Browse publications

Browse publications
State of Climate Action 2022
Publication date 26 Oct 2022

This report assesses progress across 40 indicators of systems change and finds that none are on track to reach their 2030 targets.

What is a fair emissions budget for the Netherlands?
Publication date 29 Aug 2022

This report assesses the proposed target pathway of the Netherlands’ government in the context of the required global efforts and the country’s historical responsibility and capability, which are both key principles of the international efforts against climate change and the Paris Agreement. The analysis finds that the Netherlands’ proposed target pathway of a 55%/70%/80% reduction below 1990 by 2030/2035/2040 and greenhouse gas neutrality by 2050 cannot be considered fully compatible with the Paris Agreement 1.5°C limit.

G20 emission projections to 2030 improved slightly since the Paris Agreement
Publication date 15 Jul 2022

Research shows the emission projections to 2030 for the G20 improved slightly but remain insufficient to meet Paris Agreement temperature goals.

Updated NDCs collectively raise ambition levels but need strengthening
Publication date 21 Jun 2022

This journal article shows that updated nationally determined contributions (NDCs) collectively raise ambition levels but need strengthening further to keep Paris goals within reach.

CAT Briefing: Despite Glasgow climate target updates have stalled
Publication date 03 Jun 2022

Despite the clear warning on the extreme dangers of exceeding 1.5°C warming from the IPCC, progress on new, more ambitious 2030 climate targets and participation in sectoral initiatives have stalled since COP26 in Glasgow, the latest Climate Action Tracker briefing finds. This goes against the clear agreement of the Glasgow Pact to update national 2030 climate targets in 2022. Without increased government action, the world will still emit twice the greenhouse gas emissions in 2030 than is allowed under the 1.5°C limit of the Paris Agreement. The world is heading to a warming of 2.4°C with 2030...

Climate Action Tracker Global update - Glasgow’s 2030 credibility gap: net zero’s lip service to climate action
Publication date 10 Nov 2021

Glasgow has a credibility gap between talk and action. In this briefing, the Climate Action Tracker (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. Summary In Paris, all governments solemnly promised to come to COP26 with more ambitious 2030 commitments to close the massive 2030 emissions gap that was already evident in 2015. Three years later the IPCC Special Report on 1.5°C reinforced the scientific imperative, and earlier this year it called a climate “code red.” Now, at the...

The Climate Change Performance Index 2022
Publication date 09 Nov 2021

Developed by Germanwatch, NewClimate Institute and CAN, the CCPI analyses and compares climate change mitigation efforts across 60 countries (plus EU as a whole) with the highest emissions. Together these countries account for 90 percent of global emissions. The index aims to enhance transparency in international climate politics and enable comparison of mitigation efforts and progress made by individual countries. Race Towards Climate Neutrality Is Underway: CCPI’s top countries lead the way Scandinavian countries, together with the United Kingdom and Morocco, lead the ‘race to zero’...

A seismograph for measuring the transformation to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions – Discussion Paper
Publication date 03 Nov 2021

A “transformation seismograph” can give an early warning signal with small perturbations at the beginning, later some elements of the system start shaking, later strong vibrations occur in all areas of the system until tipping or transformation point (point of no return) is reached. In this discussion paper we explores this concept to detect and measure the transformation to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions. Abstract: 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...

Twenty years of climate policy: G20 coverage and gaps
Publication date 02 Nov 2021

In this Climate Policy publication, we show that the number and coverage of climate change mitigation policies have increased in the past twenty years, but important policy adoption gaps remain. Despite this increase, slow progress towards reducing global emissions and meeting the collective Paris climate goals calls for more comprehensive climate change mitigation policies. Filling policy adoption gaps presents a concrete strategy to improve sectoral, national and global climate policy. Main findings: The number and coverage of climate change mitigation policies have increased in the past...

The Emissions Gap Report 2021
Publication date 26 Oct 2021

This is the twelfth 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...

Climate Action Tracker: Exploring new electric vehicle roadmaps for China in a post-COVID-19 era
Publication date 05 Oct 2021

In this report, the Climate Action Tracker (CAT) 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. Summary: China is currently the global leader in battery electric vehicle (BEV) sales annually, a position it has held since 2015 when it surpassed the US. The one positive policy priority in China’s COVID-19 recovery focused on transitioning the transport sector towards development of public transport systems and electrified transport. New energy vehicles (NEVs), which...

Working together to achieve the Paris climate goals and sustainable development
Publication date 20 Sep 2021

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. Main findings: In view of the multiple crises facing the world, unprecedented efforts are required to achieve resilient, climate-compatible and sustainable development on a global scale. Avoiding unmanageable climate change and managing its unavoidable impacts requires ambitious and coherent action towards the objectives of the Paris Agreement. In this context, the...

Publication in Nature Climate Change: Wave of net zero emission targets opens window to meeting the Paris Agreement
Publication date 16 Sep 2021

This article published in "Nature Climate Change" analyses the recent wave of national net zero targets showing that there is significant momentum which could bring the temperature limit of the Paris Agreement within reach. Summary: A total of 131 countries are discussing, have announced, or have adopted net zero targets, covering 72% of global emissions. National net zero emission targets could, if fully implemented, substantially lower projected temperature increase compared to currently implemented policies (2.9–3.2 °C) or pledges submitted to the Paris Agreement (2.4–2.9 °C). While being a...

Climate Action Tracker Global update: Climate target updates slow as science ramps up need for action
Publication date 15 Sep 2021

In these briefings, the Climate Action Tracker (CAT) introduces its 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. These briefings provides an overview of the development in climate action over the last year and illustrates the new CAT assessment of the countries we analyse, based on our updated method. Summary Code red: The new IPCC report on climate science has reinforced the absolute urgency of closing...

National ‘fair shares’ in reducing greenhouse gas emissions within the principled framework of international environmental law
Publication date 09 Sep 2021

International environmental law principles are used to assess indicators of fair share emissions reductions and narrow the range of what is considered a fair share for individual countries. Main Findings: This article tests fairness justifications offered in 168 nationally determined contributions (NDCs) to the 2015 Paris Agreement against the touchstone of principles of international environmental law. It finds that while many NDCs refer to elements and indicators that are backed by principles of international law in determining fair shares (sustainable development, special circumstances...

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