6 Functions for the International Climate Agreement

This briefing by the World Resources Institute outlines six essential functions that the international climate agreement to be finalized in 2015 must perform to effectively transition the world toward a low-carbon, climate-resilient future.

• The 2015 agreement should provide a strong signal to governments, businesses, and investors that a low-carbon economy is inevitable and arriving rapidly. This can be achieved by setting strong short-term emissions-reduction targets for 2025 or 2030, establishing a long-term goal consistent with limiting global temperature rise to 2 degrees Celsius—such as a complete phase-out of net greenhouse gas emissions by mid-century—and creating an architecture that allows for regular reviews and adjustments to respond to breakthroughs.
• There is a need to connect the global agreement to the "real economy" by linking international climate goals more closely with national development and economic priorities. The document suggests that national emissions-reduction goals should be complemented by policy commitments that align with national priorities, such as phasing out fossil fuel subsidies or increasing energy efficiency and renewable energy.
• The agreement must provide transparency and accountability to help the private sector, civil society, and governments monitor climate action. This includes establishing clear rules for how countries are held accountable for meeting emissions-reduction commitments and exploring more effective verification and review mechanisms to address countries that fail to meet their targets.
• To accelerate investment in climate-resilient and low-carbon projects, the agreement should focus on capitalizing the Green Climate Fund, identifying new funding sources, and aligning financial institutions with climate-resilient initiatives.
• The agreement should ensure fairness and support for vulnerable populations. Fairness could be achieved by evaluating emissions-reduction plans against agreed-upon "equity indicators." Support for vulnerable populations involves providing the finance, capacity, and technology needed to adapt to extreme weather and sea level rise, potentially through adaptation-specific finance objectives and new insurance mechanisms for loss and damage.

APA

Morgan, J. (2014). 6 Functions for the International Climate Agreement. World Resources Institute. https://www.wri.org/insights/6-functions-international-climate-agreement

Chicago

Morgan, Jennifer. 6 Functions for the International Climate Agreement. World Resources Institute, 2014. https://www.wri.org/insights/6-functions-international-climate-agreement.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Morgan |first1=Jennifer |title=6 Functions for the International Climate Agreement |publisher=World Resources Institute |date=17 March 2014 |url=https://www.wri.org/insights/6-functions-international-climate-agreement |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{morgan2014functions, author = {Morgan, Jennifer}, title = {{6 Functions for the International Climate Agreement}}, institution = {World Resources Institute}, year = {2014}, month = mar, url = {https://www.wri.org/insights/6-functions-international-climate-agreement}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }