Introduction
For Post 65 we asked our Country Managers to rate their country’s progress in reducing emissions over the first sixth months of 2023 and identify and describe 2-3 policies, programs, and events that affected their country’s emission levels during this period.
We asked them to provide whatever data exists that charts emissions in the country from December through June of this year. The data could just be for a single sector or for the whole economy. If there was no data available, Country Managers were asked to identify when data likely will be available.
Based on the data provided, we asked them to rate their country’s progress in emissions reductions according to Climate Scorecard’s 4-point rating scale:
A: Significant Progress
B: Moderate Progress
C: Standing Still
D: Falling Back
Finally, we asked them to describe policies, programs, and events that affected their country’s emission levels over the first six months of this year: what the policies, programs, and events were, what they did, how they are being implemented, their current and projected impact on emission levels, how much they cost, and whether they are sustainable and replicable.
The Table below provides the rating and progress highlights for each country. Complete Country Reports follow. As you’ll see, ratings are not that high. Only the European Union had an A rating; three countries – Canada, India, and Mexico – had B ratings. The remaining countries had C and D ratings.
Table: Country Emission Progress Highlights for the First Half of 2023
| Country | Rating and Highlight |
| Australia |
|
| Brazil |
|
| Canada |
|
| China |
|
| European Union |
|
| France |
|
| India |
|
| Indonesia |
|
| Japan |
|
| Mexico |
|
| Nigeria |
|
| Saudi Arabia |
|
| South Africa |
|
| Turkey |
|
| United States |
|
Country Reports
Promising New Policies in Australia, such as Safeguard Mechanism Amendment Bill, but Will They Be Introduced on Time?
PROGRESS REPORTS/ MID-WAY 2023 Rating: C (Standing Still) Australian reporting on greenhouse gas emissions is publicly available on the Australian Government Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water website. However, there are significant delays in providing the data to the public. As a result, the latest emissions data is only available up to…
UN Panel Says That Brazil’s NDC Targets Are Too Low
Progress Report Mid-Way 2023 Rating D (Falling Behind) Brazilian emissions of greenhouse gases have grown by 40% since the year the country decided to take action to fight them. The “lost decade” of the fight against global warming in the country is the subject of the tenth report analyzing Brazilian emissions by SEEG, the System…
Canada Releases Array of New Emissions Reduction Policies
Climate Progress in the First Half of 2023 B Rating Canada’s progress in reducing greenhouse gas emissions (GGEs) over the first six months of 2023 is demonstrated partially by any changes to energy use, as GGEs data is only available on a yearly basis. Canada reporting has shown limited progress in meeting its Paris Agreement…
China’s Emissions at a Standstill During 1st Half of 2023, but Promising New Policies Have Been Introduced
China Progress Report: Midway 2023 Rating: CChina’s decarbonization efforts stagnate as the country must balance between economic recovery, energy security, and meeting the 30/60 carbon targets.Greenhouse Gas or CO2 emissions-related data for the first half of 2023 appears unavailable via official sources such as the National Bureau of Statistics. The NBS usually publishes aggregated information,…
Implementation of Green Deal Industrial Plan and Fit for 55 Package Demonstrate EU’s Progress in Decreasing Emissions
Climate Progress in the First Half of 2003 Rating: A-Significant Progress The most recent EU emissions data come from Eurostat and details emissions over the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2022. Eurostat has written on its website that it plans to update its emissions charts in August 2023, so emissions data for the first quarter of…
Lack of Available Data but Promising New Policies in France
COUNTRY PROGRESS REPORTS/ MID-WAY 2023 Rating-C (Standing Still) Emissions indicators are relatively sparse; most are reported annually, making it difficult to assess France’s progress in reducing emissions over the first six months of 2023. Almost all of the 45 indicators specific to Climate Change officially published by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union, are…
India Country Progress Report on Emissions: Mid-way to 2023
India has made significant progress in renewable energy capacity installation, ranking fourth globally in 2022. The Indian government has implemented comprehensive policy measures to encourage renewable energy, including capacity targets, improvements to administrative processes and incentives for the domestic production of solar technologies, and ramping up the production of green hydrogen. Countries in a global…
Indonesia’s Land-Use Emissions Rate Might be Slipping
Climate Progress in the First Half of 2023 Rating – D Falling Behind Is there reliable data available? We are halfway through 2023, still lagging behind our climate goals. You cannot make an impact if you cannot measure. Data can speak volumes about progress, but only from a one-point reliable source. In today’s age of…
Japan’s National Greenhouse Gas Emissions Removals for the Fiscal Year 2021
COUNTRY PROGRESS in the First Half of 2023 C Rating On 23rd April 2023, The Ministry of the Environment and the National Institute for Environmental Studies released Japan’s National Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Removals (final figures) for fiscal year (FY) 2021 (April 2021 – March 2022). This means the following release timing is April 2024…
Mexico has Good New Policies, But Data on Impact is Missing
Climate Progress in the First Half of 2003 B RatingData about CO2 and other GHG emissions in Mexico for 2023 is unavailable. Databases from the World Bank, Global Carbon Budget, and national organizations such as INEGI were reviewed. There is no expected date for its publication, considering that data for 2022 is also unavailable. Collecting…
Nigeria’s New Government Has Yet to Prioritize Climate Change
Climate Progress in the First Half of 2023 Rating DThe first half of 2023 in Nigeria was focused on the general and presidential elections, with little attention given to climate change issues. This is despite Nigeria experiencing extreme weather events, such as the worst flooding in a decade in October 2022, displacing over 1.4 million…
Saudi Arabian Emissions Rise Again After COVID
PROGRESS REPORTS/ MID-WAY 2023 Rating D (Falling Behind) Saudi Arabia’s emissions have been increasing in the last two years, bouncing back from their relatively low levels during the pandemic period despite several ambitious policies, including investing in carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) technologies and planning to achieve a 50% share of renewable energy…
The Renewable Independent Power Producer Programme and the Just Energy Transition Investment Plan in South Africa
Climate Progress in the First Half of 2003 Rating: C Rating South Africa has no recent emissions reduction statistics over the past six months of 2023. According to previous emission data statistics from all sectors, the energy sector is the primary greenhouse gas contributor, contributing about 95.2% in 2020. Sectoral contribution to CO2 emissions…
Turkey’s Populist Government Continues Its Subsidies for Gas and Coal
Climate Progress in the First Half of 2023 Rating: C 2023 has been a very peculiar year for Turkey for several reasons. The primary reason is the Presidential and Genera Parliamentary elections held in May 2023. The government provided substantial subsidies to natural Gas and electricity prices to enhance the ruling party’s popularity. The gasoline…
The US Inflation Reduction Act and Continued Expansion of Renewable Energy
Climate Progress in the First Half of 2023 Rating B- The Inflation Reduction Act was rolled out in early 2023 to the anticipation of many. The bill addresses many climate and environmental issues. In the bill, $90 billion will be spent on public transportation, $65 billion on power infrastructure, $21 billion on environmental projects,…