Subnational and non-state action in the EU

The report examines the role of cities, regions, and companies in the EU's climate action, noting that 40% of 2016 emissions are covered by individual targets and 36% of the population is covered by subnational net-zero targets as of October 2020. It argues that while significant mitigation potential exists, these reductions require coordination with national and EU-level policies. The study finds limited data on overall progress toward targets, though some European cities showed good progress toward 2020 goals.

• Subnational and non-state actors in the EU have a significant footprint in climate targeting: 40% of 2016 EU GHG emissions are covered by individual targets from cities, regions, and companies, and as of October 2020, subnational net-zero targets cover 36% of the EU's total population. Furthermore, more than 130 international cooperative initiatives (ICIs) are focused on GHG mitigation across all EU sectors.
• The potential for GHG emission reductions by sub/non-state actors cannot be viewed in isolation, as these reductions must be realized in coordination with national and EU-level policies. The existing potential indicates a willingness to act and the possibility for higher ambition, provided there is improved collaboration between these actors and policymakers.
• There is a lack of comprehensive information regarding the progress of sub/non-state actors toward their goals, although evidence suggests that individual European cities made good progress toward their 2020 targets and some initiatives have delivered substantial indirect contributions to GHG reductions.

APA

NewClimate Institute (2020). Subnational and non-state action in the EU. http://www.newclimate.org/resources/publications/subnational-and-non-state-action-in-the-eu

Chicago

NewClimate Institute. Subnational and non-state action in the EU. 2020. http://www.newclimate.org/resources/publications/subnational-and-non-state-action-in-the-eu.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=NewClimate Institute |title=Subnational and non-state action in the EU |date=14 December 2020 |url=http://www.newclimate.org/resources/publications/subnational-and-non-state-action-in-the-eu |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{newclimateinstitute2020subnational, author = {{NewClimate Institute}}, title = {{Subnational and non-state action in the EU}}, institution = {NewClimate Institute}, year = {2020}, month = dec, url = {http://www.newclimate.org/resources/publications/subnational-and-non-state-action-in-the-eu}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }