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...

Lukas Kahlen focuses on climate finance and sustainable development-related topics. He has ten years of experience in the field of climate and development cooperation. His current work specialises in national climate policy planning and the development of sector-specific low-emission economic growth strategies as well as approaches to integrate climate objectives into national development goals. To date, he has been managing projects in Latin America, East Africa and South-East Asia. Additional areas of expertise include climate governance as well as climate diplomacy. Prior to joining...

Maria Jose de Villafranca leads projects that analyse the impact of climate targets and actions by countries and emission-intensive industries. She provides expert advice and analytical support to a range of stakeholders on climate policy through policy briefs, scientific publications and direct support, translating the latest scientific research into actionable recommendations and guidance to support informed policy-making. At NewClimate Institute, Maria works on projects like the Climate Action Tracker and the Support Project for the Implementation of the Paris Agreement. Further, she has...

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...