Strengthening the Global Stocktake and Nationally Determined Contributions

The Global Stocktake (GST) is a key instrument of the Paris Agreement. Every five years, the international community uses it to review collective progress toward achieving international climate goals. But how can the results of the Paris Agreement's Global Stocktake help make climate policies more effective?

As part of the JUSTPATH project, researchers from the international think tank IDDRI, together with Victoria Brandemann, Lara Vogel, and Wolfgang Obergassel from the Global Climate Governance Research Unit at the Wuppertal Institute, examined how the results of the first Global Stocktake (GST1) are being translated into national climate protection commitments and measures. The focus was particularly on the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). The researchers analysed the legally binding nature of the GST targets for emissions reduction and reviewed recommendations from the literature on integrating the GST results into the NDCs. They then assessed whether and to what extent countries are implementing these recommendations.

The findings show that the first Global Stocktake has influenced national policymaking in various ways – even beyond the NDCs. According to the authors, it remains important to further strengthen the link between the GST and the NDCs. They also conclude that the GST has significant potential to influence national policymaking and, in particular, the implementation agenda. This also has implications for the design of the second Global Stocktake (GST2).
Among the potential lessons identified by the researchers are the combination of top-down and bottom-up approaches to strengthen participation in the GST Technical Dialogue. Closer integration of technical findings and political decision-making processes, as well as greater consideration of development priorities, could also increase the effectiveness of the outcomes. Furthermore, revising the international guidance for NDCs (guidance for information to facilitate clarity, transparency and understanding of NDCs, ICTU) could contribute to greater transparency. Finally, their findings suggest that a stronger focus on implementation could improve the impact of GST outcomes.

The report "Lessons from GST1 and latest NDCs: Strengthening the link between the Global Stocktake and national climate action – Insights for GST2 and future NDC cycles" is available free of charge via the link below.