Return to all expertise and projects The Climate Action Tracker is a science-based assessment that provides regularly updated information on countries’ emission reduction proposals and policies.… Read More
Further reading
A review of successful climate change mitigation policies in major emitting economies and the potential of global replication Jan 2021 - This journal article in ‘Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews’ looks at climate change mitigation policies in five major emitting economies and the potential of global replication of sectors’ progress.
Decreasing costs of renewables in Argentina (two reports) Dec 2020 - The research looks at how cost reductions for renewable energy technologies impact energy planning and climate policy in Argentina, including in the NDC process. 
Subnational and non-state action in the EU Dec 2020 - This working paper describes the landscape, (additional) GHG emission reduction potential, and progress towards target realisation of subnational and non-state actors in the EU. 
The Emissions Gap Report 2020 Dec 2020 - The 11th edition of the UNEP Emissions Gap Report assesses the gap between “where we are likely to be and where we need to be”, which has become known as the ‘emissions gap’. Additionally, this year it examines two areas that are highly relevant for bridging the gap, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic: the shipping and aviation sectors.
The Climate Change Performance Index 2021 Dec 2020 - Developed by Germanwatch, NewClimate Institute and CAN, the index rates 57 greenhouse emitters globally since 2005.
Navigating the nuances of net-zero targets Oct 2020 - We seek to unravel net-zero targets to better enable the identification of truly ambitious actors and enhance support towards them.
Sub- and non-state climate action: A framework to assess progress, implementation and impact Oct 2020 - This Climate Policy journal article introduces a conceptual framework to assess the progress, implementation, and impact of climate action by sub- and non-state actors.
Overview of recently adopted mitigation policies and climate-relevant policy responses to COVID-19 – 2020 Update Oct 2020 - This report presents an overview of recent climate mitigation policies, climate-relevant responses to the COVID-19 pandemic and a state of play of NDC and LTS submissions in 25 countries and regions.
Unpacking the finance sector’s climate related investment commitments Sep 2020 - This report provides insights into the magnitude and ambition of financial institution’s climate-related investment targets, and investigates their relationship with GHG emissions in the real economy.
Accelerating Net Zero: Exploring Cities, Regions, and Companies’ Pledgesto Decarbonise Sep 2020 - A growing number of subnational and corporate actors set net-zero emissions targets. This paper provides an summary of the momentum of target setting among these subnational and corporate actors.