The use of tradable greenhouse gas (GHG) units to meet emissions reduction goals is likely to continue after 2012 as many countries have expressed support for using market mechanisms to promote and enhance the cost-effectiveness of mitigation. Most such mechanisms would use tradable GHG units...

Mitigation pledges put forward by countries under the UNFCCC process are "made to measure" in that they are tailored to fit each country's individual circumstances. However, the pledges also need to be made to be measured so that we have a full understanding of how the various commitments add up...

This paper examines environmental and institutional implications of the use of tradable GHG units under different international accounting scenarios in the post-2012 international climate change policy framework. A range of possible scenarios is presented based on analysis on various building...

A key element in the success of limiting mean global surface temperature rise to below 2°C will be transformation of the energy sector globally. In addition to implementing already-available options for more efficient use of energy and low-emissions energy supply, action is needed now to put in...

A new international climate change agreement that will have legal force and be applicable to all countries is being negotiated under the auspices of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The agreement is to be adopted by 2015 and come into effect from 2020. An...

This paper assesses the interaction of international trade with climate policies, and the influence of trade on the implementation of SDG 13 (climate change). Although international trade contributes directly to GHG emissions, increased trade can help to achieve development goals in a...

Accounting for Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement is needed to allow Parties to track individual progress towards their own mitigation-related NDC targets, understand others’ NDC targets and their progress toward them, and assess collective progress towards...

Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions baselines are reference emissions levels. This paper focuses on projected forward-looking baselines that can be used both to inform national climate policy and to set goals that are defined relative to a business-as-usual (BaU) scenario. As some developing...

An enhanced transparency framework will be a central component of the post-2020 international climate policy regime under the Paris Agreement, underpinning the dynamic process of updating nationally determined contributions (NDCs) and providing input to the global stocktakes of progress towards...