Global Stocktake: An Opportunity for Ambition

C2ES helped shape the outcome from the first global stocktake under the Paris Agreement by encouraging a strong focus on opportunities to scale up climate ambition. From 2020 to 2023, C2ES sought an ambitious and environmentally effective GST outcome that leveraged COP28 as a forcing event to drive needed real-world action. C2ES is now focused on enhancing internal cooperation to help raise the ambition of countries’ nationally determined contributions, as well as their subsequent implementation, including through taking forward the global targets and signals agreed at COP28.

Taking Forward the Outcomes of the Global Stocktake

Delivering on the Targets and Signals of the fist Global Stocktake

The conclusion of the first GST at COP28 in 2023 marked a critical moment in the Paris “ambition cycle.” As Parties prepare to submit new nationally determined contributions (NDCs) by February 10, 2024, the outcome of the GST must inform Parties’ enhanced ambition and implementation efforts through their NDCs. C2ES’s latest series of papers provides recommendations to take forward key targets and signals from the first GST. For a summary of recommendations, read this factsheet.

A Solutions-Oriented Approach to the Global Stocktake

Published ahead of COP28, this paper sets out how the GST can accelerate climate action and enhance ambition, including through clear signals and actionable solutions – many of which are directly relevant to implementing the GST outcomes from COP28.

Re-invigorating the UN Climate Regime in the wider landscape of climate action

This paper suggests how – through radical evolution rather than revolution – both the UN climate regime and the way that it catalyzes climate action in the wider landscape could be more effective.

A Vision for the GST Outcome: The Case for Energy Transition

Hosted by C2ES, this COP28 side event featured experts sharing their views on how the outcome of the GST could accelerate the energy transition.

Beyond the GST Outcome: A Vision for Accelerating the Transition to Net Zero

Hosted by C2ES, this COP28 side event featured experts who spoke about the normative potential of the UNFCCC process and how it should be leveraged to ensure that all stakeholders align their efforts to deliver an effective response to COP28 and the GST.

SDGs and the GST: A vision for our future

Hosted by C2ES, this COP28 side event highlighted synergies between the GST and Sustainable Development Goals.

C2ES worked to shape the global stocktake (GST) to drive transformational levels of implementation, fairness, and ambition at COP28 and beyond. Whether COP28 is judged as a success hinges on implementation of the outcomes of the GST process, including the ambition of new nationally determined contributions (NDCs).

What is the global stocktake?

Parties to the Paris Agreement are required to undertake a GST every five years to assess collective progress toward the agreement’s long-term goals on mitigation, adaptation, and means of implementation.

Informed by the GST, each Party is expected to communicate—by February 10, 2025—an updated NDC representing a “progression” beyond its previous NDC and reflecting its “highest possible ambition.” This process of increasing commitment to climate action through the GST to inform actions—including updating NDCs—is known as the “ambition cycle.”  The GST is also mandated to “enhance international cooperation.”

The first GST concluded at COP28 in Dubai in 2023.

Understanding C2ES's Role

For over two years C2ES worked to help shape the GST process by ensuring a strong focus on opportunities to scale up climate ambition and implementation. To add real value and make a difference, C2ES called for the GST process to identify and highlight specific, implementable solutions to support achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement that speak directly to national-level policy makers and stakeholders in every country.

Ultimately, COP28 exceeded the expectations of many by setting out several global targets and signals to be achieved by 2030. Our ongoing work aims to leverage the COP28 GST outcomes to drive real-world action, assist countries to implement existing climate commitments, and facilitate increased ambition for, and implementation of, their next round of commitments. As part of this, C2ES is elaborating a vision for implementation of the COP28 outcomes through enhanced international cooperation.

COP28’s GST Outcome

The GST outcomes reflect hard-fought compromises. It calls for countries to transition from fossil fuels in energy systems “in a just, orderly and equitable manner, accelerating action in this critical decade, so as to achieve net zero by 2050 in keeping with the science.” Other critical policy signals to parties from COP28 include tripling renewable energy capacity and doubling energy efficiency globally by 2030, as well as reflecting such efforts in the new NDCs of countries, to be tabled in 2025.

The GST also established a dialogue on implementing the global stocktake outcomes, a “Roadmap to Mission 1.5,” a new technology implementation programme to strengthen support for developing country technology priorities, and a high-level ministerial dialogue on the urgent need to scale up adaptation finance.

Impact Beyond The UNFCCC GST Process

The COP28 GST outcomes will impact an important wider context beyond the formal UNFCCC process, influencing key political milestones, related events, and developments that will shape climate ambition and implementation. Successful implementation of the GST requires adequate attention to this wider context, with a strong emphasis on near-term scalable action consistent with the Paris Agreement’s long-term goals. As such, our ongoing work has a strong focus on how international cooperation on climate action, including by non-Parties, can be enhanced.

Given that the role of the GST is to inform enhanced implementation of climate action, what happens after the conclusion of the first GST will be a critical to achieving  the goals of the Paris Agreement.  

Kaveh Guilanpour discusses IRENA’s call to triple renewables by 2030

Publications, Submissions, and Technical Papers

Ahead of COP29 , C2ES Points to Importance of Global Stocktake Follow Through
Publication
Delivering on the Targets and Signals from the First Global Stocktake
Publication
Enhancing Action & Cooperation for the Tripling of Renewable Energy Capacity Globally
Publication
Enhancing Action & Cooperation for the Doubling of Energy Efficiency
Publication
Enhancing Action & Cooperation for Early Warning Systems
Publication
Enhancing Action & Cooperation for the Transition Away from Fossil Fuels
Publication
Enhancing Action & Cooperation for Halting & Reversing Deforestation
Publication
Enhancing Action & Cooperation for Sustainable Agriculture & Resilient Food Systems
Publication
Re-invigorating the UN Climate Regime in the Wider Landscape of Climate Action
Paper
Elements for the consideration of outputs component of the GST
Publication
A Solutions-oriented Approach to the Paris Agreement's Global Stocktake

Events and Convenings

A Vision for the GST Outcome and Beyond: The Case for Energy Transition
Beyond the GST Outcome: A Vision for Accelerating the Transition to Net Zero
SDGs and the GST: A vision for our future
Convenings on a Solutions-Oriented Approach to the GST
Ambition: COP26 and Beyond
Designing a Meaningful Global Stocktake (GST)

Archives

Publication
A Solutions Approach to the GST: Interim Technical Paper for Consultation
Ambition: COP26 and Beyond
Publication
Designing a Meaningful Global Stocktake
Publication
Distilling Critical Signals from the Global Stocktake
Publication
Mitigation Landscape Analysis: Themes and Trends
Publication
Landscape Analysis of Adaptation Opportunities for Climate Ambition
What the Paris Agreement’s global stocktake can learn from the Sustainable Development Goals
Paper
Reinvigorating the UN Climate Regime in the wider landscape of climate action
Publication
Climate Finance Landscape Analysis: Themes and Trends

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