Interpreting INDCs: Assessing Transparency of Post-2020 Greenhouse Gas Emissions Targets for 8 Top-Emitting Economies

This research paper by the World Resources Institute evaluates the transparency of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions targets in the Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) of eight major emitting economies. Using the 'Open Book' framework, the paper identifies transparency gaps that hinder the assessment of national and global ambition, particularly regarding land-sector accounting and market mechanisms. It provides estimated emissions trajectories through 2030 to quantify uncertainties resulting from these gaps and offers recommendations for governments and UNFCCC negotiators to improve reporting clarity.

• All eight analyzed top-emitting economies followed basic UNFCCC reporting guidelines and most general guidelines in the Lima Call for Climate Action, addressing categories such as target reference points, time frames, and scope.
• Transparency gaps persist for all eight parties, creating significant uncertainty in emissions calculations. These gaps are more prevalent in complex target types; parties using absolute or base-year GHG emissions targets generally provide more transparent information than those using other target types.
• There is a widespread lack of detail regarding the accounting approach for the land sector and the specific levels and double-counting preventions for international market mechanisms, despite some parties specifying if these elements are covered.
• The paper recommends that governments provide indicative emissions trajectories through 2030 to allow for the estimation of cumulative emissions and suggests reframing complex targets into more straightforward types, such as absolute or fixed-level targets.

APA

World Resources Institute (n.d.). Interpreting INDCs: Assessing Transparency of Post-2020 Greenhouse Gas Emissions Targets for 8 Top-Emitting Economies. https://www.wri.org/research/interpreting-indcs-assessing-transparency-post-2020-greenhouse-gas-emissions-targets-8-top

Chicago

World Resources Institute. Interpreting INDCs: Assessing Transparency of Post-2020 Greenhouse Gas Emissions Targets for 8 Top-Emitting Economies. n.d. https://www.wri.org/research/interpreting-indcs-assessing-transparency-post-2020-greenhouse-gas-emissions-targets-8-top.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Resources Institute |title=Interpreting INDCs: Assessing Transparency of Post-2020 Greenhouse Gas Emissions Targets for 8 Top-Emitting Economies |url=https://www.wri.org/research/interpreting-indcs-assessing-transparency-post-2020-greenhouse-gas-emissions-targets-8-top |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldresourcesinstitutendinterpreting, author = {{World Resources Institute}}, title = {{Interpreting INDCs: Assessing Transparency of Post-2020 Greenhouse Gas Emissions Targets for 8 Top-Emitting Economies}}, institution = {World Resources Institute}, url = {https://www.wri.org/research/interpreting-indcs-assessing-transparency-post-2020-greenhouse-gas-emissions-targets-8-top}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }