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Key resources
Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI)
· “an instrument to enable transparency in national and international climate politics. The CCPI
uses a standardized framework to compare the climate performance of 59 countries and the EU,
which together account for 92% of global greenhouse gas emissions. The climate protection
performance is assessed in four categories: GHG Emissions, Renewable Energy, Energy Use and
Climate Policy.”
· “adelphi and the German Federal Foreign Office first formed an alliance over a decade ago and
have since been playing a central role in the process of analysing the international debates on
climate diplomacy and security, while developing key narratives, contributing to awareness raising
and capacity building efforts, and supporting international and regional dialogues on this topic
around the world.”
Climate Initiatives Platform @ UNEP
· “This portal collects, shares and tracks information on international cooperative climate initiatives
driven by non-state actors such as businesses and cities, often with support from national states.
More than 50 data points are open for each initiative. Browse through the 289 initiatives…”
Climate Negotiations Database @ BU Global Development Policy Center
Climate Policy Engagement Map @ InfluenceMap
· “...a comprehensive tool to enable positive and practical engagement with climate policy in
line with a 2C world. We bring together a global network of experts and expertise and map
out regulatory timelines, critical intervention opportunities, existing lobbying activity,
stakeholder positions and key contacts. We are adding to this knowledge base continuously
in collaboration with our Content Partners listed below. The Map is used by companies, trade
associations, investors and any other stakeholders wanting to add their supportive voice to
policy makers and regulators globally. As well as specific climate policies, our Map covers
energy, transport, finance and other policy areas critical to reaching the 2C target."
· "...offers evidence on climate policy options. It explores impacts and implications of international
and EU climate policy for decision-makers in policy, business and civil society. The aim is to
support informed science-based EU climate policy-making. The knowledge is compiled by a
group of independent climate policy researchers."
· USAID's knowledge portal on climate change & development.
Key international agreements
1992 UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)
· Signed in Rio de Janeiro
· Entered into force 1994
· Notable as the first mention within the context of the United Nations of the term Common but
Differentiated Responsibilities, which became a cornerstone concept of international
environmental diplomacy and negotiation.
· 193 members of the UNFCCC ratified the Kyoto Protocol, with Canada withdrawing in 2020,
leaving 192 ratifying members.
· The Protocol stipulated that higher levels of GHGs were having a negative effect on the global
climate and contributed to global warming, and required for the lowering of GHG levels to what
was deemed as acceptable levels. The varying levels of emissions from country to country was
based on the idea of common but differentiated responsibilities.
· Adopted by 193 members of the UNFCCC. The Accord is not enforced but is a collective
agreement to follow certain actions.
· The goal of the Accord is to reduce the global effects of climate change through international
cooperation and action. The main way this is expected to be achieved is by taking action to
prevent global temperatures from rising by 2 degrees Celsius.
· While the United States pulled out from the Paris Agreements in 2020, it rejoined the
agreement a year later.
Subnational transborder cooperative initiatives
UNFCCC Non-state Actor Zone for Climate Action (NAZCA)
Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy
R20: Regions of Climate Action
· “...to help sub-national governments around the world to develop and commuicate low-carbon
and climate resilient economic development projects.”
· ”The Under2 Coalition is driven by a group of ambitious state and regional governments
committed to keeping global temperature rises to well below 2°C.”
Joint statement on Climate Action by Germany & California
Key initiatives
· "...a multi-stakeholder initiative launched at COP 22 by High-Level Climate Champions Laurence
Tubiana and Hakima El Haite to support countries seeking to develop long-term, net zero-GHG,
climate-resilient and sustainable-development pathways. Designed as a space for collective
problem-solving, the Platform will also build a broader constellation of cities, states, and
companies engaged in long-term low-emissions planning of their own and in support of
national strategies."
Beyond Oil and Gas Alliance (BOGA)
· "...a high-level global forum to promote policies and programs that advance clean energy
share lessons learned and best practices, and to encourage the transition to a global clean
energy economy."
Climate Ambition Support Alliance (CASA)
· “...seeks to strengthen the capacity and support the engagement of climate-vulnerable countries in
international climate negotiations.”
Climate Technology Centre & Network (UNFCCC, UNEP & UNIDO)
Capacity Building Initiative for Transparency (CBIT)
Climate Technology Centre & Network
Global Climate Action Agenda (GCAA)
Harvard Project on Climate Agreements
Joint Crediting Mechanism (JCM)
Just Energy Transition Partnerships (JETP)
South Africa
Indonesia
Low Emission Capacity Building Programme (LECBP)
Low Emission Development Strategies (LEDS) Global Partnership
Enhancing Capacity for Low Emission Development Strategies (EC-LEDS)
· Defunct US government program
Common but differentiated responsibilities (CBDR)
CBDR @ ClimaTalk
CBDR @ Climate Nexus
CBDR @ Encycopedia Brittanica
CBDR @ Wikipedia
Transparency initiatives
Capacity Building Initiative for Transparency
· Formerly the Carbon Disclosure Project
· Formerly the Climate Transparency Initiative (CTI)
Initiative for Climate Action Transparency (ICAT)
Partnership on Transparency in the Paris Agreement
Select readings in climate cooperation, negotiations & diplomacy
· In reverse chronological order
· 2019 ~ R.P. Barston ~ Routledge
· Updated periodically, this book examines the broad range of current diplomatic practice including
the important environmental issues that have been negotiated and their impact in negotiations.
· Helpful introduction to international relations, law, and diplomacy
· Chapters on environmental diplomacy & the Paris Accord.
The Paris Agreement on Climate Change
· 2017 ~ Daniel R. Klein, et al. ~ Oxford University Press
· A book in three parts, it is an insider perspective on the Paris Accord and includes contributors
who were actively involved in negotiations whether on delegations or the talks to follow
· Summarizes the agreements preceding the accord, a detailed summary of the Paris Accord, and
the overall importance it holds in the context of the global environmental regime
The Paris Agreement and the new logic of international climate policies
· 2016 ~ Robert Falkner ~ International Affairs
· The Paris Agreement broke ground and offers a chance at a more durable international cooperation.
· Hesitant assessment on whether the treaty can actually deliver, but it did overcome one of the
biggest barriers by sidestepping distributional conflicts.
Environmental Diplomacy: Negotiating More Effective Global Agreements
· 2014 ~ Lawerence E. Susskind & Saleem H. Ali ~ Oxford University Press
· Lessons about international environmental treaty-making, updated from the original
1994 publication
· Insight into the process of the treaty-making arena, examining successes and failures as well
as the contributions of civil society and the scientific sector.
· The role theories of international relations play in making treaties more enforceable and successful.
· 2007 ~ Michele M. Betsill & Elisabeth Corell ~ MIT Press
· Subtitle: The Influence of Nongovernmental Organizations in International Environmental
Negotiations
· An analytical framework for assessing the impact of NGOs on international environmental
negotiations including the factors that determine the degree of NGO influence.
· Examines case studies through an analytical framework, including the Kyoto and Cartagena
Protocols and the UNCCD, to determine what factors explain variation in NGO influence.
· Published as an essential guidebook on the role of NGOs in international diplomacy relating
to the environment.
· Uses case studies to analyze the effectiveness of various strategies often employed by NGOs to
further environmental causes.
· Includes a thorough dissection of the role of NGOs in the Kyoto Protocol negotiations.
· “Since Stockholm, NGO involvement in international decision-making processes related to the
environment and sustainable development has escalated, as demonstrated by their participation
in the two subsequent global conferences.”
Contents of this page:
· Key international agreements
· Subnational transborder cooperative initiatives
· Common but differentiated responsibilities (CBDR)
· Transparency/disclosure initiatives
· Select readings in international climate cooperation, negotiations & diplomacy
Subpages:
· UNFCCC
· Country emissions & Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs)
· Resources for international climate diplomacy
Also see:
Aki Yamaguchi (2023) of Brandeis University contributed to this page.
