Climate change is a global problem which needs a global response. The 2015 Paris Agreement frames that response by setting a long-term global temperature goal and requiring bottom-up Nationally-Determined contributions from each country that reflect their responsibilities and capabilities. Together, these commitments should deliver the long-term temperature goal – keeping global warming to ‘well-below’ 2°C above pre-industrial levels, and ‘pursuing efforts’ to keep it below 1.5°C.
Global near-term emissions reductions are critical; the rise in temperature globally will depend on the cumulative amount of emissions emitted. If the world is to deliver on the Paris Agreement, there is a requirement for action now, alongside each nation’s overall aim of reaching Net Zero.
International climate policy
Internationally, it is the responsibility of all countries to take coordinated action to reduce emissions and to adapt to climate change. The world is now experiencing the impacts of a rapidly heating climate and further warming is inevitable, even on the most ambitious pathways for the reduction of global greenhouse gas emissions. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) was created in 1992 as the main forum for international action on climate change. 195 countries have joined the international agreement (known as a convention). Negotiations focus on four key areas:
- mitigating (reducing) greenhouse gas emissions
- adapting to climate change
- reporting of national emissions
- financing of climate action in developing countries
To review implementation and drive climate progress, meetings of the conference of parties are held. It is the UNFCCC international meeting on climate change. These COP summits take place every year and seek to negotiate new measures, review progress and drive climate action. The Paris Agreement was the first legally-binding global treaty on climate change. It was agreed in 2015 and was implemented from 2016. It sets a long-term temperature target of keeping global warming ‘well-below’ 2°C above pre-industrial levels, and ‘pursuing efforts’ to keep it below 1.5°C. The Paris Agreement also defines a global goal on adaptation to enhance adaptive capacity and resilience and to reduce vulnerability. The UK’s commitments under the Paris Agreement, and the context of the latest international science from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) underpins all of the CCC’s advice.
International Climate Councils Network
The International Climate Councils Network aims to foster collaboration between climate advisory councils around the world in support of the Paris Agreement. At the 26th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP26), the International Climate Councils Network officially launched.
This Network will see climate councils from around the world to share learnings amongst similar advisory bodies and support the development of new councils. Climate councils play an important role in guiding ambitious and effective climate action by providing expert, evidence-led advice and assessments on climate mitigation and/or adaptation policies to Governments.
Sharing the UK’s approach
The UK Climate Change Committee (CCC) has advised the UK Government on its climate change strategy for over a decade. We are looking to share learnings from the UK experience and to learn from others about theirs. There are rich examples of excellence in addressing both climate change mitigation and adaptation around the world. Key elements of the UK and CCC’s approach:
- A comprehensive legal framework for tackling climate change. The 2008 UK Climate Change Act sets the UK’s approach on climate change. It has long-term and medium-term targets for reducing emissions, and a requirement that the Government develop policies to meet them. It requires that UK climate risks are assessed and that a plan is developed to adapt to them. The framework has had continuous cross-party political support and gives clear and timely direction to policymakers, investors and citizens.
- An economy-wide, long-term objective to reduce emissions in line with the UN Paris Agreement. The UK has a legally-binding target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to Net Zero by 2050. It was set based on advice from the CCC that this was an appropriate contribution to the Paris Agreement and has strong business and public support. The CCC will shortly advise on the
appropriate path to the Net Zero target and the UK Government is developing policy to meet the target. - An independent organisation to provide evidence-led advice and to monitor progress. The CCC provides expert, impartial advice to Government on emissions targets and how they might be met, and on climate change risks and adaptation measures. The CCC reports to the UK Parliament on progress towards meeting its targets and makes recommendations on how policy can be strengthened. A number of countries including Chile, France, Mexico, New Zealand, and Sweden have established climate change advisory organisations along similar lines.
Insights briefings
Our set of briefings details the approaches, reflections and lessons learned by the CCC in twelve years of advising the UK on emissions reductions and adaptation to climate change. These can all be found, including translated versions in our publications section.
- The UK Climate Change Act. This briefing introduces the Act and its structure and highlights learning from its twelve years in operation.
- The Climate Change Committee. This briefing provides a summary of the role of the CCC, how it is structured and how it operates.
- The UK’s Net Zero Target. This briefing summarises the considerations behind the CCC advice on Net Zero, which is published in full in two reports on the CCC website.
- Advising on the level of the UK’s carbon budgets. This briefing discusses the role of carbon budgets within the UK Climate Change Act and the approach used by the CCC to advise the UK Government on the appropriate level for UK carbon budgets.
- Monitoring progress in reducing the UK’s greenhouse emissions. This briefing discusses how the CCC approaches its annual assessments of progress in reducing UK emissions.
- Undertaking a climate change risk assessment. This briefing note discusses the value of including adapting to climate change within national climate legislation, the process of conducting a climate change risk assessment in the UK
- Assessing progress preparing for climate change. This briefing discusses the role of adaptation in the UK’s Climate Change Act, and the CCC’s approach to monitoring progress in adapting to climate change.
- Past Climate Change Committee reports. This briefing summarises the three key strands of the CCC’s archive of past reports and highlights specific outputs that may be of interest to a wider audience.
- Determining a pathway to Net Zero. This briefing provides an overview of the approach taken by the CCC to determine its recommended pathway to Net Zero. It is intended to act as a guide for any Government or institution seeking to assess and determine pathways to Net Zero.
