The 26th Conference of Parties of the UNFCCC took place from 31 October - 12 November 2021. NewClimate Institute was present in Glasgow hosting and participating in multiple events. Additionally, we released several related publications before and during COP26. You can find all information on this page.

Note: We included timings of events in Glasgow (GMT) and Central European Time (CET).

Events & Appearances

Events with NewClimate Institute participation:

---

Watch recording

Side event: Updates on the Emissions Gap and country action from major progress trackers (NewClimate-Event) Join us for presentations of the key findings of the Emissions Gap Report and insights on country progress and action based on analysis by PBL and the Climate Action Tracker. Interactive discussions will cover whether G20 countries are on track to the Paris Agreement goals; opportunities to enhance ambition and action; alignment with net-zero; comparisons of ambition levels and issues of fairness Organiser: NewClimate, UNEP DTU Partnership, PBL Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency, Climate Analytics, Imperial College London Speakers: various, incl. Louise Jeffery (NewClimate)

Monday 1 November 19h00 - 20h00 (GMT) 20h00 - 21h00 (CET) EU Pavilion

Glasgow / Online

 

Side event: Making a fair CASE: Southeast Asia perspectives on energy sector decarbonisation and just transition to Net Zero (NewClimate-Event) While being one of the fastest developing regions in the world with energy demand projected to grow by 60% over the next 20 years, fossil fuels remain Southeast Asia’s dominant source of energy. Against the background of a global push towards net-zero, local thought leaders will take stock and discuss the progress made to date in Southeast Asian largest countries, and – joined by international experts – discuss potential triggers to accelerate a just energy transition. Organiser: CASE Southeast Asia Speakers: various, incl. Frauke Röser (NewClimate)

Thursday 4 November 11h30 - 13h00 (GMT) 12h30 - 14h00 (CET) German Pavilion

 

Watch recording

Side event: Important considerations and capacity building needs to implement the Article 6.4 mechanism (NewClimate-Event) This side event will explore key considerations facing decision makers in Glasgow to get the rules and procedures in place for international carbon markets under Article 6. NewClimate will present analysis on three key unresolved issues that have potential to impact the global net emission reductions achieved through Article 6, namely achieving an Overall Mitigation in Global Emissions, the Share of Proceeds to support adaptation measures and the transition of CDM units and activities. Organiser: OECD, IEA, Climate Analytics, NewClimate, Öko-Institut, UNEP DTU Partnership, GGGI Moderator: Susanne Pedersen (UNEP DTU Partnership) Speakers: Harry Fearnehough (NewClimate), Luca Lo Re (IEA), Jane Ellis (OECD), Karen Olsen (UNEP DTU Partnership), Sonam Phuntsho Wangdi (Royal Government of Bhutan, LDC Group Chair), Alex Saer (Ministry of Environment for Colombia) (tbc)

Thursday 4 November 16h00 - 17h00 (GMT) 17h00 - 18h00 (CET) EU Pavilion

Glasgow / Online

 

Watch recording

Side event: Aligning finance with the Paris Agreement and unlocking $100 billion (NewClimate-Event) Leading European researchers will present their latest insights into aligning international financial flows with the goals of the Paris Agreement. Exploring the challenges and opportunities of aligning development finance with climate action, the critical role of export credit agencies, the extent to which previous climate targets have been met, the potential characteristics of the post-2025 target, and the role of national policy making in unlocking international climate finance. Organiser: The German Institute for Economic Research, Perspectives Climate Group, Finnish Institute of International Affairs (FIIA), Germanwatch, NewClimate, World Resources Institute

Thursday 4 November 16h00 - 17h00 (GMT) 17h00 - 18h00 (CET) EU Pavilion

Online

 

Watch recording

Side event: Climate responsibility, climate action and carbon credits (NewClimate-Event) This side event explores whether and how carbon crediting can play a role in achieving the objectives of the Paris Agreement. It explores how carbon footprinting can inform robust climate action, which sectors and activities require assistance through carbon crediting, and how companies’ climate action should be transparently communicated. Organiser: NewClimate Institute, German Environment Agency, Wuppertal Institute, South Pole Carbon Asset Management, Carbon Footprint Italy, Carbon Market Watch Speakers: Aki Kachi (NewClimate Institute), Maria Carvalho (South Pole), Frank Wolke (German Environment Agency),Daniele Pernigotti (Aequilibria Srl - SB), Jonathan Crook (Carbon Market Watch), Nicolas Kreibich (Wuppertal Institute)

Thursday 4 November 17h30 - 18h30 (GMT) 18h30 - 19h30 (CET) EU Pavilion

Glasgow / Online

 

Watch recording

Press conference: Climate Change Performance Index – presentation of results (NewClimate-Event) In this press conference, we present the latest results of the Climate Change Performance Index 2022. The index 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. The index evaluates and compares the climate protection performance of the 61 largest emitters of GHG emissions globally and has been published annually since 2006. Organiser: Germanwatch Speakers: various, including Niklas Höhne (NewClimate) and Jan Burck (Germanwatch)

Tuesday 9 November 09h30 - 10h00 (GMT) 10h30 - 11h00 (CET) East Lomond Suite

 

Watch recording

Side event: UNFCCC, UNEP, Ambition: The Emissions Gap Report 2021 This joint UNFCCC and UNEP side event features key findings of the Emissions Gap Report 2021 and a high-level panel debate on opportunities for enhancing ambition and accelerating action, the imperative of aligning NDCs for 2030 with net-zero emissions by mid-century, the role of markets, and more. Organiser: United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change UNFCCC

Tuesday 09 November 13h15 - 14h30 (GMT) 14h15-15h30 (CET) Loch Lomond

 

Watch recording

Press conference: Climate Action Tracker – presentation of the latest developments (NewClimate-Event) In this press conference, we will present our global warming projections, including impacts from the latest announcements at the COP26 Leaders’ Summit. We also welcome participants from outside of media, but please note that journalists will get to ask questions first. Organiser: Climate Action Tracker (Climate Analytics, NewClimate Institute) Speakers: Niklas Höhne (NewClimate), Bill Hare (Climate Analytics), Maria José de Villafranca Casas (NewClimate), Claire Stockwell (Climate Analytics) CAT homepage

Tuesday 9 November 14h00-14h30 (GMT) 15h00-15h30 (CET) Press Conference Room Durdle Door

 

Side event: Working together to achieve the Paris climate goals and sustainable development (NewClimate-Event) In a new study, the German Development Institute (DIE) and NewClimate Institute show what the transformational change required for Paris and the SDGs can look like concretely, and what role international cooperation and international development finance can play in it, diving deeper into the interlinkages in five key fields of action: energy, cities, agriculture, ecosystems and water. During this event, the organisers present the content of the study and engage representatives from North and South in a science-policy roundtable on international cooperation. Organiser: German Development Institute (DIE), NewClimate Institute Speakers: Dr. Jürgen Zattler (BMZ), Steffen Bauer (DIE), Marie-Jeanne Kurdziel (NewClimate), Martin Kipping (BMZ), Navroz Dubash (CPR India), Pacifica Achieng (CCD Kenya)

Tuesday 9 November 15:30 - 17:00 (GMT) 16h30-18h00 (CET) German Pavilion

 

Side event: The Emissions Gap Report 2021 – The emissions gap and options for bridging it This side event features key findings of the Emissions Gap Report 2021 and a Q&A. Organiser: UBA, UNEP DTU Partnership Speakers: Anne Olhoff (UNEP DTU Partnership), Dirk Messner (German Environment Agency), Michel den Elzen (PBL), Takeshi Kuramochi (NewClimate), Sha Yu (PNNL USA), Brian O'Callaghan (University of Oxford, Harvard University), Niklas Höhne (NewClimate)

Wednesday 10 November 11h30 - 13h00 (GMT) 12h30-14h00 (CET) German Pavilion

 

Watch recording

Side event: Raising the bar for climate action: New insights on how co-benefits can fuel NDC ambition Development-driven NDC implementation is key for achieving domestic climate targets. New tools to assess the co-benefits of mitigation action can support ambitious sector pathways. This event showcases experiences from countries and launches the NDC Update Report and Co-benefits Factsheet Series. Organiser: NewClimate, IASS Speakers: various, incl. Frauke Röser and Harry Fearnehough (NewClimate)

Wednesday 10 November 16h45 - 18h00 (GMT) 17h45-19h00 (CET) UNFCCC Pavilion

Loch Lomond

 

Side event: Operationalisation of Paris Agreement (NewClimate-Event) At the first edition of the Finance in Common Summit in 2020, PDBs took the commitment to align with the Paris Agreement, enlarging the initial commitment taken by IDFC, MDBs and EDFIs. On the road to a full operationalization of this concept, this side event will provide the opportunity to report on progress made so far, good practices, and remaining challenges. Organiser: IDFC, Germanwatch, NewClimate, I4CE, WRI Speakers: various, incl. Aki Kachi (NewClimate)

Thursday 11 November 13h30 - 15h00 (GMT) 14h30-16h00 (CET) IDFC Pavilion

 

Paris Alignment technical workshop: Assessing the alignment of financial intermediaries This workshop aims to offer an opportunity to foster technical exchanges on the different approaches to assess the alignment of counterparties. Organiser: Mainstreaming Action in Financial Institutions Initiative Speakers: various, incl. Aki Kachi (NewClimate)

Thursday 11 November

Related Publications

Publications related to the COP26:

Find all NewClimate's publications here

 

---

Carbon markets:

Analysis of options for determining OMGE, SOP and Transition within Article 6

Rules for the implementation of Article 6 of the Paris Agreement are still under negotiation at the international level, with a key focus on reaching consensus at COP26 in Glasgow. This report aims to inform this policy making process. It explores three key unresolved issues that are closely interrelated and that have potential to impact the global net emission reductions achieved through Article 6 as well as the amount of revenues generated to help meet the adaptation needs of particularly vulnerable developing countries.

To the report

 

The potential impact of transitioning CDM units and activities to the Paris Agreement

In this webinar NewClimate and Öko-Institut presented updated research on the potential supply of credits from the CDM portfolio under a range of scenarios and highlight critical implications of possible policy decisions under consideration, for Article 6 and the wider Paris Agreement goals, at COP26 in Glasgow.

To the presentation

 

Switzerland’s bilateral agreements to offset their emissions set a poor precedent for ambition ahead of COP26

In this blogpost, the NewClimate markets team critically assessed Switzerland’s bilateral agreements with developing countries to offset Switzerland’s emissions and argued that the approach sets a poor precedent for ambition ahead of COP26.

To the blogpost

 

Climate and development:

NDC Update Report December 2019 – Long-term, society-wide visions for immediate action
The NDC Update Report tracks the progress on the implementation of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to the Paris Agreement. The theme of this report is the role of long-term low greenhouse gas emission development strategies (LTSs) in achieving the Paris Agreement goal. This report argues for the importance of developing long-term (sector) strategies to determine the highest possible ambition for the coming NDC update (until 2030) and to signal a clear path for future NDC ambition raising (towards net-zero in 2050). Governments can use the NDC update to signal that indeed the highest possible ambition needs to lead to decarbonisation by 2050 or shortly thereafter.
To the report

  -->

Ambition to Action Project

NewClimate Institute in partnership with Xander van Tilburg is supporting Argentina, Indonesia, Kenya and Thailand with the implementation of their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), funded by the International Climate Initiative of the German government.

Recent outputs:

• Replacing Suralaya coal with solar PV: Initiating a fair and inclusive energy transition in Indonesia
• Kenya Power’s Decarbonising the Energy Mix Initiative
• The Kenyan cooking sector – Opportunities for climate action and sustainable development
• The energy transition after COVID-19

Tools and Models developed under Ambition to Action:

• Economic Impact Model (EIM): The model can be used to quantify employment and economic impacts of enhanced renewable energy scenarios and is being applied in various country contexts.
• Air Pollution Impact Model (AIRPOLIM): The model facilitates the quantification of health impacts of fossil fuel based power plants (coal and gas). We will shortly release an update to extend analysis to the health impacts from transport activities.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Working together to achieve the Paris climate goals and sustainable development

This study shows how transformative change can bring about sustainable development, prevent climate change from spiralling out of control and address the unavoidable consequences of climate change in a development-friendly manner.

To the report

 

Green Hydrogen Applications in Mongolia

This study investigates the techno-economic potential of green hydrogen production in Mongolia, and its application in three hard-to-abate end-use sectors – Namely heavy-duty transport in the mining sector, public transportation in Ulaanbaatar, and decentralised space heating and cooking. Based on the results, the GHG emission reduction potential is estimated, followed by an analysis on potential policy options for the introduction of green hydrogen in the Mongolian context.

To the report

 

CASE (Clean, Affordable and Secure Energy) Southeast Asia

This project seeks to drive the energy sector transition in four partner countries, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam as well as engage with decision makers in the wider region. The overarching goal is to support a change in the power sector narrative towards an evidence-based energy transition that robustly supports the region’s development strategies as it pursues Paris Agreement goals.

To the project

 

SCREEN tool

This tool provides policymakers and analysts with a means of operationalising a green recovery framework that more appropriately caters to the distinct characteristics of developing countries. It allows users to define their country’s context and distinct challenges. Based on the specification of these characteristics, the user is provided with a shortlist of potentially impactful policy focus areas. Within each policy focus area, the user can qualitatively evaluate user-defined and pre-defined recovery measures along the criteria of the proposed recovery framework.

To the tool

To the tool's framework report

 

Tracking countries' climate actions:

Greenhouse gas mitigation scenarios for major emitting countries – Analysis of current climate policies and mitigation commitments: 2021 Update

This report by NewClimate Institute, PBL Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency and the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) provides an overview of projected greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in 26 major emitting countries and regions up to 2030 under currently implemented policies. The report shows that emissions are projected to remain above 2005 levels in most countries but concludes that 16 out of the 26 countries and regions analysed are on track or close to achieve the NDC targets they have previously set for themselves. Eight are on track to also meet their updated NDC targets (with another two countries being close). 11 countries are not on track to meet their updated targets, and five of the 26 countries have not submitted an NDC update.

To the report

 

The Climate Change Performance Index 2022

Developed by NewClimate Institute, Germanwatch and CAN, the index ties in with the global Climate Change Performance Index by Germanwatch, a rating of the 60 largest emitters of GHG emissions globally that has been published annually since 2006.

To the report

 

Climate Action Tracker

The Climate Action Tracker evaluates whether 40 countries are on track to meet their climate commitments, annually estimates the global temperature increase based on implemented policies and pledges, and analyses options to strengthen mitigation action on a country and sector level.

Highlights:

• Latest Global Update: Glasgow has a credibility gap between talk and action. The CAT has calculated that if all governments met their 2030 targets, we would have 2.4˚C of warming in 2100. But right now, current policies put us at 2.7˚C. To the CAT briefing
• How a renewable energy COVID-19 recovery creates opportunities for India:This study explores India's potential to accelerate its transition to a zero emissions economy. To the CAT report
• State of Climate Action 2021:This report identifies 40 indicators across key sectors that must transform to address the climate crisis, and assesses how current trends will impact how much work remains to be done by 2030 and 2050 to deliver a zero-carbon world in time. It also outlines the required shifts in supportive policies, innovations, strong institutions, leadership and social norms to unlock change. To the State of Climate Action 2021 report
• Exploring new electric vehicle roadmaps for China in a post-COVID-19 era: This report explores several sets of scenarios for the evolution of the passenger vehicle stock in China, in order to inform on emission reduction and electricity demand implications. To the CAT report
• New rating methodology: These briefings introduce the CAT's new rating methodology, which now rates more elements than before – mitigation targets in Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), policies and action, and climate finance. We’ve also added a methodology for assessing net zero targets. To the new rating briefings

 

The Emissions Gap Report 2021: The heat is on

This is the 12th edition of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Emissions Gap Report. It assesses the gap between estimated future global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions if countries implement their climate mitigation pledges and the global emission levels from least-cost pathways that are aligned with achieving the temperature goals of the Paris Agreement. This difference between “where we are likely to be and where we need to be” has become known as the ‘emissions gap’. The report also examines further areas that are highly relevant for bridging the gap: updated NDCs and Net-zero targets, as well as Green Recovery measures.

To the UNEP website

To the latest report

 

Global climate action from cities, regions and businesses – 2021

This report is the third and the latest edition of the series since 2018 that take stock of climate action by cities, regions and businesses and their global aggregate impact on greenhouse gas emissions. The 2021 edition focuses on the progress of non-state and subnational actors toward their emissions reduction targets.

To the report

 

Discussion Paper: A seismograph for measuring the transformation to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions

This discussion paper sketches the idea of a “transformation seismograph” to detect the signs and measure the speed and magnitude of transformation to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions before it is seen in greenhouse gas emissions projections.

To the discussion paper

 

Climate finance:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Paris alignment of gas? - A review of overall sectoral compatibility, lock-in, transition, and physical climate risks

Financial institutions’ current investments in gas reflect an underestimation of climate risks, including the extent to which gas value chain investments pose a threat to achieving 1.5°C. This report surveys these risks, outlining the need for much tighter restrictions on lending for all parts of the gas value chain.

To the report

To the blogpost

 

Aligning Financial Intermediary Investments with the Paris Agreement

This working paper written by Germanwatch, NewClimate Institute and WRI provides input into ongoing discussion of Paris consistency and alignment of financial flows according to the Agreement’s Article 2.1c.

To the report

 

Operationalization Framework on Aligning with the Paris Agreement

With this framework, NewClimate Institute and I4CE provide IDFC members with clear and practical guidance on how to align their operations with the requirements of the Paris Agreement.

To the report

About this COP

Key topics from NewClimate's perspective:

NewClimate Institute participated in the UNFCCC climate negotiations and contributed to the conference with reports and other publications. Essential topics expected during this COP included:

• How big is the climate action gap? Sadly, new and updated NDCs, together with announced mitigation pledges for 2030, only slightly narrow the gap in climate action to meet the Paris Agreement goals. A team of international scientists, including NewClimate experts, has compiled this in the twelfth edition of the “UNEP Emissions Gap Report”.
• Will new national proposals on climate protection close the yawning gap? Which countries have improved their policies since Paris? Are the countries on track to meet their targets? Are new proposals better than previous ones? Regular updates on 40 countries are available on the Climate Action Tracker – press conference in Glasgow on Tuesday, 9 November, 14 p.m. (Glasgow time)
• What rules may emerge for a new international carbon market? A final chapter of the Paris Agreement rulebook still lacks agreement: the international carbon markets. The devil is in the details which is why robust rule-setting is key to ensure the system reduces emissions efficiently instead of facilitating empty claims.
• Will international climate finance be strengthened? On the one hand it is essential that, developed countries provide finance to support developing countries. On the other hand, they should also re-evaluate current investment policies of development finance institutions and, for example, halt support on gas infrastructure.
• How to combine climate protection and development? Sustainable development policy and climate policy should be thought of together to tackle the global climate crisis. Especially when dealing with the economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, countries can resort to measures that help the economy and the climate. In Mongolia, a hydrogen strategy could help to heat with renewable energies even in the cold winters. In Kenya, the electricity supply could be converted to 100% renewable energies.

For questions or further discussion contact us as follows:

• Niklas Höhne on international climate negotiations: +49 221 999 83 301, @email, on site from 4 until 11 November
• Carsten Warnecke on international carbon markets: +49 221 999 83 302, @email, in Cologne
• Aki Kachi on international climate fiance: @email, on site from 1 until 11 November
• Frauke Röser on climate and development: +49 30 208 492 741, @email, on site from 8 until 11 November