This report reviews trends and progress on climate change mitigation policies in 34 OECD countries and 10 partner economies (Brazil, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Indonesia, India, Latvia, Lithuania, the Russian Federation and South Africa), as well as in the European Union. Together, these countries account for over 80% of global GHG emissions. It covers three areas: 1) mitigation targets and goals, 2) carbon pricing instruments (such as energy and carbon taxation, emissions trading systems, as well as support for fossil fuels) and 3) key domestic policy settings in the energy and other sectors (including renewable energy, power generation and transport, innovation and R&D, and mitigation policies in agriculture, forestry, industry and waste sectors). The report is accompanied by an online country profiles tool containing more detailed information.
This study assesses the potential contribution of public– private partnerships to Inclusive Green Growth, which is one of the main goals of Dutch development cooperation. Inclusive Green Growth – or ‘the economics of sustainable development’ – implies that growth should enhance welfare for both current (inclusive) and future (green) generations. This warrants attention for both ecological sustainability and the distribution of resource access. To analyse the potential of partnerships for reaching Inclusive Green Growth objectives, nine ongoing partnerships were selected and financed by the Dutch Directorate General for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation. Using the academic literature on a) the requirements for effective Inclusive Green Growth strategies and b) the potential of public–private partnerships, an analytical framework was developed to be used for data collection (e.g. partnership documentation, interviews) and analysis.
Support for carbon pricing is growing around the world. Governments, businesses and investors are recognising that nationally-appropriate taxes and trading schemes, as part of a well-aligned package of policies for low-carbon change, can reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions without harming the economy. Strong, predictable and rising carbon prices send an important signal to markets, helping to align expectations on the direction of change, thereby steering consumption choices and the type of investments made in infrastructure and innovation. They also raise fiscal revenues that can be put to productive uses. Around 40 national jurisdictions and over 20 cities, states and regions, have adopted or are planning explicit carbon prices, covering about 12% of global GHG emissions. The number of carbon pricing instruments implemented or scheduled has almost doubled from 20 to 38 since 2012. Over 1000 major companies and investors have endorsed carbon pricing, and around 450 now use an internal carbon price (US$40/t CO2 or higher for some major oil companies) to guide investment decisions, up from 150 companies in 2014.
A green economy is one that results in improved human well-being and social equity, while significantly reducing environmental risks and ecological scarcities. In its simplest expression, a green economy can be thought of as one which is low carbon, resource efficient and socially inclusive. This report speaks to the multiple benefits – economic, health, security, social and environmental – that such an economic model can bring to humanity. An inclusive green economy (IGE) sees growth in income and employment from investments that reduce carbon emissions and pollution.
The IGE Narrative expands and deepens substantially the focus of UNEP's earlier work on green economy.
Negotiations on climate change have made little tangible progress since the early 1990s. Much of the failure to make diplomatic progress reflects that the problem is structurally extremely difficult to solve. This paper focuses on one among the many institutional reforms that could allow for more progress—making a greater effort in small groups, or “clubs.” Framing climate deals in smaller groups—designed in a way that encourages expansion of membership and linkages among groups over time—could allow for greater flexibility and reduce the effort and complexity of required deal making. This club approach to diplomacy would not eliminate the need to work in maxilateral, global forums such as the 1992 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Outlining the problems with the status quo, the paper identifies major tasks that clubs could perform. They could help to provide a forum for enthusiastic countries to “do the deals” that would get reluctant countries to make bigger efforts.