Action Targets: A New Form of GHG Commitment

This briefing proposes 'action targets' as a method for greenhouse gas (GHG) emission commitments. Unlike fixed or intensity targets, action targets require an entity to reduce emissions by an agreed percentage of its actual emissions during a commitment period, providing greater predictability regarding the 'level of effort' required regardless of economic growth scenarios.

• An action target is a commitment to reduce GHG emissions by an agreed percentage applied to an 'observable baseline' of actual emissions during a commitment period. This mechanism can be implemented at various levels, including firms, industries, municipalities, states, or national governments.
• Action targets offer higher predictability and certainty regarding the 'level of effort' required compared to fixed targets (used in the Kyoto Protocol) or intensity targets (pegged to GDP). They eliminate the need to predict future emissions baselines, making them particularly suitable for developing countries that may wish to make modest commitments (e.g., less than 5% below business-as-usual).
• A comparison of a 2% target for 2015 across Brazil, China, India, and Mexico demonstrates that fixed targets create high uncertainty; for China, a fixed target could result in either a 10% reduction if GDP growth is high or 22% 'hot air' if growth is low. In contrast, action targets keep the level of effort consistent with the agreed target across different GDP scenarios.
• Action targets are compatible with the Kyoto Protocol and could be used in future international agreements. They facilitate international trading of reductions, provided there is an internationally agreed-upon definition of 'reduction' that is broader than the current Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) to include government policies and programs.

APA

Goldberg, D., Baumert, K., Oberheitmann, A., & Frondel, M. (2004). Action Targets: A New Form of GHG Commitment. Center for International Environmental Law. https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/ActionTargets_20Oct04.pdf

Chicago

Goldberg, Donald, Kevin Baumert, Andreas Oberheitmann, and Manuel Frondel. Action Targets: A New Form of GHG Commitment. Center for International Environmental Law, 2004. https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/ActionTargets_20Oct04.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Goldberg |first1=Donald |last2=Baumert |first2=Kevin |last3=Oberheitmann |first3=Andreas |last4=Frondel |first4=Manuel |title=Action Targets: A New Form of GHG Commitment |publisher=Center for International Environmental Law |date=October 2004 |url=https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/ActionTargets_20Oct04.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{goldberg2004action, author = {Goldberg, Donald and Baumert, Kevin and Oberheitmann, Andreas and Frondel, Manuel}, title = {{Action Targets: A New Form of GHG Commitment}}, institution = {Center for International Environmental Law}, year = {2004}, month = oct, url = {https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/ActionTargets_20Oct04.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }