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The report examines the role of cities, regions, and companies in the EU's climate action, noting that 40% of 2016 emissions are covered by individual targets and 36% of the population is covered by subnational net-zero targets as of October 2020. It argues that while significant mitigation potential exists, these reductions require coordination with national and EU-level policies. The study finds limited data on overall progress toward targets, though some European cities showed good progress toward 2020 goals.

The Climate Change Performance Index 2021 finds that no country is currently on a path compliant with the Paris Agreement goals. While the EU improved its ranking to 16th place and countries like Sweden, the UK, and Denmark lead, major G20 emitters including the USA, Saudi Arabia, and Russia are rated 'very low'. The report highlights a divide between high-performing smaller nations and developing countries like Morocco, Chile, and India, and the lowest-performing fossil fuel producing nations.

Based on a survey of 98 policy makers and experts from 83 countries, the report finds that while fundamental drivers for a low-carbon transition remain, the COVID-19 pandemic has delayed NDC and LTS processes. It warns that many countries do not currently plan to significantly increase their ambition in the current update cycle and that short-term economic relief may lead to the bailing out of polluting industries without climate conditions. The report urges countries to act before the 2025 update cycle to avoid the scale of the task becoming unreachable.

The report examines how to effectively measure the sustainable development impacts of carbon market mechanisms, such as those under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. It argues that the rigour and complexity of these assessments should be tailored to the programme's rationale to balance impact understanding with transaction costs. The authors provide a criteria-based checklist for creating objective indicators and emphasize that while pre-defined indicators are useful, stakeholder consultations and grievance mechanisms are essential to safeguard against negative impacts.

The document outlines a framework for countries to create long-term strategies (LTS) for low-emission development in alignment with the Paris Agreement. It proposes that LTS development be a continuous planning process integrated with Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) cycles, utilizing three levels of complexity—from basic to detailed—to allow countries to improve the robustness of their strategies over time across eight key aspects.

The report examines past experiences with sustainable development in the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), voluntary markets, and non-UNFCCC multilateral institutions to inform the operationalisation of Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. It analyses draft texts from SBSTA 50 and CMA2 to propose three scenarios for incorporating sustainable development into the guidance and rules of Article 6, concluding with specific text amendments and suggestions for a potential work programme to ensure safeguarding provisions are anchored in the final rules.

The research evaluates the vulnerability of CDM projects and the supply potential of Certified Emission Reductions (CERs) between 2013 and 2020. It finds a significant oversupply of CERs, with 4.6 billion potential units available, while only 4% originate from highly vulnerable project types. The analysis suggests that strict eligibility restrictions on CER supply are necessary to ensure that new demand supports genuine, additional emission abatement.

The Climate Action Tracker reports that net zero pledges announced by November 2020 could limit global warming to 2.1°C by 2100, though current policies still track 0.8°C higher than this optimistic target. While the Paris Agreement has driven a 0.7°C decrease in real-world emissions projections since 2015, the report emphasizes that governments must strengthen 2030 nationally determined contributions (NDCs) and implementation plans to bridge the remaining gap to 1.5°C.

The report outlines two primary decarbonisation scenarios for India's transport sector: a 'Rail focused' pathway and a 'Road focused' pathway. Both scenarios emphasise that electrification is essential, aiming for nearly 100% electrification of road fleets by 2050. The Rail focused scenario prioritises a massive modal shift toward public transit and rail freight, which significantly reduces the total number of electric vehicles needed. The Road focused scenario assumes continued growth in private vehicle ownership, relying more heavily on rapid electrification and alternative fuels. The analysis identifies four priority action areas: sustainable urban planning to counter urban sprawl, improving non-motorised and public transport, expanding high-quality railway infrastructure, and electrifying all road vehicle fleets. It concludes that achieving these goals will require substantial international financial support and the adoption of global good-practice policies from regions like China, California, and Europe.

The Climate Action Tracker (CAT) reports that a wave of net zero pledges from 127 countries could reduce projected warming by 2100 to as low as 2.1°C. However, current policies still put the world on a trajectory of 2.9°C, and a significant emissions gap remains for 2030.

The document advises host countries to carefully assess the impact of selling internationally transferred mitigation outcomes (ITMOs) on their own climate targets, as every sold reduction makes it harder to meet current and future NDCs. It suggests that countries should establish a clear rationale for engagement—such as revenue or technology transfer—and possess a robust GHG inventory, a formulated NDC, a 2050 decarbonisation strategy, and an institutional framework before participating in Article 6 activities.

Colombia faces challenges from rapid urbanisation and hydroelectric uncertainty while attempting to decarbonise its building sector. Current policies, including building codes and energy efficiency measures, are insufficient to achieve this goal. The document proposes using Article 6 of the Paris Agreement to launch a Net Zero Energy Buildings pilot in social housing, which could reduce emissions, energy poverty, and subsidy payments. While the building sector is not a major emitter, the author suggests that international cooperation and climate finance are necessary to mobilise private capital and align the sector with the Paris Agreement's temperature goals.

The document analyzes the potential volume of CERs eligible for transition to NDCs based on different restriction criteria. It finds that the total supply potential for reductions in or after 2013 exceeds 4 billion CERs without restrictions, but this figure drops significantly depending on whether registration dates or crediting period start dates are used as cut-offs.

The report examines the transition of voluntary carbon markets into the Paris Agreement era, specifically assessing how to prevent 'double counting' where emission reductions are claimed by both voluntary offsets and national targets. It identifies three potentially viable models—contribution claims, NDC crediting, and non-NDC crediting—and recommends focusing on challenging mitigation options and countries with ambitious Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to maximize climate impact.

The document outlines a research project led by Öko-Institut and the Stockholm Environment Institute focused on the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA). It evaluates the environmental integrity of Emissions Unit Criteria (EUC), estimates the potential supply of offset credits, and examines mechanisms under the Paris Agreement to prevent double counting between CORSIA and nationally determined contributions (NDCs).

The report identifies a rapid increase in net-zero pledges globally, noting that as of October 2020, these targets cover 826 cities, 103 regions, and 1,565 companies. It argues that the actual ambition of these pledges is often obscured by ambiguous implementation approaches—specifically regarding emission reductions, offsetting, and carbon dioxide removal—and advocates for greater transparency to ensure targets lead to deep decarbonisation.

The report identifies over 60 mitigation policies adopted between July 2019 and August 2020, noting the highest activity in the energy and transport sectors. It highlights a lack of explicitly 'green' COVID-19 recovery measures in most assessed countries, except for the EU and Republic of Korea. Additionally, it tracks the progress of NDCs and LTS, noting that only Vietnam has officially revised its NDC target among the group, while the EU and Japan have submitted net-zero long-term strategies.

The Climate Action Tracker finds that COVID-19 recovery packages in major emitting economies lack detailed green planning, with quantifiable interventions representing only a small fraction of total GDP investments. While the pandemic may lower emissions by 2030, this is attributed to economic downturn rather than structural decarbonisation, leaving global warming projections at 2.9°C based on current policies, far exceeding the Paris Agreement's 1.5°C limit.

The report finds that financial institutions managing at least USD 47 trillion in assets—approximately 25% of the global financial market—have committed to climate-related investment targets. It identifies three primary mechanisms for influencing emissions: divestment, positive impact investment, and corporate engagement. The analysis emphasizes that divestment alone may not reduce real-economy emissions if other investors purchase the carbon-intensive assets, and notes that most institutions with such targets are currently concentrated in Europe, the United States, and Australia.

The document reports a significant increase in net-zero commitments from 823 cities, 101 regions, and 1,541 companies. While these actors represent a vast population and economic footprint, the paper notes that the ambition and impact of these targets vary based on the emission scopes covered and the reliance on carbon offsets.