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The report examines 'vertical diffusion'—the process by which state policies move to the federal level—identifying key drivers such as state champions, spillover effects, and policy learning. It argues that early state action and interstate cooperation can shape federal outcomes, citing the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) and California vehicle emissions standards as examples of influential state-led initiatives.

The document outlines a five-step framework for governments to develop INDCs: identifying benefits, organizing the process, gathering data and analysis, designing the contribution, and communicating it. It emphasizes that INDCs allow countries to tailor climate actions to their specific national priorities, capabilities, and emissions profiles to contribute to the UNFCCC goal of limiting global warming to 2°C above pre-industrial levels.

The document outlines the necessity of the 'Paris Rulebook' to operationalize the 2015 Paris Agreement, emphasizing a cycle of planning, implementing, and reviewing climate actions. It argues that meeting the December 2018 deadline in Katowice, Poland, is critical for building international trust, steering national policies, and enabling the five-year cycles of action. The authors identify key challenges for negotiators, including balancing national circumstances with global progress and creating durable guidelines that can adapt to scientific and technological changes.

The study finds that environmental risks could reduce shareholder value across the oil and gas industry by 1 to 6 percent, though impacts vary by company based on their asset bases and reserve distributions. While some companies might benefit from rising natural gas prices or grandfathered greenhouse gas emission permits, the report suggests that investors may not currently be accounting for these financially significant risks.

The document serves as an executive guide for companies exploring carbon pricing. It notes a significant increase in corporate adoption, with over 1,000 companies now reporting internal carbon pricing or plans to implement it within two years, compared to 150 in 2014. Additionally, a similar number of companies are advocating for government-led carbon pricing actions.

The paper analyzes the measurability of various national commitment types—including economy-wide versus sectoral goals and absolute versus relative targets—to provide guidance for UNFCCC Parties negotiating the 2015 climate agreement. It argues that to maximize transparency and accountability, countries should prioritize economy-wide goals, base-year or fixed-level targets, and multi-year timeframes over single-year or baseline-scenario goals.

The document asserts that a federal greenhouse gas emissions registry is essential for the success of U.S. climate policies, particularly cap-and-trade programs. It outlines specific design requirements, such as mandatory facility-level data collection, adherence to international standards, and public data availability. The brief notes that the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2008, directs the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to require mandatory reporting across all sectors of the U.S. economy.

The document analyzes the relationship between national policy frameworks and the growth of solar PV and wind industries across five major economies. It contrasts the success of comprehensive, stable policies in Germany and China with the less effective, short-term 'patchwork' approach used in the United States. Data from 2005 and 2011 show that while China has achieved massive manufacturing capacity, Germany's stable legal framework has been a key driver for its industry, and the US lacks long-term national predictability due to incentives requiring frequent re-authorization.

The GHG Protocol has launched the Corporate Value Chain (Scope 3) and Product Life Cycle Standards to enable businesses to account for emissions beyond their direct operations. The Corporate Value Chain Standard allows companies to assess 15 categories of upstream and downstream activities, which often constitute the majority of a firm's total emissions. The Product Life Cycle Standard focuses on emissions from raw materials through disposal to improve product design and efficiency. These standards were developed over three years with input from 2,300 participants across 55 countries.

HFCs are a rapidly growing source of greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S., with a projected 120% increase by 2030. While low-global warming potential (GWP) alternatives like HFOs and natural refrigerants exist and are used by some companies, market adoption is uneven due to high upfront costs and low consumer demand. The document recommends that the EPA use its SNAP program and Clean Air Act authority to phase out high-GWP HFCs and improve refrigerant recovery, while advocating for a global phase-down through the Montreal Protocol.

The document provides a comprehensive overview of the Paris Agreement Rulebook, which operationalizes the Agreement's long-term goals through a continuous cycle of planning, implementing, and reviewing Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). It details key outcomes from COP24 in Katowice, including the adoption of guidelines for the Enhanced Transparency Framework, the Global Stocktake, and projected finance information. The guide also identifies unresolved issues, such as the specific length of common timeframes for NDCs and the rules governing cooperative implementation and carbon markets.

The document details the rules for implementing the Paris Agreement, focusing on Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), transparency frameworks, and the global stocktake. It outlines key decisions from COP24, such as the requirement for common timelines for NDCs starting in 2031 and the establishment of biennial transparency reports due by December 31, 2024. It also identifies remaining negotiation gaps regarding carbon markets and the specific duration of common timelines.

The document outlines three regional cap-and-trade initiatives in North America: the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), the Western Climate Initiative (WCI), and the Midwestern Greenhouse Gas Reduction Accord. These programs involve 23 U.S. states and four Canadian provinces, representing a significant portion of the region's GDP and emissions. RGGI focuses on electric generating units with a 10 percent reduction target by 2018. WCI aims for an economy-wide program reducing emissions 15 percent below 2005 levels by 2020. The Midwestern Accord proposes an economy-wide reduction of 20 percent below 2005 levels by 2020 and 80 percent by 2050.

The paper introduces 'effective impact' to measure the gap between the theoretical emissions reductions possible through behavioral change and the actual results of individual-level interventions. While sustainable shifts could theoretically offset an average person's annual emissions, real-world interventions typically achieve only 10% of this potential. The research identifies four 'Priority Shifts'—sustainable ground travel, air travel alternatives, residential solar/energy efficiency, and plant-rich meals—noting that car-free living is 78 times more impactful than composting. It concludes that systemic support is essential, as individual interventions alone are insufficient to meet climate demands.

A coalition of organizations commits to reaching net-zero emissions in South Africa by 2050, advocating for a just transition and strengthened national climate policies.

The Youth Climate Champions Training Materials offer a structured, interactive toolkit for trainers to help youth transition from climate awareness to action. The guide is divided into six sessions: turning personal experience into action, creative community engagement, communication strategies, understanding and designing policy, integrating climate action into various professional paths, and exercising agency as active citizens. It utilizes case studies of South African youth activists to illustrate real-world applications of these tools.