Tracking, evaluation and comparison of climate change mitigation policies and actions from a wide range of national, subnational, corporate and civil society stakeholders.
Action to combat climate change is diverse. National governments, as well as regions, cities, companies and individuals embark on the challenge to reduce emissions. We monitor those players’ actions and develop and apply methods to compare them between peers and to the objective of holding global warming below 2/1.5°C.
NewClimate Institute staff has years of experience in evaluating mitigation commitments and policies and identifying their impact on emissions. We connect to policy makers and researchers all over the world to identify best practice options and understand differences between geographical regions and stakeholders. Besides government policies, we also monitor activities of companies and other institutions.
Associated projects
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 governance assessment
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
2018 Global Climate Action Analysis Project
Return to all expertise and projects The 2018 Global Climate Action Analysis Project and report, led by Data-Driven Yale in collaboration with NewClimate Institute and PBL, and supported by ClimateWorks, will quantify the scope and aggregate impact of global non-state action, and include five to ten case studies focused on non-state climate action within specific… 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
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 stabilize global temperature increase at 2°C.
Modelling climate policies of major emitters
Technical background report on analysis of current and potential climate policies for enhancing mitigation ambition in the major emitting countries. Return to all expertise and projects This project identifies important climate policies of the major emitters and estimates their impact on emissions. The analysis, conducted together with PBL, IIASA and Ecofys for the European Commission,… 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. The Climate Action Tracker is a science-based assessment that provides regularly updated information on countries’ emission reduction proposals and policies. It reflects the latest status of… Read More
Further reading
Bridging the Gap: Enhancing mitigation ambition and action at G20 level and globally Sep 2019 - This pre-released chapter of the 2019 Emissions Gap Report provides an overview of recent ambitious climate actions by governments as well as non-state actors, and a detailed overview of policy progress and opportunities for enhanced mitigation ambition for selected G20 members.
A possible 2050 climate target for the EU Sep 2019 - The EU’s 2050 GHG reduction target of 80-95% from 1990 levels is outdated and requires a more ambitious targets of net-zero by 2030-2040 to stay in line with 2°C.
Global climate action from cities, regions and businesses – 2019 Sep 2019 - This report is the second global analysis of local and regional government and corporate climate contributions, updating “Global Climate Action from Cities, Regions, and Companies” launched at the 2018 Global Climate Action Summit.
The Ambition Call – European Union Aug 2019 - This paper provides concrete recommendations for immediate climate action in the EU. It specifically targets the negotiations at the UN Secretary-General climate summit in September 2019.
GHG mitigation policies in major emitting countries: an overview of recently adopted policies Jun 2019 - This document presents an overview of climate and energy policies mostly adopted between July 2018 and May 2019 in 25 countries and regions. The policy information compiled by NewClimate Institute, PBL and IIASA in this document supplements the December 2018 report on the projected greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions under currently implemented policies and mitigation commitments (Kuramochi et al., 2018).
Bringing climate policy up to date – decreasing cost projections for renewable energy and batteries and their implications (case study Canada) May 2019 - This case study presents the potential impact of lower battery and renewable energy costs projections in Canada's NDC emissions reductions target.
Bringing climate policy up to date – decreasing cost projections for renewable energy and batteries and their implications (case study Chile) May 2019 - This case study presents the potential impact of lower battery and renewable energy costs projections in Chile's NDC emissions reductions target.
Nordic opportunities to provide leadership in the Global Climate Action Agenda May 2019 - This paper evaluates the current and potential future involvement of Nordic countries in initiatives under the Global Climate Action Agenda.
1,5°C: Was Deutschland tun muss Mar 2019 - Diese Kurzanalyse erarbeitet mögliche Pfade, die Deutschland anstreben sollte, um mit den Zielen des Pariser Abkommens kompatibel zu sein, und setzt diese in ein Verhältnis zu den derzeitigen nationalen Minderungszielen. 1,5°C: what Germany needs to do Mar 2019 - This short analysis develops possible pathways that Germany should pursue to be compatible with the Paris Agreement, and compares those pathways to current national mitigation goals. The document is in German, but an English summary is included in the report.