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This guide by Transforma explains the "ambition cycle" of the Paris Agreement, an iterative process designed to help countries progressively improve their climate commitments through formulation, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation. It details the key instruments involved—such as Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and Long-Term Strategies (LTS)—and provides a roadmap for national implementation to align short-term actions with long-term goals like net-zero emissions by 2050.

This research review examines the technical and political economy challenges of long-term mitigation and adaptation planning, focusing on the integration of climate resilience and low-emission goals within national and sector policies.

This report by the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) Tallinn assesses the national Long-Term Strategies (LTS) of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. It evaluates how these documents align with the EU's Governance Regulation (2018/1999), which requires member states to outline decarbonisation pathways to 2050. The analysis finds that while all three Baltic states commit to climate neutrality by 2050, their strategies are characterized by significant heterogeneity in structure, a lack of detailed sectoral modelling, and insufficient analysis of investment needs and socio-economic impacts.

The NDC Update Report 2021, based on a survey of 97 policy makers and experts across 92 countries, evaluates progress on Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) planning. While 95% of respondents report strengthened greenhouse gas emissions targets and improved sector-level grounding, the report concludes that collective ambition remains insufficient, progress is too slow, and financial barriers continue to hinder implementation. It highlights a significant gap in long-term strategies (LTSs), with only 17% of Parties having communicated one to the UNFCCC as of October 2021. The report emphasizes the critical role of subnational governments, noting that 80% of respondents view them as important for NDC implementation, and calls for a shift from narratives of 'green recovery' to concrete actions and the management of trade-offs to ensure a just transition.

This briefing by the World Resources Institute argues that the first global stocktake under the Paris Agreement, initiated at COP26 and concluding in 2023, must integrate long-term low-greenhouse gas emission development strategies to accurately assess collective progress toward long-term climate goals.

This research paper analyzes the first 29 long-term low greenhouse gas (GHG) emission development strategies (LTSs) submitted to the UNFCCC by June 2021. The authors identify common trends in midcentury targets, mitigation modeling, sectoral transitions, and governance frameworks, noting a significant shift toward net-zero goals and a broader focus on societal transformation beyond simple mitigation modeling.

This briefing by the World Resources Institute examines the relationship between Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and Long-Term Strategies (LTSs) under the Paris Agreement. It argues that aligning these two planning tools—one focused on short-to-medium term commitments (typically 10-15 years) and the other on mid-century visions (approximately 30 years)—is essential to avoid locking in carbon-intensive infrastructure and to ensure efficient use of government resources.

This working paper, produced as an input for the G20 Climate and Sustainability Working Group, examines how G20 nations can leverage Long-Term Strategies (LTSs) and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to meet Paris Agreement goals. It argues that integrating long-term visions with near-term targets drives sustainable economic growth and provides a roadmap to avoid carbon-intensive lock-in. The document provides frameworks for NDC implementation, guidance for updating NDCs by 2020, and strategies for G20 countries to support developing nations in overcoming capacity and financing gaps.

This working paper evaluates how long-term low-emission development strategies submitted to the UNFCCC manage uncertainty and utilize scenario analysis, proposing a model-assisted quantitative approach to enhance these practices.

This research paper, produced by the World Resources Institute and UNDP for the G20 Climate and Sustainability Working Group, argues that Long-Term Strategies (LTSs) and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) are synergistic tools essential for achieving Paris Agreement goals and fostering sustainable economic growth within G20 nations.