Introduction
For Post 71 we asked our Country Managers to identify and describe the most significant impact(s) of climate policy and programs in their countries in 2023 covering the following points:
- Are these policies new or old, local, national or global? How were they organized? What organizations were involved (e.g. government, corporations, NGOs? International agencies?)
- What did these policies do and why did they make a difference? How many people did they reach? what change did they bring about, and, most importantly what change in emissions levels happened as a result of the policy and program.
- Are the policies and programs sustainable, and is their impact likely to grow in the future? Is there good data that can be used to assess their impact?
The Table below summarizes the policies and programs of each country. Complete Country reports follow:
Table: Significant Policies and Programs
| Country | Model Communities by Country |
| Australia |
|
| Brazil |
|
| Canada |
|
| China |
|
| European Union |
|
| France |
|
| Germany |
|
| India |
|
| Indonesia |
|
| Japan |
|
| Mexico |
|
| Nigeria |
|
| Saudi Arabia |
|
| South Africa |
|
| Spain |
|
| United Kingdom |
|
| United States |
|
Country Reports
Australia’s Most Significant Climate Policies and Programs in 2023
The Expanded Capacity Investment Scheme Australia continues to lag in progress and ambition in the global decarbonization race. However, some past and recent climate policies have yielded substantial success across some sectors, with many hoping for continued progress over the next decade. The most notable successes have been in the energy sector, where policies have…
Canada’s Most Significant Climate Policies and Programs in 2023
A proposed Federal Nature Accountability Bill: Canada’s pledge (2022) to protect a third of Canada’s land and water by 2030 is legislation. As Scorecard looks back on 2023, Canada’s adaptation strategy (2022) appears underfunded, and its mitigation strategy (2022) needs faster implementation to reach the 1.5 C target. Each year, Canada’s COP28 announcements intensify the…
Brazil Increases its Paris Agreement NDC
Released on November 09, 2023, data from the Deforestation Monitoring Program in the Legal Amazon (Prodes) from the National Institute for Space Research (Inpe) show that annual deforestation in the Amazon was below 10 thousand km² for the first time since 2018. From August 2022 to July 2023, 9,001 km² of forest were lost, a…
China’s Advances in Renewable Energy Resources
Walking Shanghai’s streets nowadays is a quieter experience than four years ago. Cars and buses glide silently as the electrification of China’s transport system progresses. Electrification and the accompanying transition towards a more diversified energy mix – despite continued headlines decrying increased coal capacities – hold the potential to initiate a structural decline in emissions…
EU Pilots World’s First Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism
On October 1, 2023, the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) entered its transitional phase, marking it as the world’s first carbon border adjustment mechanism. The CBAM aims to put a fair price on the carbon emitted while producing carbon-intensive goods. On January 31, 2024, importers must report the direct and indirect carbon emissions measured…
France’s Global Leadership Role in Climate Finance Reform
One of the most impactful climate policies enacted by France in 2023 might not be the policy that reduces the most emissions: France did enact climate policies and programs in 2023, which reduced emissions, such as a plan unveiled in May to accelerate cuts to its greenhouse gas emissions, targeting a reduction of 50% by…
Germany’s Most Significant Policies in 2023: The Energiewende (The Energy Transition)
Among the many and diverse climate policies and programs driven at different levels in European countries (European, country, regional, and local), it seems difficult to choose a specific one as the most successful, and even more, that could be proven by results which happened directly in 2023; as usually, emissions measurement take some time to…
India’s Most Significant Climate Policies in 2023
Increasing Renewable Energy Capacity and Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme on High-Efficiency Solar PV Modules Boosts Climate Mitigation Potential India is the third largest carbon emitter globally, albeit with a lower per capita contribution. The country is also one of the largest and fastest growing economies, scaling up its industrial activities, primarily driven by fossil…
Indonesia’s Aggressive Renewable Energy Policies and Programs
In 2023, Indonesia has been able to make progress with policies and actions in several sectors in order to align emission reduction targets with the Paris Agreement’s 1.5C temperature limit. International financial agreements, as well as Presidential Regulation 112/2022 on the Acceleration of Renewable Energy Development, enabled the expansion of renewable energy projects while also…
Japan’s Most Significant Climate Policies and Programs in 2023
The Basic Policy for the Realization of GX In 2023, Japan stands at a defining moment in its approach to climate policy, facing significant challenges and criticism that highlight a pressing need for structural change. The Basic Policy for the Realization of GX (Green Transformation), introduced by the Japanese government as a new decarbonization strategy,…
Mexico’s Sembrando Vida: Reforestation with Social Benefits
As part of the public policies of a social nature implemented by the current government, in October 2018, the “Sembrando Vida” Program emerged, considered a priority program that, through various actions, seeks to contribute to reversing rural poverty while containing environmental degradation and promoting the rooting of the population in their places of origin. In…
Nigeria’s Most Significant Climate Policies of 2023
Implementing Methane Guidelines of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission In 2023, Nigeria experienced a profound shift in climate policy by implementing the Methane Guidelines through the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC). These guidelines draw on global best practices and involve collaboration among various organizations. The Nigerian government, NUPRC, the Clean Air Task Force…
Saudi Arabia’s Greenhouse Gas Crediting and Offsetting Mechanism (GCOM)
The second Middle East and North Africa Climate Week (MENACW) was held from 9-12 October 2023 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, under the theme, “Advancing Inclusivity and Circularity for Just and Equitable Energy Transitions” and marked the attendance of over 9000 participants and over 240 sessions. It was organized by the UN Environment Program (UNEP), the UN…
South Africa’s Komati Reporting and Repurposing Project
South Africa has climate mitigation and adaptation plans that the South African Cabinet has approved, including the Just EnergyTransition (JET) strategy. In 2021, South Africa updated its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), a Paris Agreement-mandated five-year climate change action plan to increase emission reduction and reach net zero by 2050. Alongside that Paris Agreement, the President…
Spain’s Integrated National Energy and Climate Plan
The policy that will make a significant difference in lowering greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in Spain is the European Union’s (EU) binding Climate and Energy policy for 2030. This policy requires all member state governments to adopt Integrated National Energy and Climate Plans (INECPs) covering 2021 to 2030. In January 2020, the Spanish government declared…
The United Kingdom’s Most Significant Climate Policies of 2023
3rd National Adaptation Programme (NAP3) The most significant climate policy in the United Kingdom in 2023 is the third National Adaptation Programme (NAP3), outlining the government’s objectives for adapting to climate change over the next five years. This programme is a continuation of the UK’s evolving climate change policy, aiming to address the impacts…
The United States’ Most Significant Climate Policies of 2023
Michigan’s Healthy Climate Plan According to the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE), the average annual temperature in Michigan rose three degrees between 1900 and 2023. Last year, the final version of the Michigan Healthy Climate Plan (MI Health Climate Plan) was released by EGLE. This is a long-term climate change adaptation…