Authors: GLOBE International, 2013

Date: January 2013

(Full paper available here) 

What is it about? GLOBE International is an association of legislators from numerous countries around the world. This study provides an overview of specifically climate-related legislation in 33 countries in various economic and development situations. It takes into account aspects of both mitigation and adaptation and highlights also the opportunities for positive co-benefits of climate action, such as greater resource efficiency, increased energy security, reduced exposure to volatile fossil fuel prices and a more climate-resilient economy. The study underpins the importance of national legislation as a key enabling element of successful international negotiations.

The key findings of the study include, according to the authors, that

• “32 of 33 major economies have progressed or are progressing significant climate and/or energy-related legislation;
• Much of the substantive progress on legislative activity on climate change in 2012 took place in emerging economies, including China, which will provide the motor of global economic growth in coming decades.
• this progress will deliver real benefits to national economies and, ultimately, give world leaders the political space to go further and faster in the UN negotiations, helping provide a foundation for a comprehensive, global deal by 2015."

Why we recommend reading this? The study provides a good overview not only of the state of climate change legislation and the different types of policies applied in numerous countries. It also reviews the progress of legislation compared to previous reports. It shows the wealth of policy innovations for both mitigation and adaptation. It therefore also provides a starting point to consider how the employment of international climate finance could foster the implementation of these policies, and/or raise their ambition.