Oeko-Institut presents study on international climate policy ambition at UN Climate Conference

At the UN Climate Conference starting next week to take place in Paris, Oeko-Institut is presenting – together with Ecofys and Fraunhofer ISI – a new study on instruments for increasing climate policy ambition before 2020. The study shows that while climate policy ambition has increased on a national level in recent years, the negotiations for an international climate agreement have stagnated. To meet the 2°C target, global efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions must be significantly increased. For this, industrialised countries would have to raise their reduction targets for 2020; developing countries need to introduce additional or new emission reduction commitments for 2020; and far-reaching climate protection measures need to be implemented before 2020.

Best practice examples

Policy makers currently face the challenge of keeping track of policy developments in other countries and regions. By sharing positive experiences – best practice policies – in key policy areas (e.g. energy efficiency, renewable energies, mobility) and example countries, the report aims to provide policy makers with new ideas on how to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.

Oeko-Institut’s study identifies the policy areas and countries/regions which currently have a high level of development and the potential to further reduce emissions. Based on this, suggestions are provided for which policy areas and countries/regions could serve as best practice examples and an incentive for policy makers to increase climate protection efforts prior to 2020. The selected policy areas and countries/regions are analysed to determine which policy measures have resulted in or could result in relevant emission reductions (best practice policies). The study attempts to scale up the effects of best practice policies to a global level in order to determine the emission reductions before 2020 that may be possible if all countries implemented similar policies.

Contribution for a new international climate agreement

The study – entitled “Instruments to increase climate policy ambition before 2020 – economic and political implications in selected industry and emerging countries” – aims to contribute to negotiations for the new international climate agreement that is to be adopted at the UN Climate Conference in Paris starting next week and implemented in 2020. The study was conducted in cooperation with Ecofys and Fraunhofer ISI within the scope of a research project funded by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety and the Federal Environment Agency. It will be presented at the Paris Climate Conference as part of the side „Enhancing Mitigation Action Pre- and Post-2020“ on Monday, 7th December 2015.

Contact at Oeko-Institut:

Dr. Katja Schumacher
Senior Researcher in Energy & Climate Division
Oeko-Institut, Berlin office
Phone: ++49 30 405085-321
Email: k.schumacher@oeko.de

Sean Healy
Senior Researcher in Energy & Climate Division
Oeko-Institut, Berlin office
Phone: ++49 30 405085-380
Email: s.healy@oeko.de