Climate Strategies at COP26
On Saturday, 13th November 2021, governments reached a deal at the UN Climate 
Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow. Reactions have been mixed. While some hail the summit as a real chance to keep 1.5°C alive, others criticize the watered-down language on phasing out coal and loss and damage financing.
More important than the text agreed by negotiators in Glasgow is what governments, businesses and other decision-makers will do concretely in the next few years of this decisive decade. Systemic change and transitions in areas such as energy, heavy industry and the financial system are needed.
Climate Strategies and our members and partners will continue to create the evidence and co-create recommendations for policymakers to accelerate climate action.
Concretely, our projects and members support the implementation of key aspects of the Glasgow Climate Pact:
1. Just Transition
The agreement refers to the significance of a just transition several times. It is a theme running like a red thread through our projects. For several years, our members and partners have been investigating and proposing solutions for a just transition in the EU, Western Balkans and Ukraine, and finally in Russia (also look at this side event and our latest project).
We also know that a just transition entails tailored measures for specific countries and regions. That’s why we discussed this vital topic at COP26 and partnered with nine research organisations around the globe to examine what just transition means in selected developing countries.
2. Increased ambition to accelerate the clean energy transition
The Glasgow Climate Pact also makes clear reference to the ambition of limiting global warming to 1.5°C and the need of all parties to increase their efforts to reduce emissions. This will not happen without unprecedented transformations of vital parts of our economies, for example the energy system.
Launched at COP26, the new flagship report of the EEIST project proposes a new framework based on assessing risks and opportunities when it comes to deciding on climate policies. By embracing this new framework, policymakers can unlock faster progress in the low-carbon transition.
Speaking of increased ambition, you can’t ignore oil and gas. The IEA was crystal clear earlier this year – to keep the world on track for 1.5°C, governments need to stop investing in new oil and gas fields this year. Our Oil and Gas Transitions initiative, which we co-lead with Stockholm Environment Institute, analyses how an oil and gas transition could take shape in Norway, Denmark and the United Kingdom. At COP26, the project published new reports summarizing the state of the transition in all three countries. The goal is to co-create feasible and just scenarios for phasing out oil and gas in the North Sea region by 2050 – and blueprints to inspire other producing countries to start planning for a managed transition.
3. Finance
The issue of climate finance including support for adaptation and loss and damage featured prominently in the negotiations. The agreed text calls on developed countries to live up to their promise of at least USD 100 billion climate finance a year.
One of our side events looked at the changes needed to transform the global financial system to unlock more (private) finance for green infrastructure investments in developing countries. For a quick summary of the proposed circle of trust between key financial decision-makers, look at this short paper.
Similarly, the SNAPFI project led by Climate Strategies partner DIW Berlin investigates how developing countries can effectively use climate finance to accelerate domestic climate action, both in terms of mitigation and adaptation.
4. Technology
Finally, the Glasgow Climate Pact also emphasizes the importance of collaborative action on technology development and transfer.
Projects such as C4U and NET-RAPIDO respond to this need, easing a dialogue on societal, policy and economic challenges that might affect the development of carbon capture, use and storage as well as carbon removal technologies.
Browse through the list of events below to watch the recordings of our events at COP26.
Our events during COP26
Watch the recordings of events we helped organise at COP26 in Glasgow.
Watch a recording of this virtual EU Side Event on challenges for CDR and CCS held at COP26.
Watch the recording of our official UNFCCC side event to hear first-hand insights on making a just transition a reality around the globe.
Watch a recording of this COP26 UK Pavilion event where the EEIST project presented its risk-opportunity analysis framework to guide decision-making on climate policy.
Watch a recording of this virtual COP26 EU Side Event to hear from leading researchers on how to align international finance with the goals of the Paris Agreement.
Rewatch this virtual EU Side Event at COP26. It provided practical perspectives and inspiring insights from European and international actors involved in coal transition at the regional level.
Watch this conversation on the role of carbon capture & negative emissions technologies held at COP26.
This invite-only roundtable will introduce a new framework for deciding on climate policies to key decision-makers.
Re-watch this COP26 side event to learn how Denmark, Norway and the UK can become first movers on oil & gas transitions.
Watch a recording of our final COP26 side event to learn how financial decision-makers can align finance with sustainable development.
Our projects at COP26
This initiative brings together research institutions across nine countries in the Global South – Colombia, Ghana, Indonesia, Argentina, Bangladesh, Kenya, Laos, Malawi and Vietnam – in a new approach to develop tailored just transition strategies.
The project will deliver empirically validated modelling tools capable of assessing the impact of energy, innovation and technology-related policy choices to help decision-makers make better decisions on effective policies.
This initiative will develop a better understanding of oil & gas transition scenarios for the North Sea region. It will also co-produce just and feasible transition pathways and create roadmaps for countries facing similar challenges.
The Initiative, established in 2017 as Platform for Coal Regions in Transition, helps European countries, regions, communities and workers to take on the challenge of diversifying the economy while boosting the clean energy transition.
The SNAPFI project – Strengthening National Climate Policy Implementation: Comparative Empirical Learning & Creating Linkages to Climate Finance – explores how transformative change can be enabled by international climate finance through domestic policies in developing countries.
Funded by the EU H2020 programme, C4U is an interdisciplinary project aiming for full integration of CO2 capture in the iron and steel industry, looking at two highly efficient CO2 capture technologies. It has a detailed consideration of the safety, environmental, societal, policy and business aspects for successful incorporation into the North Sea Port CCUS industrial cluster in Belgium and the Netherlands.
Useful background reading
The report aims to explore how policymakers may identify and capitalise on the potential for synergies between mitigation and adaptation, as well as how international climate finance can support these synergies.
Evidence from public and private climate finance in the land use and forestry sectors of Brazil. Brazil’s socio-economic development opportunities are…
Fragmented government practices are locking Indonesia into energy trilemma. As global governance shifts from a legally binding top-down approach to a…
Since its announcement at COP26, South Africa’s JETP has received lots of international attention due to its potential to provide useful…
Research in Brazil finds that collaborative efforts between dedicated individuals helps to accelerate change. Summary Nearly half of Brazil’s energy-related greenhouse gas emissions…
Ghana will need to address the climate crisis in the coming decades by reducing emissions andadapting to climate change. Just transition…
New research published today by the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) and Climate Strategies shines a spotlight on the action needed to…
This new report from Climate Strategies and the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB) provides recommendations for policymakers to embed Just…
The project explores how international climate finance can support the implementation of NDCs inemerging economies and EU countries through comparative analyses…
This brief looks at options for funding to advance a just transition in Colombia.
This toolkit is a guide for policymakers in Colombia to advance a just transition to a low-carbon economy.
This country report sets out key recommendations on a just transition and coal phase out in Vietnam.
These new Guidelines will help policymakers, business leaders, and civil society organisations in Indonesia to create just transition-aligned climate policies
In 2022, Climate Strategies was able to grow its impact and reach. Find out more about our key milestones from 2022 in our Annual Report.
This briefing summarises key interventions that can trigger a systemic transformation to net-zero in India.
This report offers key recommendations for just climate transitions in Argentina.
This new research offers insights into a just transition in Laos and recommendations to boost inclusive climate policy making.
This briefing summarises key interventions that can trigger systemic transformation to net-zero in Indonesia.
Without a just transition approach, climate adaptation plans in Malawi risk leaving smallholders behind, this report finds.
This report highlights challenges and opportunities for just transitions in key sectors of the Kenya’s economy.
This briefing summarises key interventions that can trigger systemic transformation to net-zero in China.
This SNAPFI report investigates the private sector’s roles in climate-energy policies in Indonesia. It is the the second report exploring Indonesia…
This SNAPFI study explores the topic of enabling conditions and advantages of synergy between climate change adaptation and mitigation to stimulate…
This SNAPFI study investigates the topic of financing low carbon transition in India’s Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector.
This Oil and Gas Transitions report presents co-produced scenarios for a phase out of oil and gas in the UK.
This Oil and Gas Transitions report presents scenarios for a net zero transition and a phase out of oil and gas in Norway.
This Oil and Gas Transitions report presents scenarios for an earlier oil and gas phase-out in Denmark.
This SNAPFI study explores the topic of financing adaptation in South Africa, focusing on how funding might be enhanced to better…
This SNAPFI study investigates the case for international climate finance and support for steel decarbonization in emerging economies. Summary The project…
This SNAPFI study investigates legislation in Brazil which aims to shift cargo away from roads to cut emissions from the transport sector.
This briefing summarises key interventions that can trigger systemic transformation to net-zero in Nigeria.
This SNAPFI study investigates the role of the Global Stocktake in strengthening national climate action and climate finance.
Read this briefing to learn what key interventions can trigger systemic transformation to net-zero in Brazil.
The UK, Norway and Denmark all have gaps in policies aimed at ensuring a just transition, a Oil and Gas Transitions Initiative report compiled by Stockholm Environment Institute finds.
This report explores the role of a just transition in nine countries across the Global South. It summarises insights from local partners in Argentina, Bangladesh, Colombia, Indonesia, Ghana, Kenya, Laos, Malawi, and Vietnam.
This SNAPFI report summarises findings related to climate neutrality as emerging norm and implications for international climate cooperation and the design of international climate finance.
ansition in the North Sea? This new report by Aalborg University looks at two case studies in Denmark.
Explore the impact of our projects and learn more about our members in Climate Strategies’ 2021 Annual Report.
This report from the Oil and Gas Transitions initiative analyses the status of oil and gas transitions in the United Kingdom and particularly in Scotland.
This report from the Oil and Gas Transitions initiative explores the status of just oil and gas transitions in Norway.
This report from the Oil and Gas Transitions initiative looks at the status of just oil and gas transitions in Denmark.
This insights report identifies elements of a potential Russian coal transition.
In this perspectives paper, the authors explore the role of coal mining in regional economies of Russia. They also look at plans to diversify economies of regions dependent on coal.
This policy brief examines plans to diversify the economy of Russia’s main coal region, Kuzbass. While the Russian government recognises this need as the world gradually shifts away from coal, all promoted options involve fossil fuels.
This report finds each developing country needs to define their own approach to Just Transition and proposes several guiding principles to help governments lead this process.
SNAPFI’s research team at the University of Cape Town explores how financial and broader policies in South Africa can increase the…
Researchers from the Climate Change Center of Bandung Institute of Technology investigate in their study the current climate-energy governance model in…
The 2021 SNAPFI study by the Energy and Resources Institute in cooperation with the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi assesses the…
Reflecting on the example of industry decarbonisation, the German Institute of Economic Research (DIW) investigates how international public climate finance (ICF)…
The 2021 SNAPFI study from the Center for Sustainability Studies of Fundação Getulio Vargas identifies the main barriers to and drivers…
The 2021 international study of the SNAPFI project analyses how international partners can contribute to climate policy processes in emerging markets….
This country report summarises findings and recommendations on a just transition in Ghana.
This country report summarises findings and recommendations on a just transition in Indonesia.
This country report summarises findings and recommendations on a just transition in Colombia.
In this position paper, European researchers propose a set of refinements to the leaked draft CBAM proposal by the European Commission.
A design of the carbon border adjustment mechanism for an inclusive transition to climate neutrality
This policy package proposes a design of the carbon border adjustment mechanism for an inclusive transition to climate neutrality
This Green Climate Fund report aims to help financial decision-makers to align finance with sustainable development in the context of Covid-19.
This paper analyses the different domestic discourses on the future of the Russian coal sector. None of the main narratives foresees a coal phase-out.
This report offers insights to support key German stakeholders on the implementation of an innovative and promising policy instrument for the…
The report, Critical Junctions on the Journey to 1.5°C: The Decisive Decade, examines and distils the key findings in 10 influential…
Explore these infographics explaining a policy package to decarbonise the EU basic materials sector. It was developed by climate policy researchers, through discussions with industry and policy actors from across Europe.
Increasing climate ambitions while managing the Covid-19 pandemic is a challenge for all countries. A Climate Strategies project explores how the Just Transition concept can be applied in developing countries to integrate emission reduction and long-term sustainable recovery.
This is a key moment to engage with the Russian energy sector. A new research project will provide insights into the macroeconomic and social stability of coal-producing regions in Russia and outline pathways forward as the world shifts to a low-carbon energy system.
The European Green Deal aims to reduce European Union (EU) greenhouse gas emissions by 55% in 2030 compared to 1990 and…
This policy brief presents an overview of the key takeaways from the CFM TRACTION project, which focused on refining the concepts…
This report summarises of the key insights from CFM TRACTION project results in Germany and Poland. The project focused on refining…
The Climate Friendly Materials (CFM) Platform collaborates with research institutions across eight EU countries in the development common policy action wit…
This report summarises findings about the socioeconomic impacts COVID-19 and the, status of green recovery packages in selected countries.
Clear policy strategies are essential to guide corporate decision making and effective policy to achieve decarbonisation of European industry. This brief…
Carbon Contracts for Differences (CCFD) are one of the elements of the policy package developed by the Climate Friendly Materials Platform…
The Indonesian Country Study with the title “Strengthening the Indonesian climate governance in energy sector towards achieving the NDC target” identified major barriers…
The report aims to draw lessons learned for international climate policy from the programming, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of the EU-level…
This report seeks to identify the barriers that must be overcome in order to unlock private investments for the railway sector…
This report finds that the interaction between the domestic level and international climate finance is multi-faceted: interaction takes place in both…
This report focuses on identifying the regulatory, capacity and market gaps existing for transitioning the Indian steel and cement industries to…
This case study reflects on South Africa’s Just Transitions transaction (JTT), seeking to understand its architecture, the potential to catalyse changes…
During March and April, Climate Strategies convened our members for a series of discussion on the potential for a “Green Rebound”,…
Actions are needed to rapidly implement climate-friendly solutions for the non-ETS buildings and transport sectors. This is particularly true for Central…
As we approach COP26, parties to the UNFCCC are questioning how to increase ambition in Nationally Determined Contributions while addressing domestic…
This note discusses the linkages between climate change and air quality policies and how can measures that consider a price to…
The science is clear: global warming must be limited to 1.5 degrees Celsius to avoid catastrophic impacts. The Paris Agreement recognises…
What is the frontier of good policy practices in climate action in transport and buildings sectors in the Central and Eastern…
Production of basic materials (cement, iron and steel, paper and board, aluminum, as well as chemicals and petrochemicals) account for around…
UPDATE: new academic publication based on the policy brief. K.E.H. Jenkins, B.K. Sovacool, A. Błachowicz, A. Lauer; Politicising the Just Transition: Linking global climate…
Coal Transitions was a KR Foundation funded, +2-year transdisciplinary, international effort to link and reinforce policy, research and advocacy efforts on coal transition…
Achieving 1.5 degrees in the real world: Opportunities, barriers and trade-offs In its Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5°C (SR15),…
The time has come to get serious about decarbonising the emission-intensive materials sector. The production of basic materials (cement, iron and…
Efforts targeting deep decarbonisation have so far been limited in the materials sector. Policy makers have been operating with limited knowledge…
Our newsletter from May 2017 is now available for download. Newsletter May 2017
Basic materials such as steel, cement or aluminium are important inputs to our economies. However their production is responsible for the…
The Paris Agreement was a remarkable achievement. However, the rapid emission reductions needed remain an immense challenge, while climate impacts are…
This report summarises the findings of the 3rd Global Climate Policy Conference (GCPC) held on the 13th and 14th July 2016…
The Inclusion of Consumption (IoC) project was jointly led by Climate Strategies and DIW Berlin during 2015-2016. The project explored whether inclusion of…
CLIMATE STRATEGIES POLICY BRIEF 3 The brief outlines how significant political challenges await negotiators on the road toward the elaboration of…
2nd Global Climate Policy Conference (GCPC) 2015 “New Research for Effective Action at Paris and Beyond: Strengthening the Research-Policy Interface in…
Climate Mitigation Policy In China-Briefing Note 2 Overview China is not only the world’s largest energy consumer and emitter of CO2,…
Climate change is not the only time humans have been faced with historically rooted, collective action challenges involving justice disputes. Transitional…
SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT ON CLIMATE MITIGATION POLICY IN CHINA Guest Editor: Professor ZhongXiang Zhang Featuring ground-breaking papers on emission projections, carbon trading,…
On July 8, 2015, Climate Strategies, ICTSD, The Stanley Foundation, and IDDRI hosted a workshop on the role of, and interest…
The report summarises the analysis of the study led by Climate Strategies and the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW Berlin),…
CS POLICY BRIEF 1 In December 2015, negotiators will converge on Paris to forge a new international climate change agreement for…
Climate Mitigation Policy in China- Breifing Note 1 Overview This paper presents the Editorial Overview of a forthcoming Special Supplement…
In September 2014, IDDRI, together with a number of European think tanks led by Climate Strategies, published two papers on the…
“Innovation, investment and climate policies are compatible; moreover it is essential to combine them if the sector is to achieve genuine…
“Cement industry top management now has little confidence in the EU ETS; structural reform is needed to help investment in energy…
In this paper we discuss experiences of the European Union (EU) with respect to the introduction of the EU Emissions Trading…
This report assesses the strengths and weaknesses of established GISs, its role as a carbon finance instrument and recent market dynamics…
This paper has been prepared as a sector-by-sector synthesis of the wider CS project on competitiveness and carbon leakage focusing on…
Drawing on the experiences with emissions trading in Europe, North America and the Asia Pacific region, this paper identifies international practices…
This report provides an overview of existing and emerging GHG trading schemes, analyses the political challenges of different schemes, and discusses…
This report analysed the governance structures of market-based instruments for international transport that are effective in reducing emissions and politically feasible….
The aim of this study is to provide an overview of the production output, specific emissions and trading patterns of the…
The aim of this study is to provide an overview of the production output, specific emissions and trading patterns of the…
There are a number of studies from the’International Industry Competitiveness, Carbon Leakage, and Approaches to Carbon Pricing’project that served as background…
This report is an attempt to move the debate on these sectors forward by analyzing them in detail, within a single…
In its Action Plan for Achieving a Low-carbon Society, Japan has committed itself to the long-term goal of halving total global…
This paper aims to increase the knowledge of how carbon pricing impacts the cement sector, in particular on border adjustments made…
This paper aims to increase the knowledge of how carbon pricing impacts the cement sector, in particular on the industry’s investment…
This paper gives an overview of current country positions on market mechanisms to assist developed countries in meeting their mitigation commitments…
Tackling barriers to investments in developing countries and accounting of private climate flows The public sector will have to leverage several…
This paper studies the short-term impact that a carbon pricing policy could have both on domestic and on export markets, in…
How to enable the private sector to mitigate? Building capacity and creating an enabling environment for low-carbon business activities in developing…
This report studies the ability of two climate finance instruments, the CDM and the GEF, to leverage funds and reduce greenhouse…
This country case study takes a deeper look into the climate change mitigation potential and related barriers in Peru.
This country case study takes a deeper look into the climate change mitigation potential and related barriers in Vietnam.
This report outlines a sectoral approach, agreement and mechanism (SAAM) for the mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions in Japans iron and…
A wide range of understandings of what Sectoral Approaches (SAs) are, and claims of what they could achieve, have been made…
This paper was produced as part of the Carbon Pricing for Low Carbon Investment Project.
In this Oxford Energy and Environment Brief (funded by Climate Strategies), Benito Mller identifies some of the main elements of the…
This briefing paper from Climate Strategies on the Perform Achieve and Trade (PAT) scheme currently being designed by the Indian Government….
Consultation Document, 10 November 2010 Climate Strategies have developed a proposed sectoral approach for the steel sector in Japan. They now…
There is an urgent need for a major reform of the financing arrangements under the UNFCCC. This includes both the scale…
In the December 2009 Copenhagen Accord developed countries pledged to provide new and additional resources of USD 30 billion fast start…
There is an urgent need for a major reform of the financing arrangements under the UNFCCC. This includes both the scale…
In the December 2009 Copenhagen Accord developed countries pledged to provide new and additional resources of USD 30 billion fast start…
This paper outlines the policy recommendations emerging from Climate Strategies 18 month study on sectoral approaches. The study concentrated on the…
This study was commissioned by the Greens/EFA Group in European Parliament to analyse the impact of carbon pricing on specific subsectors…
This working paper looks at thepotentialinvolvement of the Japanese steel sector in an international sectoral agrrement
This paper offers a brief insight into the potential impacts of introducing carbon pricing to the Midwest US. The region is…
This short paper examines the GHG profile of manufacturing sectors in Poland and assesses which of them may merit further study…
This paper offers a brief insight in to what the expected impact of carbon pricing may be for Japanese industry subsectors…
Full Report and Executive Summary to the report on Sectoral Approaches and Agreements Focus on the Steel Sector in China and…
Many countries including the US, Japan, Australia, Korea and others are now actively developing emissions trading systems. Europe has accumulated a…
Under the Authority of the COP? The debate on institutional arrangements for climate finance
Carbon Leakage and the EU ETS Sectors at risk and the international context of emissions trading, trade flows and climate policy…
Executive Summary Please visit the ‘Tackling Leakage in a world of unequal carbon prices‘ project page for the synthesis report and…
Is There Room for Compromise? The debate on institutional arrangements for climate finance
As part of Climate Strategies project on ‘Tackling leakage’, Gregory Cook has written a working paper assessing sector emissions and policy…
This report examines the experience of the European Unions Emission Trading System (EU ETS) and suggests key lessons relevant to current…
Border Adjustments Economics versus Politics – resolved with international cooperation? The Climate Strategies Synthesis report on ‘Tackling Leakage in a World…
The Clean Development Mechanism in the post-2012 Climate Change Regime Summary for Policy makers
Synthesis Report for the project ‘The Clean Development Mechanism in the post-2012 Climate Change Regime’
The Reformed Financial Mechanism of the UNFCCC Architecture and Governance
The present paper provides an overview of potential bioenergy GIS projects in Bulgaria, in particular fuel switching programmes for households or…
This paper illustrates that land-use and biomass projects would bring about large socioeconomic co-benefits for the country. While for the proposed…
Recently, the concept of a Green Investment Scheme (GIS) has been developing rapidly and gained pace in 2008 when Hungary and…
This study analyses the cost increases if the Chemical industry has to buy CO2 allowances and faces higher electricity costs due…
Domestic Climate Policy for the Steel Sector, India
For further information please visit Joanneum Research
Discussion paper CDM-8
Under the current EU ETS the competitiveness and leakage effects of a unilateral climate policy for industry with trade exposure have…
Until mid-2007, 24 CDM projects had been rejected or withdrawn. India and Brazil have an above-average share in rejected projects. The…
The workshop in Berlin discussed about the issues of leakage and competitiveness distortions arise from different CO2 prices in different countries….
The EU ETS is the only credible mechanism for establishing a common carbon price across Europe. Through this report, the authors…
The author argues that uncertainly about the evolution of climate policy and carbon prices is related to the regulatory uncertainty about…
The authors report that where leakage concerns are strong, voluntary sectoral agreements are unlikely to succeed. If sectoral agreements increase the…
This report compares the publicly available national allocation plans (NAPs) for the period 2008-2012 with a best estimate for CO emissions…
The introduction of mandatory controls and a trading scheme covering approximately half of all carbon dioxide emissions across Europe has triggered…