The Paris Agreement has been critical in increasing national climate action across the world. Indicators presented in the Dashboard show that countries have made considerable progress, with an expansion in both climate policies and mitigation commitments. However, the mitigation commitments outlined in Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) are insufficient to meet the Paris Agreement targets, highlighting a significant ambition gap. Furthermore, even these commitments may not be achieved under current policies, indicating an implementation gap. As global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions continue to rise the risks associated with climate-related hazards and other impacts are increasing.
Climate Action Dashboard
The Climate Action Dashboard features key indicators to track progress towards climate objectives and provide a snapshot of country climate action. The Dashboard has four main building blocks starting with the status of greenhouse gas (GHGs) emissions. It describes their developments in activities or sectors, impacts on climate and the environment and the associated risks and vulnerabilities, the policies and actions to mitigate and adapt to climate change, and the derived socio-economic opportunities that contribute to a just transition.
Progress on climate action
Key Global Indicators
This section summarises the central aspects of global climate action by displaying key global indicators. It shows the current status of net-zero targets, the trajectory of global GHG emissions, increasing average global temperature, and the evolution of climate mitigation action.
Net-Zero
As of July 2024, 110 countries have pledged a net-zero target, with 96 aiming to reach this target by 2050 or before. However, most targets are not legally binding. Net-zero targets cover approximately 88% of global GHG emissions, but only 27 countries and the European Union, representing 16% of global GHG emissions, have enshrined these targets into law.
GHG Emissions and targets
To limit global warming to 1.5°C by the end of this century, total GHG emissions must decline by 43% by 2030 compared to 2019 levels according to IPCC estimates. This means that countries would need to tighten their respective climate targets considerably. Currently, OECD members and partner countries have committed to reduce their emissions by 29% and 5.7%, respectively, compared to 2022 levels.
Annual Temperature Change
Annual surface temperatures across the globe have risen over the past decades. In 2023, the world experienced its hottest year on record, with global surface temperatures 0.6°C above the 1991-2020 average, leaving half a billion more people exposed to days with maximum temperatures exceeding 35°C. Furthermore, 2024 is on track to set new records for global warming, with 15 national heat records already broken as of August 2024.
Climate mitigation policies
According to the IPAC Climate Actions and Policies Measurement Framework (CAPMF), a climate policy tracker, climate mitigation action adopted by OECD member countries and partners increased by 1% and 2% in 2022 and 2023 respectively, compared with an average 10% annual increase between 2010 and 2021. While the number, coverage, and stringency of policies do not necessarily reflect policy effectiveness, the slowdown in the adoption of climate action may widen the implementation gap.
