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Transition Indicators*

*Research on transition indicators, to enable follow-up on the Global Stocktake and support the implementation of national NDCs

This project is researching and developing a set of Transition Indicators, providing input to the follow-up process of the Global Stocktake and helping the effective implementation of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).

Based on a series of country case studies, these Transition Indicators are comprehensible, measurable, and supportive of national policy processes in alignment with their NDCs. In doing so, the project is expected to contribute to global climate ambition and support tangible progress in national transitions.

Photo by Ivan Bandura on Unsplash

Year: 2024 Past Project

  • Overview

    In September 2023, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) submitted its first Global Stocktake (GST), measuring the collective progress made towards the purpose and goals of the Paris Agreement. First among its findings was the confirmation that the world is not on track to meet the aforementioned goals nor, ultimately, to limit global warming to 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels.  

    In response to this reality, urgent action is needed to bolster the implementation of the Paris Agreement. While global efforts are commendable and necessary, further support is also needed at the national level to ensure tangible progress in the transition to net-zero and climate resilience. 

    This project explores a series of tangible examples of transition indicators that are comprehensible for public and political discourse, as well as measurable and supportive for the implementation process. These indicators should facilitate the bridging of the ambition-implementation gap and support national policy processes in alignment with the implementation of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). Through this initiative, we seek to provide a set of tangible examples of transition indicators, providing input to the follow-up process of the Global Stock-take and helping the effective implementation of NDCs.  

    This project is carried out in collaboration with DIW Berlin and  a diverse team of researchers, who will lead transition indicators research through a series of country case studies in Indonesia, Germany, India, China, South Korea, the Netherlands, and Kenya. 

    The project is made possible through the support of ClimateWorks Foundation. 

  • Partners

    This project is carried out in collaboration with DIW Berlin and a diverse team of researchers, who will lead transition indicators research through a series of country case studies in Indonesia, Germany, India, China, South Korea, the Netherlands, and Kenya.  

    Transition Indicators for Water Security in India  

    Bipashyee Ghosh, PhD, Lecturer in Engineering, Innovation, and Public Policy 

    University College London 

    Transition Indicators for Industrial Decarbonisation in Germany  

    Karsten Neuhoff, Head of Climate Policy Department, DIW Berlin 

    Anja Engelhardt, Research Assistant – Climate Policy Department, DIW Berlin 

    Transition Indicators for Climate Village Program (ProKlim) in Indonesia  

    Niken Prilandita, PhD, Assistant Professor, Climate Change Center – Institut Teknologi Bandung 

    Djoko Suroso, Professor, Climate Change Center – Institut Teknologi Bandung 

    Transition Indicators for Renewable Energy in the Netherlands  

    Martijn Verdonk, Senior Advisor, Netherlands Enterprise Agency 

    Transition Indicators for the Decarbonisation of South Korea’s transport sector 

    Prof. Yong-Gun Kim, Professor – Graduate School of International Studies, Yonsei University 

    Transition Indicators for the Decarbonisation of China’s building sector. 

    Prof. Xiliang ZHANG, Professor and Director – Institute of Energy, Environment, and Economy, Tsinghua University  

    Siyue GUO, PhD, Assistant Professor, Tsinghua University  

    Transition Indicators for Sustainable Agricultural Practices in Kenya  

    Sylvia Nyawira, Agriculture and Environment Scientist II, Alliance Bioversity – CIAT 

    Wendy Francesconi, Senior Environmental Scientist, Alliance Bioversity – CIAT 

  • Publications

    Publications

    Transition Indicators to broaden perspectives beyond adaptation and mitigation

    The case studies in this report provide potential indicators to promote and measure transitions toward climate neutrality across a range of sectors: buildings, transport, industry, agriculture, and power sectors, as well as the transition towards climate-resilient water access and land use for rural and urban communities. Moreover, all case studies explore transition indicators to facilitate public understanding of the core benefits of the transition, as well as to champion an inclusive dialogue on this matter.

    Deviating from most other studies, the search for suitable indicators was not constrained to indicators based on readily available data. Instead, the suitability for engagement, an inclusive dialogue, target setting, and tracking progress were the guiding principles. We find that transition indicators have the potential to effectively support a transition toward climate neutrality and climate resilience. The illustrative examples within the case studies could, in each instance, inform discussions over the suitable choice of such transition indicators at the national level.

     

    Transition Indicators: a tool to help strengthen adaptation and mitigation action (summary)

    In line with the Paris Agreement, countries are developing and working to implement their Nationally Determined Contributions and national adaptation plans. However, shorter-term targets are often not aligned with long-term goals (ambition gap), they provide insufficient guidance for concrete policy implementation and financial mobilization (implementation gap), and they fail to link to the public’s immediate priorities (engagement gap).

  • Events

    Integrating justice in next-gen NDCs: Indicators and metrics to bridge ambition and implementation gaps in Just Transitions

    An invite-only dinner and dialogue held during SB60. Find out more.

    Read a reflection blog from Inés Jimenez Rodriguez and Joachim Roth about this event here!

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