The outcomes of the World Climate Change Conference in Baku (COP29) have caused disappointment both in Baku and worldwide. Nevertheless, they still contribute to the international climate action process – an achievement that cannot be taken for granted given the current geopolitical situation.
The Global Stocktake assesses the collective progress towards the goals of the Paris Agreement every five years. The first Global Stocktake has revealed major gaps on the way to achieving international climate action goals but also pointed at a clear path ahead. On behalf of UBA, researchers analysed the contributions of the Parties to the Paris Agreement.
Ukrainian guest scientist Dr Olena Matukhno has received the Georg Forster Research Fellowship for Experienced Researchers and the Green Heart Leader honorary award. She has worked at the German Environment Agency (UBA) since June 2022. The research is centred around achieving the climate goals in the Ukrainian iron and steel industry through decarbonisation and carbon offsetting measures.
Fluorinated gases in the atmosphere form degradation products such as trifluoroacetic acid (TFA). TFA enters the water cycle through precipitation and cannot be removed by proportionate means.
The “SDG pathways” project develops and applies a modeling approach for integrated sustainability assessments of ambitious resource- and climate policy transformation pathways for Germany. Applied evaluation criteria are given by the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which provide an ambitious set of goals and targets for the environmental, social, and economic transformation until 2030.
In a study for the German Environment Agency, a research team from Öko-Institut and Ecologic Institute has examined the role of nature-based solutions (NbS) for global climate action and international climate policy. The results show that their potential to mitigate emissions is probably overestimated in the literature. Nevertheless, NbS can bring various benefits and should be promoted actively.
The Global Stocktake assesses the collective progress towards the goals of the Paris Agreement every five years. The first Global Stocktake concluded in 2023 with a decision at COP28 on the way forward to increase action and support to effectively address climate change.
Parties to the Paris Agreement are updating their plans for climate action. Less than half of the countries analysed as part of a project funded by the German Environment Agency are increasing their ambition. Many are lacking a clear plan for implementation. This is the result of a new methodology, which analyses 20 recently submitted Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).
