CONSTRAIN and the first Global Stocktake

The Global Stocktake (GST) is a process for taking stock of the implementation of the Paris Agreement, with the aim of assessing the world’s collective progress towards both the Agreement itself and its long-term goals. 

The first stocktake got underway at COP26, and will conclude at COP28 in 2023 (each stocktake is a two-year process that happens every five years).

Put simply, the GST aims to spur countries to step up the climate action we need to avoid the worst impacts of climate change.  This is critically important because the international community has yet to live up to its climate commitments, and climate action has yet to the reflect deep transformations needed across all sectors to build a resilient future.

What is CONSTRAIN doing?

Phase 1 of the GST is all about collecting and preparing information and the GST allows stakeholders, including CONSTRAIN, to contribute their understanding of global efforts to tackle climate change, as well as any gaps and opportunities.  This phase is now underway and runs until early 2023.

Submitted information comes from a variety of sources, including national climate plans and scientific studies (such as IPCC reports).

CONSTRAIN’s initial submission draws on the three existing ZERO IN Reports, highlighting the insights they provide into the complex processes represented in climate models and what they mean for temperature change and other climate impacts over the coming decades.

Topics covered include understanding where we are now with respect to the Paris Agreement Long-Term Temperature Goal; near-term warming, warming rates and greenhouse gas emissions; uncertainties in the climate system that could affect our chances of staying within 1.5°C warming; and remaining global carbon budgets.

A fourth ZERO IN Report, to be published in late 2022, will be used to update our original submission.  We will also provide more information on how CONSTRAIN and partners can support the GST’s three themes: mitigation, adaptation, and means of implementation and support.

Further reading

• Detailed information on the global stocktake, including mandated decisions, timelines.
• Background on the information collection and preparation component of the first global stocktake.
• How to submit to the global stocktake.
• Guiding questions for the Technical Assessment component of the first global stocktake.

This article was taken from pieces originally published by the UNFCCC and UNFCCC Climate Champions.