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The document argues for the phase-out of the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) in favor of a results-based Sustainable Development Mechanism (SDM) that prioritizes climate finance over offsetting. It emphasizes the need for mandatory local stakeholder consultations and recourse mechanisms to prevent human rights violations. Additionally, it warns that the ICAO's CORSIA scheme for aviation emissions risks undermining the Paris Agreement if double-counting of emission reductions occurs.

The document argues that the EU must stop blocking progress on a conflict of interest policy at the UNFCCC to prevent fossil fuel companies and their lobby groups from undermining the ambition of the Paris Agreement.

The document outlines the structure of the 2018 Talanoa Dialogue, a facilitative process designed to raise climate ambition and inform future Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). It emphasizes that the Dialogue's participatory nature allows stakeholders to frame climate ambition through a human rights lens, including gender equality, food security, and a just transition. The briefing details a staged approach for input—from the preparatory phase ending in October to the political phase at COP-24—and advises contributors to use the 'Talanoa' methodology of sharing stories and positive experiences rather than adversarial 'name, shame, and blame' tactics to ensure their inputs are accepted by the Fijian presidency.

COP 23 served as a technical transition to establish the 'Paris Rulebook' for implementing the Paris Agreement. Key outcomes included the design of the Talanoa Dialogue for monitoring collective efforts, a breakthrough agreement to address agriculture and food security, and the adoption of a Gender Action Plan. However, the document notes a lack of substantial progress on long-term climate finance and 'loss and damage' funding, while highlighting a tension between official negotiations and civil society demands for climate justice and an end to the fossil fuel era.

The brief finds that while 66% of EU cities have climate plans, there is significant disparity based on city size and national legislation. National mandates in countries like Denmark and the UK significantly increase the likelihood of cities having plans, while many cities in Spain and Italy rely on international networks like the Covenant of Mayors due to a lack of national guidance.

The guide defines fundamental concepts of international climate diplomacy, including the roles of the COP and CMA, the function of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), and the development of the 'Paris rulebook' (Modalities, Procedures and Guidelines). It also outlines financial mechanisms like the Green Climate Fund and the $100 billion goal, as well as processes for increasing climate ambition such as the Global Stocktake and the Talanoa Dialogue.

Carbon Market Watch advocates for an orderly phase-out of the Kyoto Protocol's Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) and suggests using a placeholder for market provisions in the Paris Agreement rulebook until robust rules are established to ensure emissions reductions are additional and do not undermine climate ambition.

The author criticizes the ICAO for developing the CORSIA offsetting scheme behind closed doors, warning that a lack of coordination with the UNFCCC could lead to double-counting of emission reductions and undermine the Paris Agreement. The text calls for the European Union to advocate for public participation and transparency in the aviation body's decision-making process.

The briefing identifies four critical areas for the development of the Paris Agreement Rulebook: NDC communications regarding mitigation and adaptation, the enhanced transparency framework for reporting and review, the design of the Global Stocktake, and the operational modalities for implementation and compliance. It emphasizes the need for a pragmatic approach that accounts for differing national capacities and the integration of non-governmental stakeholders to ensure the Agreement is implemented effectively and fairly.

The briefing outlines the role of the 2018 Facilitative Dialogue (FD 2018) as the first progress assessment under the Paris Agreement. It emphasizes the need for a process that combines technical and political components, incorporates inputs from non-state actors and multilateral institutions, and utilizes the IPCC special report on 1.5 degrees C to signal a collective commitment to enhanced climate ambition by 2020.

The IAI Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) report details its 2016-2017 activities, including the election of Edwin Castellanos as chair and participation in climate-related dialogues in Bonn and the Dominican Republic. The committee proposed a two-part 25th-anniversary publication strategy consisting of a general public booklet and a peer-reviewed special issue in the journal Environmental Management. The report also addresses the transition to a new IAI director and recommends diversifying the SAC's future membership to include more social scientists and representatives from Central America, the Caribbean, and northern South America.

The document outlines the structural and methodological questions countries must address to implement the global stocktake, the five-year cycle designed to assess collective progress toward the Paris Agreement's goals. It emphasizes the need for common methodologies to aggregate diverse mitigation commitments, a framework for tracking context-specific adaptation progress, and clear modalities for accounting for public and private finance flows. The author argues that the stocktake must be both backward-looking (assessing progress) and forward-looking (identifying opportunities for enhanced action) to serve as the 'engine' of the Paris Agreement.

Carbon Market Watch calls for the Sustainable Development Mechanism (SDM) to depart from the 'pure offsetting' approach of the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), citing a European Commission study that found 85% of CDM projects unlikely to deliver real emission reductions. The author argues the SDM should instead function as a tool for results-based finance and actively contribute to the United Nations sustainable development goals (SDGs) through transformational change and robust stakeholder participation.

The authors criticize the UN climate secretariat for holding meetings behind closed doors in Bonn, Germany, where rules for transparency under the Paris Agreement were discussed. They argue that excluding non-state actors—including NGOs, academics, and local governments—erodes the trust and accountability necessary for the agreement's success and limits the technical quality of the resulting rules. The document calls for the inclusion of civil society in future thematic discussions, specifically those on adaptation scheduled for May.

COP23 was intended as a technical summit to establish the Paris Agreement Rulebook, but achieved only modest progress on these rules. Key breakthroughs included a first-time agreement to address climate challenges in agriculture and the establishment of a Gender Action Plan and a Local Communities and Indigenous People’s Platform. The conference launched the Talanoa dialogue to accelerate action and increase ambition. While official negotiations were slow, strong political support was demonstrated by non-state actors and an alternative US delegation. Additionally, the 'Powering Past Coal' alliance was endorsed by 28 countries and regional actors, though Germany was notably absent from the pledge.

The report details the outcomes of the "Science for Action" campaign conducted by the SDG Media Zone and the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) during COP-23. The campaign utilized live interviews and social media coverage to promote the Sustainable Development Goals and the communication of science for decision-making, achieving over 2.5 million impressions and reaching more than 780 thousand people across 30 countries.

The document outlines a framework for designing the global stocktake, a periodic review process under the Paris Agreement. It proposes four critical areas of focus for the Ad hoc Working Group on the Paris Agreement (APA): determining the necessary information inputs, establishing operational modalities to ensure transparency and accountability, defining the outputs required to inform future actions, and ensuring the process effectively drives increased climate ambition and implementation support.

The author contends that using CO2 equivalent (CO2e) as a single metric for emission pledges obscures the distinct atmospheric behaviors and impacts of different substances, potentially hindering both peak warming reduction and sustainable development. By pledging targets for substances separately, countries can address the specific harms of short-lived pollutants—such as methane's contribution to tropospheric ozone, which damages crops and human health—while pursuing long-term CO2 reductions, thereby achieving both climate and development goals.

Dr. Daniel A. Reifsnyder describes the iterative process of drafting the Paris Agreement, emphasizing the shift toward a 'Party-driven' approach and the breakdown of the 'firewall' between developed and developing nations. He highlights the importance of the October 5 non-paper as a template for the final deal and details the agreement's core goals, including temperature limits and a robust transparency system.

The COP22 conference in Marrakech focused on establishing the 'rulebook' for the Paris Agreement, with parties agreeing to a 2018 deadline for its operationalization. Key outcomes included the approval of a work programme for transparency and adaptation, the announcement of US$81 million for the Adaptation Fund, and the launch of the Marrakech Partnership for Global Climate Action to catalyze pre-2020 efforts. Despite political uncertainty regarding the United States, the document notes a strong commitment from emerging economies and the private sector to pursue a low-carbon transition.