Fair contributions versus fastest possible reductions

The authors contend that because urgent global emission reductions are required, the focus must shift from whether a national pathway is 'fair' to how quickly emissions can be reduced in all countries. They propose a framework where developed countries, whose domestic potential may be lower than their fair share responsibility, provide financial and non-financial support to developing countries to implement high-ambition reductions and avoid sectoral lock-ins. This support should target difficult-to-decarbonize sectors such as energy supply, industry, buildings, and transport, utilizing instruments like international climate finance and Article 6.4 market mechanisms.

• To meet the Paris Agreement's long-term temperature goals, the authors argue that national targets should be based on both "what is a fair contribution" and "how much could emissions technically be reduced," as these two metrics now provide very different results compared to a decade ago.
• The paper asserts that the urgency of the climate crisis means the primary question is no longer where reductions happen, but who finances them, necessitating that all countries pursue their "highest possible ambition" regardless of individual responsibility.
• Developed countries whose domestic mitigation potential is insufficient to meet their fair share should provide support to developing countries, specifically to avoid sectoral lock-ins and fund high-effort transitions rather than the cheapest reductions.
• The authors recommend implementing national sector-specific 2030 targets enshrined in law, alongside economy-wide targets, to prevent lock-ins in difficult-to-decarbonize sectors.
• Proposed areas for support from developed countries include financing the replacement of coal plants with renewables, switching to low-carbon industrial processes, upgrading building stocks to global best available technologies, and developing low-carbon transport infrastructure.

APA

NewClimate Institute (2020). Fair contributions versus fastest possible reductions. http://www.newclimate.org/resources/publications/fair-contributions-versus-fastest-possible-reductions

Chicago

NewClimate Institute. Fair contributions versus fastest possible reductions. 2020. http://www.newclimate.org/resources/publications/fair-contributions-versus-fastest-possible-reductions.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=NewClimate Institute |title=Fair contributions versus fastest possible reductions |date=25 August 2020 |url=http://www.newclimate.org/resources/publications/fair-contributions-versus-fastest-possible-reductions |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{newclimateinstitute2020fair, author = {{NewClimate Institute}}, title = {{Fair contributions versus fastest possible reductions}}, institution = {NewClimate Institute}, year = {2020}, month = aug, url = {http://www.newclimate.org/resources/publications/fair-contributions-versus-fastest-possible-reductions}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }