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This article shows how a strengthening of existing plans by a global roll-out of successful, regional sector policies can ease the implementation challenge of reaching the Paris climate goals. The novel element of it is to integrate such detailed policy packages until 2030 into pathways that reach long-term targets until 2100 using an integrated assessment modelling framework. The study is only a first step in connecting the analysis of mitigation pathways towards the Paris climate goals with an assessment of the implementability of near to medium term (2020–2050) climate action that would be...

The study updates an earlier 2014 analyses and was conducted in cooperation with ALCOR and UNDP. Objective Developing countries often suffer from a high cost of capital. Because utility-scale wind and solar photovoltaic power plants require high upfront capital investments, the corresponding levelized cost of electricity (LCOEs) are very sensible to the cost of capital. States can respond to a high a cost of capital by introducing public derisking measures, that can be understood as interventions by the government and its partners to address specific investment risks, in the form of policies...

This article shows the potential impact on global GHG emissions in 2030, if all countries were to implement sectoral climate policies similar to successful examples already implemented elsewhere. This assessment was represented in the IMAGE and GLOBIOM/G4M models by replicating the impact of successful national policies at the sector level in all world regions. The first step was to select successful policies in nine policy areas. In the second step, the impact on the energy and land-use systems or GHG emissions was identified and translated into model parameters, assuming that it would be...

In this paper, we discuss the ambition raising implications to engage in voluntary cooperation under Article 6 for the originating Parties. The paper shows why Article 6 should focus on driving mitigation in otherwise inaccessible abatement options and why it is critical that support should only last for a limited time period, after which own action must kick-in. Whilst participation in mechanisms may potentially deliver benefits, the realisation of these opportunities is entirely dependent on the effective design and implementation of measures to safeguard against potential risks that can...

In this special edition of the NDC Update Report, we focus on the relationship between Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and explore how climate and development actions can support each other. Key messages: 2015 was a breakthrough year for climate action and development, with the signing of the Paris Agree­ment and a global commitment to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. These challenging and comprehensive global agendas require fundamental rethinking of the way our economies operate and have led to renewed calls for greater...

This project analyses best practice policies across Europe and how far extending them to all EU member states could support EU Greenhouse Gases (GHG) and energy targets. Key messages: The study finds that the EU can go much further than its current commitments in terms of GHG reductions: it has the potential to reach -55% to -62% below 1990 by 2030, consistent with the Paris commitment of staying “well below 2°C, pursuing 1.5°C”. The key to realize these reductions is to apply EU-wide the best practice policies identified in various Member States including The Netherlands, Denmark, UK, Germany...

The Climate Action Tracker has updated our assessments of 23 of the 32 countries whose development on climate action we track. While some progress has been made since November, most governments’ policies are still not on track towards meeting their Paris Agreement commitments, many of which are in themselves far from sufficient to keep warming to the agreed 1.5˚C warming limit. Our assessments point to an urgent need for governments to scale up both their policies and targets to bring them more in line with a pathway to limiting warming to 1.5˚C. Summary of progress across countries: Renewable...

The Project for Advancing Climate Transparency (PACT) consortium supports the design and development of robust and effective transparency and accountability rules and processes for the Paris Agreement on climate change. This working paper explores the global stocktake created by the Paris Agreement and the design of the modalities, procedures, and guidelines that will govern the implementation of the global stocktake. Highlights: The global stocktake established under Article 14 of the Paris Agreement is a process for taking stock of collective progress toward achieving the purpose of the...

NewClimate Institute, PBL Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency and IIASA present an overview of on climate and energy policies in 25 major emitting countries and regions that have been adopted since July 2017. The policy information compiled by in this document supplements the earlier 2017 update report on the projected greenhouse gas emissions under currently implemented policies and mitigation commitments in 25 countries and regions. Not only the qualitative descriptions of policies but also their possible implications on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions projections in 2030 are provided...

The Climate Action Tracker (CAT) with this paper is pleased to have the opportunity to provide input to the Talanoa Dialogue. Climate Action Tracker assesses countries’ mitigation targets and actions and aggregates them at the global level. This submission focuses on global results, country level information is available on climateactiontracker.org. Summary: "Where are we" compared to "where do we want to go"? The majority of NDCs assessed by the CAT are not in line with a fair contribution to meet the Paris Agreement’s long-term warming limit. Global GHG emissions need to peak around 2020 to...

The outputs from research activities that NewClimate Institute undertook with various partners, are presented as inputs to the Talanoa Dialogue, organised along the themes mitigation and finance/support and along the main questions of the dialogue: “Where are we?”, “Where do we need to be?” and “How do we get there?”.

Although timely action on HFCs is likely to bring multiple benefits for end-users of cooling technologies, only few non-state actor driven initiatives exist yet that specifically target the refrigeration and air-conditioning (RAC) sector. It is important to address the barriers to non-state action in the RAC sector, while recognising that non-state action always needs to be accompanied by effective government policy and regulation to successfully address the climate challenge. Abstract: This paper seeks to inform policy makers and other stakeholders in partner countries of the Cool...

In this discussion paper we estimate the marginal cost of supplying certified emissions reduction units (CERs) from projects that are currently registered under the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). We develop a supply curve using data on the individual ability of projects to potentially supply CERs over the period up to 2020. We analyse changes to the supply curve based on a number of scenarios which restrict the eligibility of CERs based on the timing of emission reductions, the timing of project investment decisions and registration under the CDM, as well as an assessment of the extent to...

A new analysis of agricultural emissions by the Climate Action Tracker shows that reducing emissions through changes in farming practices alone will not be enough to limit global warming to 1.5°C, but changing our diets and reducing food waste could make significant additional reductions, which calls for a much more holistic approach. Key messages : Mitigating emissions from agriculture is key to achieve deep cuts in emissions in line with the Paris Agreement’s long- term goal of “net-zero” Options for emission reductions on the supply side include efficiency improvements, take-up of best...

This article identifies and quantifies the 10 most important benchmarks for climate action to be taken by 2020 – 2025 to keep the window open for a 1.5°C-consistent GHG emission pathway. Abstract We conducted a comprehensive review of existing emissions scenarios, scanned all sectors and the respective necessary transitions, and distilled the most important short-term benchmarks for action in line with the long-term perspective of the required global low-carbon transition. Owing to the limited carbon budget, combined with the inertia of existing systems, global energy economic models find only...