Options for fostering a net-zero GHG emission world under the Paris article 6.4 mechanism : discussion paper

The new mechanism defined under Article 6.4 of the Paris Agreement is supposed to allow for international cooperation with regard to climate change mitigation and thereby enable an increase in overall mitigation. Nevertheless, the design of the mechanism under Article 6.4 should also make sure that it is not be in conflict with the long-term goal of net-zero GHG emissions but even better foster national pathways leading to this objective. Building this into the mechanism requires to shift the focus from short- and mid-term considerations to the long-term perspective in one way or another. This discussion paper explores three different approaches that may help to foster the long-term objective of net-zero GHG emissions in the operationalization of Article 6.4, namely positive and negative lists, additionality with regard to a baseline consistent with both, NDCs and long-term targets, as well as adaptation of existing instruments and criteria from climate finance. The detailed discussion of the ap-proaches shows that the approaches should not be seen as mutually exclusive but rather as comple-mentary to each other. From the analyses, two storylines emerge how to combine aspects of the differ-ent approaches in a reasonable way to foster the long-term objective of net-zero GHG emissions under Article 6.4

Options for fostering a net-zero GHG emission world under the Paris Article 6.4 Mechanism: Discussion paper

The new mechanism defined under Article 6.4 of the Paris Agreement is supposed to allow for international cooperation with regard to climate change mitigation and thereby enable an increase in overall mitigation. Nevertheless, the design of the mechanism under Article 6.4 should also make sure that it is not be in conflict with the long-term goal of net-zero GHG emissions but even better foster national pathways leading to this objective. Building this into the mechanism requires to shift the focus from short- and mid-term considerations to the long-term perspective in one way or another. This discussion paper explores three different approaches that may help to foster the long-term objective of net-zero GHG emissions in the operationalization of Article 6.4, namely positive and negative lists, additionality with regard to a baseline consistent with both, NDCs and long-term targets, as well as adaptation of existing instruments and criteria from climate finance. The detailed discussion of the approaches shows that the approaches should not be seen as mutually exclusive but rather as complementary to each other. From the analyses, two storylines emerge how to combine aspects of the different approaches in a reasonable way to foster the long-term objective of net-zero GHG emissions under Article 6.4

Fairness- and cost-effectiveness-based approaches to effort-sharing under the Paris agreement. Short study: On behalf of the German Environment Agency; Environmental Research of the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety. Project No. (FKZ) 3717 41 102 0 – short study within the project „Implikationen des Pariser Klimaschutzabkommens auf nationale Klimaschutzanstrengungen“ Report No. FB000249/ZW,KURZ,ENG

Given that the Paris Agreement (PA) has strengthened the long-term temperature goal and that it calls for a balance of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and sinks within the 21st century, there is the urgent need to re-assess the climate targets worldwide. On top of that, the PA stresses that contributions from the states have to reflect “the highest possible ambition” and “respective capabilities”. This study has derived national GHG emissions reduction contributions for 2030 and 2050 that are consistent with the Paris Agreements’ long-term temperature goal, both based on fairness and cost-effectiveness approaches. The analysis focuses on countries that are particularly relevant because of their share in global GHG emissions and their role in international climate policy, namely Brazil, Canada, China, the EU, India, Japan the United States of America, and Germany respectively. The comparison of these approaches yields insights whether or not a country can or should in-crease the ambition of its NDC. The data can also be taken to show how large the efforts in the country domestically should be and to indicate the need for support to or from other countries. The analysis reveals for both approaches, that the more ambitious long-term temperature goal of the Paris Agreement results in substantially higher reduction requirements for all countries compared to the former Cancun targets

Design options for the new international market mechanism under article 6.4 of the Paris agreement

In this project commissioned by the German Environment Agency, important aspects of the mechanism under Article 6.4 of the Paris Agreement were examined in more detail. This mechanism is to succeed the CDM under the Kyoto Protocol from 2021 onwards, but it will contain decisive improvements, especially with regard to a robust accounting of emission reductions and better integration into the national climate policy of the host country. The report is addressed to the international experts, in particular to the delegates to the climate conference and observers, and is therefore written in English. A German summary is included. The following topics are covered: How does the mechanism achieve an overall reduction of global emissions? Are there opportunities to use benchmarks to establish baselines? Can contributions to increasing ambition be made by using Art. 6.4? What contribution can the voluntary market make to increasing ambition in the future? Introduction of incentives for the participation of private companies under Art. 6.4 of the PA. The role of the Art. 6.4 mechanism on the way to a net zero emission world. The project provides a contribution to the general discussion in the EU as well as to the Article 6 - Negotiations under the UNFCCC. It is a contribution that presents backgrounds and interrelationships for individual questions concerning the design of the new market mechanisms under Article 6 and can thus contribute to a more informed decision-making process.Since there are, however, several different ways of designing a mechanism that can avoid double counting and provide incentives for increasing ambition, this project is only one of several current contributions to the international discussion

Assessment of the potentials to increase emissions reduction targets by the major GHGs emitters taking into consideration technological and political feasibility: In the framework of the project: "Implikationen des Pariser Klimaschutzabkommens auf nationale Klimaschutzanstrengungen"

This report shows the potential distribution of the emissions reduction efforts between different Parties based on different approaches and presents an in-depth assessment of the circumstances influencing the (over-) achievement of the currently suggested emissions reduction goals. The analysis focuses on the following countries: Brazil, Canada, China, Germany, India, Japan and the United States