Australia—The City of Melbourne The city of Melbourne has strived to become one of Australia’s most sustainable cities by creating a comprehensive environmental plan that addresses climate resilience, emissions reduction, livability, and more. The variety of initiatives including community gardens and bike share programs have been well received by residents who cite lifestyle improvements in...
Category: Archives
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Argentina Success Project
Argentina—The RenovAR Program In its revised Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC), Argentina pledged to unconditionally reduce carbon emissions to 483 MtCO2e by 2030. This goal will be met through a series of measures in different sectors including energy, agriculture, forests, transport, industry and waste. Perhaps the most significant actions so far have come in the...
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United States Checkup
United States—Falling Behind While under President Obama, the U.S. was on the right track to meeting its nationally determined contributions (NDCs) by 2025, President Trump has already begun the process of reversing many of Obama’s crucial policies. Current projections estimate that at best, the U.S. will see a small increase in GHG emissions from current...
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United Kingdom Checkup
United Kingdom—Standing Still The Carbon Brief’s report states that in order for the UK to meet its Paris Agreement goal, plans must be drawn up immediately for greenhouse gas removal technologies while simultaneously more work needs to be done to reduce its existing emission levels. In line with the UK’s 2008 Climate Change Act, 5-yearly...
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Turkey Checkup
Turkey—Falling Behind Turkey’s Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC) calls for a 21% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from a business as usual (BAU) level by 2030 with an implementation period that starts in 2021. However, coal-rich Turkey is straying further and further from the path of climate safety1. Experts have suggested that Turkey could establish carbon markets to achieve...
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Thailand Checkup
Thailand—Falling Behind Thailand signed the Paris Agreement on April 22, 2016 and ratified the Paris Agreement on September 21, 2016. Even before the Paris Agreement ratification, Thailand became a member of the Kyoto Protocol, which was developed in 1997 and came into force in February 16, 2005. Thailand as a member of non-annex party (group...
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Spain Checkup
Spain—Falling Behind The EU Effort Sharing Emissions Calculator is a method used to implement the EU’s Emission Sharing Regulation, which is intended to help set emission reduction targets for member states. The Calculator uses a points system where points are awarded based on various factors. The countries are then ranked based on the number of...
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South Korea Checkup
South Korea—Moving Forward The Korean Energy Economics Institute (KEEI) conducted a study to evaluate the effectiveness of Korea’s Target Management System, using a Greenhouse-gas Reduction Efficiency (GRE) index. The policies are The Target Management System and the Emissions Trading Scheme. South Korea’s Greenhouse Gas (GHG) and Energy Target Management System, known as “Target Management System,”...
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South Africa Checkup
South Africa—Falling Behind The South African government has not made much progress in promulgating legislation to tackle carbon emissions. Its most important policy instrument—the carbon tax—has been on the table for a decade. No date is set for its implementation. South Africa’s power utility, Eskom, is the largest CO2 emitter in the country, because it...
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Saudi Arabia Checkup
Saudi Arabia—Falling Behind The 2016 Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) report concludes that Saudi Arabia has made no improvement in its overall ranking in the CCPI and places the country at the bottom of the ranking for lack of significant progress in the country’s exploiting its high potential for renewable energy instead of relying on...