National action is key to accelerating international progress on climate change

The authors contend that while international UNFCCC negotiations move slowly, rapid progress in domestic climate legislation—particularly in emerging economies—is shifting the center of gravity of the climate debate. They argue that national actions driven by self-interest and co-benefits, such as energy security and resource efficiency, are prerequisites for an effective international treaty.

• International climate negotiations under the UNFCCC are progressing too slowly to match the urgency of the crisis, as evidenced by the difficulties in formalising the second period of the Kyoto Protocol at the Doha conference.
• Domestic climate legislation is advancing rapidly, especially in emerging economies where nations view emissions reduction and climate preparation as being in their national interest.
• The 3rd GLOBE Climate Legislation Study indicates that 32 out of 33 surveyed countries have made progress on significant energy or climate-related legislation.
• Specific national legislative examples include China's emissions trading pilots and Shenzhen's sub-national climate legislation; Mexico's General Law on Climate Change and REDD+ readiness legislation; South Africa's proposed carbon tax; the EU's energy efficiency directive; Germany's carbon capture and storage laws; and Japan's carbon tax.
• National climate action is driven by co-benefits including increased resource efficiency, enhanced energy security via diversification from fossil fuels, improved air quality, and the advantage of early adoption of green technologies.

APA

Gummer, J., Jay, M., Stuart, G., Gardiner, B., Yeo, T., Walley, J., & Matthews, A. (n.d.). National action is key to accelerating international progress on climate change. Climate and Development Knowledge Network. https://cdkn.org/story/opinion-national-action-is-key-to-accelerating-international-progress-on-climate-change

Chicago

Gummer, John, Michael Jay, Graham Stuart, Barry Gardiner, Tim Yeo, Joan Walley, and Adam Matthews. National action is key to accelerating international progress on climate change. Climate and Development Knowledge Network, n.d. https://cdkn.org/story/opinion-national-action-is-key-to-accelerating-international-progress-on-climate-change.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Gummer |first1=John |last2=Jay |first2=Michael |last3=Stuart |first3=Graham |last4=Gardiner |first4=Barry |last5=Yeo |first5=Tim |last6=Walley |first6=Joan |last7=Matthews |first7=Adam |title=National action is key to accelerating international progress on climate change |publisher=Climate and Development Knowledge Network |url=https://cdkn.org/story/opinion-national-action-is-key-to-accelerating-international-progress-on-climate-change |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{gummerndnational, author = {Gummer, John and Jay, Michael and Stuart, Graham and Gardiner, Barry and Yeo, Tim and Walley, Joan and Matthews, Adam}, title = {{National action is key to accelerating international progress on climate change}}, publisher = {Climate and Development Knowledge Network}, url = {https://cdkn.org/story/opinion-national-action-is-key-to-accelerating-international-progress-on-climate-change}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }