In its rapid development since 2006, Climate Strategies has had a significant impact on the development of international policy responses to climate change.
In 2017, we launched our new European Commission, Horizon2020 project ‘COP21 RIPPLES‘, analysing pathways and policies for low-emissions societies under the Paris Agreement regime. Our first stakeholder workshop, outlining the research narratives, was held in London in June 2017. For our Coal Transitions project, we launched national case studies and a synthesis report highlighting the key outcomes from historical transitions within the coal sector. Later in the year, we also published a report on how to strengthen these transitions in the face of increased climate ambition. Within our Trade and Climate project, launched two major reports, analysing the implications of fossil fuel subsidies for climate and the options for border carbon adjustments. The findings of both reports were discussed in detail with stakeholders at two events in Geneva, and two events at the COP23 in Bonn.
In 2016, launched two research projects within key agenda-setting climate policy themes: understanding Just Transition within the coal sector and how to better connect climate and trade policy. We also convened our 3rd edition of the Global Climate Policy Conference (GCPC) in Dar es Salaam, co-hosted with the Uongozi Institute and Konrad Adenauer Foundation. We concluded two of our FP7 projects POLIMP and Carbon-CAP, publishing final reports in April and December 2016. We also made advancements in our project on peace and reconciliation processes within climate negotiations, concluding with a roundtable discussion and publishing a set of policy briefs at the COP22 in Marrakesh, in November 2016. Also, for the World Group’s Networked ‘Carbon Markets initiative‘, we published a report on carbon market clubs under the new Paris Agreement regime.
In 2015, a pivotal year for climate change, we convened the 2nd Global Climate Policy Conference in New Delhi, hosted in collaboration with the Stanley Foundation. This focused on a variety of issues, including that of ‘climate clubs’. We later organised a series of workshops with high level stakeholders from government, private sector and civil society to transform these ideas into concrete policy proposals. Climate Strategies also embarked in a new, innovative project on the use of ‘Peace & Reconciliation’ tools to overcome conflicts in international climate change negotiations. We focused on the ‘Energy Union’ debate, convening two large conferences in Berlin and London and helping to prepare a special issue of the Climate Policy Journal on this (to be issued in May 2016). At the landmark COP21 in Paris, we hosted 5 events on: climate clubs and carbon pricing, consumption–based accounting, INDCs and national planning in the EU, and mitigation policy in China.
In 2014 Climate Strategies published major reports on low carbon investments in the cement sector and the steel sector, as well as on the analysis and recommendations for the EU 2030 Climate and Energy package, and Energy Security. We also embarked in a new initiative with the objective of identifying the key issues blocking a global climate deal in the UNFCCC process. At our Global Climate Policy Conference, researchers and policy makers discussed how to unblock the negotiation process. A new project called Global Research -Policy Interface Climate 2015 dug deeper into climate negotiations ahead of of COP21 in Paris.
In 2013 Climate Strategies joined for the first time the consortium of two FP7 projects: Carbon-CAP and POLIMP. We have since been engaging stakeholders with the project and providing rigorous scientific advice and expertise through our members. Climate Strategies also launched the Carbon-Control Post 2020 in Energy Intensive Industries and the EU 2030 Climate and Energy Package projects.
In 2012, we worked on Strengthening the EU ETS in the current debt and economic uncertainty. Our network has been involved in a number of studies: Climate Technology and Development project translating the latest academic insights to policy, exploring national and international instruments for advancing technology, and an Aviation & Maritime project.
In 2011, our research focused on the ‘Institutional Framework for the Global Carbon Market and finance for mitigation and adaptation: ‘Governance of Climate Change Funding from International Maritime Transport‘ and ‘Mobilising Private Finance for Low-Carbon Development’. Furthermore a study on ‘Living Standards and Economic Performance with Ambitious Climate Action’ was undertaken.
In 2010, the post-Copenhagen landscape had forced governments to re-evaluate international and domestic policies. Climate Strategies saw this as an opportunity to inject fresh ideas and thinking. Our work programme included: a broad-based project on ‘Competitiveness and Leakage’ issues; a major project on ‘Sectoral Approaches’; and on ‘Climate Innovation Centres’. The ‘Carbon Pricing for Low-Carbon Investment’ project provided Response to the UK HM Treasury and HM Revenue and Customs Consultation on Carbon Price Floor debate. We also launched our biggest pan-European landmark study, ‘Examining the Case for the EU to Set More Ambitious 2020 Emissions Reductions Targets’.
In 2009, our growing relevance to policy makers was proven through increased international government funding. Highlights were our reports on: ‘International Support for Domestic Action’; the synthesis of our European-based research into the widely-publicised report for the US policy-making constituency ‘Climate Policy and Industrial Competitiveness: Ten insights from Europe on the EU Emissions Trading System’, published by the German Marshall Fund of the United States.
In 2008, our work on allocation issues in the EU ETS provided crucial input to the EC decisions on Phase II allocation. Our long-standing engagement on this subject generated wide press coverage of our report on ‘The Role of Auctions for Emissions Trading’ of emissions allowances in October 2008, the day before the EU Parliamentary Committee voted in support of the EU post-2012 package.