International Climate Initiatives: large potential, limited impact and what it would take to make them work

International climate initiatives have become a central part of the UN climate process, complementing formal negotiations with voluntary coalitions focused on accelerating action in key sectors. As COP Presidencies increasingly use the Action Agenda to launch new and champion existing initiatives, questions remain about how effective these efforts are in delivering real-world emissions reductions.

This briefing assesses five major international climate initiatives:

• Powering Past Coal Alliance
• Global Renewables and Energy Efficiency Pledge
• Zero Emission Vehicles Declaration
• Global Methane Pledge
• Glasgow Leaders’ Declaration on Forests and Land Use

Our analysis finds that these initiatives have significant potential to narrow the gap towards Paris Agreement-compatible pathways. If current members fully achieved their commitments, global greenhouse gas emissions could be around 7.4 GtCO₂e lower by 2030 and 8.9 GtCO₂e lower by 2035 than under current policies. With universal participation, this potential could increase to 16 GtCO₂e in 2030 and 20 GtCO₂e in 2035.

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However, implementation remains well below what is needed. Progress across all five initiatives is off track, with only limited evidence that participation has translated into stronger outcomes. Initiatives have helped build political momentum, mainstream climate goals and promote policy change in individual countries.

• Current initiative members could reduce global emissions by 7.4 GtCO₂e in 2030 and 8.9 GtCO₂e in 2035 below current policies.
• Universal participation could increase this potential to 16 GtCO₂e in 2030 and 20 GtCO₂e in 2035.
• Progress is insufficient across all initiatives, with methane and forest commitments most strongly off track.
• Membership is growing, but many major emitters remain absent.
• Transparency, monitoring and accountability mechanisms remain limited.

As COP Presidencies continue reconfiguring and expanding the Action Agenda, including the Türkiye Presidency’s newly announced global electrification target, stronger design and implementation will be essential.

Our recommendations for future COP Presidencies, Parties, and supporters of initiatives are

• Define clear objectives from the outset and design participation and accountability frameworks accordingly.
• In order to support the implementation of the Paris Agreement, strive for clear, time-bound and country-specific targets, transparent monitoring systems, and clear mechanisms for evaluating progress and impact.
• Acknowledge implementation realities by addressing policy, financial, and infrastructure barriers whilst ensuring that objectives contribute to long-term decarbonisation.
• Expand participation strategically, particularly among major emitters and countries with the greatest potential and interest to raise ambition.
• Strengthen transparency, reporting and accountability mechanisms, including by using the Paris Agreement’s transparency framework and including the outcomes of the Action Agenda in the second Global Stocktake
• Manage the Action Agenda as a coherent portfolio, reducing overlap, fragmentation and duplication across initiatives.

Together, these improvements could help international climate initiatives move beyond political signalling and deliver the emissions reductions needed to support the goals of the Paris Agreement.

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