Apolitical's 100 Climate Policy Breakthroughs 2023

Brazil has set a target to end all deforestation by 2030.

In 2023, the new administration in Brazil pledged to reach zero deforestation by 2030. This is a difficult goal in the context of a significant rise in illegal and unregulated deforestation in recent years. However, if the decline of Brazilian forests such as the Amazon does not reverse, it could turn from a net carbon sink to a net source of CO2 emissions. Fortunately, policies such as Germany and Norway’s Amazon fund are now available to help finance Brazil’s zero deforestation efforts. Other forests in Brazil, such as those in the Cerrado or the Atlantic rainforest have also been under pressure from deforestation and will be positively impacted by this policy.

New Zealand has given the legal status of personhood to the Whanganui River, acknowledging it as a living entity with its own needs, interests and rights.

In concert with local Maori lawmakers, New Zealand courts recognised the personhood of an entity known as the Te Awa Tupua. This included the Whanganui River and its tributaries, but also the wider ecological, hydrological and metaphysical elements inherent in the river system. Two custodians, one from the local Whanganui Maori and another from the New Zealand government, have been assigned to protect the rights and interests of Te Awa Tupua. Laws like this are important to combating climate breakdown because stable climate systems can only be regulated by functional ecological systems. Humans can control our inputs and outputs but will always rely on the wider world to moderate our climate system. Now that Te Awa Tupua has personhood, its integrity as an actor within the wider climate is secure from degradation. New Zealand has also recognised the rights of personhood for other natural bodies, such as Te Urewera.

Sikkim is the world’s first state to have 100% organic agriculture, with zero artificial fertilisers or pesticides.

The Indian state of Sikkim transitioned to an agricultural system completely free of chemical fertilisers and pesticides. This was achieved whilst maintaining food self-sufficiency, feeding almost 200,000 visitors every year, and exporting vast quantities of spices such as cardamom. Chemical fertilisers account for about 1.4% of global CO2 emissions, and are major contributors to non-CO2 GHG emissions, such as nitrous oxide. As a greenhouse gas, nitrous oxide is 300 times more potent than CO2. Likewise, chemical pesticides have long been acknowledged as a major cause of biodiversity decline, particularly among insect populations. Sikkim thus provides a model for productive, sustainable agriculture that does not compromise the environment or climate.

Costa Rica’s Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) programme provides payment for the services of ecological systems, and to those who maintain them.

Over the last two decades, Costa Rica has become the first tropical country to slow and then reverse its deforestation. One of its most impactful policies has been a successful Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) programme, an innovative public financing scheme that encourages reforestation. The PES scheme covers over a million hectares of land and works by assigning a monetary value to environmental and ecological services. In Costa Rica, a forest manager who agrees to use climate-friendly practices such as water filtration or sustainable logging over the contractual period can receive a payment for doing so, measured by how much that action will benefit the environment. Costa Rica’s National Forest Fund, FONAFIFO, is the main implementing agency and both selects and monitors the beneficiaries. The payments are mostly financed through the country’s fuel tax, funnelling funds from polluters to those protecting the environment. The system has led to a dramatic increase in the country’s forest cover, as well as strong economic growth from tourism.

Lisbon has linked two of its major parks by creating flood-mitigating, active travel mitigating ‘Green Paths’ through depopulated areas of the city.

In the early 2000s, city officials noticed a trend of depopulation, increased levels of flooding and increasing emissions from transport. The city invested in urban regeneration, and developed the ecological corridor linking two major parks, Monsanto and Eduardo VII park. This created a network of green spaces for recreation and leisure, increased bike infrastructure and promoted biodiversity and natural landscapes. The park has also had a significant cooling effect, and the increased natural spaces have reduced water wastage and the severity of floods. It is also easier for citizens to cycle and walk around the city, reducing the number of private vehicles in circulation. In conjunction with fuel-efficiency measures and public transport improvements, the corridors have helped reduce Lisbon’s transport emissions. Emissions from diesel dropped by 43% from 2002-2014. The green corridors strategy continued into 2021, with the addition of 200 new hectares of green areas, planting 80,000 trees over four years, and decreasing paved areas that add to the urban heating effect.

The city of Kolkata in India processes almost all of its sewage and water waste using low-tech, urban fish farms.

Kolkata has the world’s largest sewage-fed aquaculture system. This sanitation mechanism is composed of a managed wetland, host to thousands of aquaculture ponds, fed by the city’s waste. By filtering waste through these farms, Kolkata is able to process 80% of its sewage and wastewater, while producing 40% of the region's consumed fish. This system uses very little energy and only requires light technological infrastructure. Traditional, high-tech wastewater treatment plants cause significant greenhouse gas emissions and have high energy requirements. By using primarily an aquacultural system, Kolkata’s wastewater management is far more climate-friendly. Alongside this, it provides employment, food, and ecosystems in the surrounding areas, making it far more effective than its high-tech alternative.

The Canadian government has announced C$800 million (£492 million) in funding for new conservation projects led by traditional indigenous stewards.

The C$800 million fund will be used to finance four regional projects totalling almost a million square kilometres. The various projects funded cover a wide range of Canadian ecologies, ranging from the northern tundra to the marine kelp forests of British Columbia. All will be led by local indigenous stewards. Many of these environments are important carbon sinks as well as biodiversity hotspots. Research has shown that indigenous groups are the most effective land managers for ecosystems. This funding empowers these groups to protect and sustain natural systems at scale in Canada.

The Guyanese Environmental Protection Agency is required to create a public report on the value of their natural capital every year.

Guyana’s natural capital accounting considers the value of the nation’s natural systems in ways unrelated to monetary profit. These include the value of the systems to climate, animal species, hydrological health and the residents reliant on their immediate environments. Guyana is famed for its verdant rainforest and thriving river ecosystems, being one of the few carbon sink nations in the world. But the nation also suffers from environmental pressures such as oil exploration and unsustainable farming. To ensure development is sustainable, and that economic growth does not come at the expense of nature, natural capital calculations can always be consulted. As an example, they are currently being used in a legal case against oil exploration in the nation. By mandating these natural capital accountings to be regular and open source, the government has created a powerful tool to hold itself accountable. This allows it to effectively govern the health of the nation’s environment and its contributions to climate.

Costa Rica’s new low-carbon coffee project has saved 59,480 tonnes of carbon; the goal is 350,000 tonnes.

In Costa Rica, Coffee farmers are already feeling the effects of climate change on their outputs, from the inability to predict seasonal temperatures to spreads of new fungi. The Low-Carbon Coffee project offers technical workshops to farmers, covering tips to increase yield while using less water and land. More than 7,000 coffee farmers have been trained in "Good Agricultural Practices", and are expected to continue implementing the mitigation improvements. 40 mills have also reported reductions in operating costs. The project also stimulates green business in the private sector, offering loans and grants for coffee mills to buy climate-friendly fertilisers and milling technology. Increasing demand for these products sends strong signals to sector suppliers. The project has largely calibrated the coffee sector towards one goal, instigating friendly competition amongst mills to drive down emissions and appeal to coffee drinkers. After four years, 22% of the coffee production system uses low-carbon methods. Over 20 years, Costa Rica estimates that the project could reduce 1.85 million tonnes if scaled effectively.

The UK’s Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) has been using nature-based solutions to enhance its flood resilience programs.

One of the major climate threats to the UK is the increased frequency and severity of flooding. In response, DEFRA has been exploring new methods for combating this climate threat. In 2017, £15 million was used to fund 60-Nature based flood management programmes across the UK, and the results were a major success. These projects include a variety of methods, such as tree planting, retention ponds, remeandering of straightened rivers and blocking of draining channels. These solutions significantly minimise the flood risk to surrounding areas. But by also restoring self-sustaining environments, these solutions create the conditions for hydrological systems to become less prone to flooding over time.

The delta habitat of the Danube River is being restocked and restored to allow it to reach its full biological potential.

The Danube delta describes the region where the Danube River meets the black sea. It is one of Europe’s largest wetlands, and also its most preserved. To bring the region back to its full biological potential, a process of rewilding has been undertaken. This involves the introduction of previously extirpated species, as well as using surrogate species to replace recently extinct ones such as the European water buffalo. By restoring large herbivores, the natural cycles of the delta are enhanced, preventing one type of vegetation dominating and keeping its landscape dynamic. Wetlands are incredibly important carbon sequestration regions, making this a powerful climate policy. The focus of rewilding on ‘self-willed nature’ means that the climate benefits of this policy will be self-managed by the ecology itself, rather than requiring ongoing human intervention. This policy has also led to growth in the regions tourism, and provides new economic opportunities to the delta’s inhabitants.

Medellín uses natural cooling methods that have dropped streetside temperatures by around three degrees.

Medellin’s ‘Green Corridor’ project targets air pollution, the urban heat island effect, and increases public transport with one solution; nature. The government planted planting over 8,300 trees and 350,000 shrubs along 18 roads and 12 waterways, with each corridor aiming to mirror a natural forest environment. These botanical gardens also benefit the local economy, by training citizens from disadvantaged backgrounds to become city gardeners and technicians. The increase of green space also has public health outcomes from reduced air pollution and improved mental health. The city has seen temperatures fall by two or three degrees Celsius, ensuring significant energy reductions from reduced artificial cooling. As of January 2020, the city plans to plant 1,000 more trees around Medellin to continue its journey as an Ecocity.

The EU altered its Common Agricultural Policy to help 25% of EU farmland become fully organic by 2030.

The new target for 25% organic farming by 2030 is supported by a raft of incentives and investments. These have already contributed to 15.2% of EU agriculture falling under organic farming regimes. Not only does the target and its incentive focus on increases in production and consumption of organic farm goods, but also making organic production even more sustainable. Organic farming is important to the climate because of the significant impact artificial fertilisers and pesticides have on greenhouse emissions and biodiversity loss, which are not used in organic systems. But organic farming is also more resilient to the shocks of climate change. Organic methods, such as using landrace cultivars or soil restoration, help farmlands adapt to the more extreme swings in weather that Europe is experiencing. This policy also has inbuilt mechanisms for expansion after the 2030 deadline. The wide range of European climates, ecotypes, and farming practices included in the policy mean it provides a host of globally relevant case studies for replicability.

The Andhra Pradesh community farming initiative creates productive farms that are resilient, adaptable, and climate-friendly using only organic methods.

Monocrop agriculture is particularly vulnerable to climate shocks. To combat this vulnerability, pioneering systems like the Andhra Pradesh farms use agroecology methods. This involves using organic intercropping measures to increase the farming sector's resilience. Their method keeps land constantly covered with a mixture of indigenous seed varieties. This avoids disturbance to the soil and erosion. Alongside this, the method integrates animals into the farm system. This uses no synthetic fertiliser, pesticides, or herbicides. The crops are mixed in with a variety of fruit trees. Not only is this system particularly resilient, but it also has direct benefits for climate mitigation. The avoidance of chemical fertilizers and pesticides helps to significantly lower greenhouse gas emissions. By also rebuilding soil, this system sequesters far more carbon than normal farms.

The EU-funded Pleistocene Park is an effort to restore the ecology known as the ‘Mammoth Steppe’ in order to prevent northern permafrost melting.

Pleistocene Park is located in the far northeast of Siberia. It is a project designed to restore an extinct ecosystem known as the ‘Mammoth Steppe’. The project uses large herbivores such as bison, wild horses, and Bactrian camels to help restore this bygone environment. This project, beyond its biodiversity potential, could be one of the most important greenhouse gas mitigation projects on earth. This is because the mammoth steppe ecosystem helps the permafrost remain at lower temperatures. Climate change is making permafrost increasingly vulnerable to melting, which releases its frozen methane stores. By removing the insulative snowpack and allowing cooler temperatures to infiltrate soil, the large herbivores help prevent thawing. If the Siberian permafrost were to thaw on a large scale, vast methane and carbon stores within it could be released. Globally, permafrost contains 1,700bn tonnes of carbon. If this carbon was emitted through thawing, this could create runaway climate change regardless of human mitigation projects.

A new series of maritime regulations have been instituted to protect Right Whales, an integral part of the ocean's carbon pump.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has instituted a new series of rules designed to protect the endangered North Atlantic Right Whales. These new regulations involve reducing the speed at which vessels can travel, restricting fishing gear dangerous to whales, and increasing NOAA monitoring and enforcement activities. Whales are important components of the ocean's carbon cycle, and so their protection is a powerful climate solution. Not only do whales absorb and sequester carbon in their bodies throughout their lives, but they help to fertilize oceanic phytoplankton which fix roughly 40bn metric tonnes of carbon annually. This policy demonstrates the connection between climate and biodiversity solutions, and provides a model for protecting other species of whale and their place in the oceanic carbon cycle.

__Bangladesh has replanted almost 1,200km² of the Sundarbans Mangrove Forest, helping restore its environment and secure coastal communities from rising sea levels and increasingly frequent storms. __

Bangladesh is one of the most vulnerable nations on earth to sea level rise, with almost 3.5 million people at risk of inundation every year. Increasing storm frequency is battering its coast, displacing many and destroying livelihoods. To combat this, Bangladesh has been replanting vast areas of mangrove forest. Mangroves form a vital natural barrier that protects the coastline against typhoons and storm surges. They absorb energy from storms and help prevent coastal erosion. Mangroves also help to combat climate change by sequestering huge quantities of CO2 from the atmosphere. This policy also enhances coastal biodiversity and creates fish breeding grounds, which support the livelihood of coastal fishermen. The policy of restoring mangroves is both an important mitigation and adaptation tool for the low-lying nation.

Oyster reef restoration is being used to save the Californian coastline against coastal erosion and more frequent storms.

Oyster reefs help to prevent coastal erosion and absorb storm energy. These are vital services as sea level rises and increased storm frequency are becoming more common. However, these reefs have declined due to pollution, overharvesting, and coastal developments. This new project aims to rebuild the reefs by dropping small honeycomb-like structures made of cement, sand, and crushed oyster shells for new oyster reefs to form on. The structures provide some measure of protection, but will eventually erode away. However, before they disappear, oysters colonise them, and the structures become encrusted. This creates stronger, regenerating reefs to protect the Californian coastline. Oysters each filter over 200 litres of water every day, which reduces the turbidity of the tides. They also provide an important source of food & income. Finally, oyster reefs help restore eelgrass meadows, which are also tools against coastal erosion, but also globally important carbon sinks and biodiversity hotspots.

__The UK Government designated 444,916km² of the ocean around its overseas territory of St Helena as a Marine Protected Area (MPA), strengthening the oceans climate mitigation potentials. __

Oceans are an incredibly important ally in the struggle against climate breakdown. They have so far absorbed the majority of heat produced by anthropogenic global warming. The ocean's “carbon pump” also helps to sequester CO2, and its surface microlayer moderates the greenhouse effect. These latter two phenomena are entirely reliant on biological activity. So, increasing the ocean's ecological health is a major policy tool for climate change mitigation. The protection of St Helena’s marine area will help the ocean retain its biological integrity, and thus its ability to regulate climate. By preventing unsustainable fishing practices and other forms of exploitation, this MPA provides a replicable model for other nations to follow in their own “Blue Carbon” climate policies.

The Waorani of Potosi successfully sued the Ecuadorian government to reverse the sale of indigenous land to oil companies, resulting in the protection of 2,000km² of tropical rainforest.

In 2018, the Ecuadorian government organised an auction of Waorani land for oil drilling. This land was situated in untouched rainforest within the Ecuadorian Amazon. It was auctioned without the consultation of the local Waorani people. Not only would this policy have destroyed rainforest carbon sinks and led to more oil being burnt, but it would also have dispossessed the longstanding stewards of the land. Led by Nemonte Nenquimo, the Waorani successfully sued the Ecuadorian government to reverse the decision. The government has since altered their policy and instituted stronger protections for rainforests, banning oil drilling in these areas. Through the actions of this reformed policy, 2,000km² of rainforest have been saved from oil exploration.

The EU’s new Nature Restoration law has introduced legally-binding targets for ecosystem restoration that cover at least 20% of the EU land and sea areas by 2030.

Traditionally, the EU has focused on nature conservation rather than restoration, which means designating areas of high ecological abundance with legal protections against many types of degradation. However, this new policy framework seeks to regenerate nature, expanding the continent's biological integrity rather than just protecting what is left. Thriving ecologies are integral to the struggle against climate change, with new research showing that European forests may sequester 100% more carbon than previously thought. Likewise, this legislation is designed to restore nature mainly outside of existing protected areas, integrating economic activity with a thriving planet. This new approach will be vital to the future of nature-based solutions, as it will help to demonstrate how society overall, rather than just protected pockets, can grow its biological diversity and climate resilience.

Brazil has created a new ministry to secure the lands and rights of its indigenous population.

There is an emerging consensus that indigenous peoples are the most effective guardians of biodiversity hotspots and the world’s largest carbon sinks. However, they are also among the most persecuted land defenders, and frequent victims of displacement. Deforestation and unsustainable agriculture go hand in hand with violence against indigenous communities. To better secure their rights, Brazil’s new government announced the creation of a department of indigenous people. The creation of this ministry aligns justice for the nations indigenous people's with Brazils climate goals.

The Spanish City of Pontevedra banned all cars from its urban areas in the 1990s. This has cut transport emissions by 70%.

Banning cars, with the exception of a few vital delivery vehicles, was originally conceived and passed as a matter of public safety and to improve the lives of local residents. But it has also been a powerful climate policy, having reduced the city’s emissions by 70%. Pontevedra demonstrates that improving the lives of residents is often achieved via climate-conscious urban policies—and vice versa. This policy is also a powerful case study to encourage the replication of the urban car ban in other municipal governments. Pontevedra is a model for any city looking to both improve citizen wellbeing or reduce their emissions footprint.

The city of Amsterdam is looking to Doughnut economics to reach its social and ecological goals.

Doughnut economics is an economic toolkit created by Kate Raworth. It maps the direct needs of society against planetary limits such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution. Amsterdam aims to create a 100% circular economy whilst reducing social inequality. As part of a collaboration with the Thriving Cities Initiative, Amsterdam is creating its own Doughnut plan. This policy is a government-civic partnership. The citizen group Amsterdam Doughnut Coalition is helping institute the city’s plan.

Co-housing is a model championed by the Danish government. It has a 75% smaller carbon footprint than typical housing developments.

The Danish co-housing model clusters private homes around collective facilities and open spaces. These facilities can include washing and cooking centres, sports pitches, and communal lounges. This encourages community engagement and lowers the carbon footprints of the residents. Co-housing residents can have a 75% smaller carbon footprint than the residents of regular housing blocks.

The Danish government has supported the creation of co-housing sites. They’ve tweaked planning laws, updated legislation, and provided guaranteed loans for co-housing developments. This led to an increase in the number of developments being constructed in recent years. Housebuilding is a significant source of emissions. For example, in the UK, it accounted for 19.9% of emissions in the UK in 2021. The Danish model is a useful template for governments to cut housing emissions.

__The Welsh Assembly has suspended all future road building in the nation. __

In 2019, The Welsh Government declared a climate emergency. They considered building new roads incompatible with the nation's net-zero pathway, and unjustifiable in a climate emergency. Roads are not only carbon-intensive to build, but studies show that increased road cover leads to more traffic. Therefore, it would be very difficult for Wales to reach its climate goals if it allowed the expansion of the road system. This move will also help reduce air pollution and incentivise the use of public transport and active travel. This policy provides a replicable example for other national governments to help minimise their transportation carbon footprint.

In 2013, Leuven set up Leuven 2030. It’s a group of NGOs, businesses and other participants tasked with delivering carbon neutrality by 2030.

Bold climate action needs buy-in from businesses and the community. By including these groups in climate decision-making, Leuven has been able to take big steps on climate. The group periodically creates roadmaps for change. The most recent plan covers 80 different areas of action, from public transport to creating climate-neutral business supply chains. A roadmap also includes indirect emissions like buying products from abroad. This is a dimension that most cities have yet to consider.

While anyone is welcome, they must be committed to tackling the problem. To join the group, potential members must present a binding green plan of action. Leuven 2030’s citizen engagement also creates a sense of ownership from the local community. This increases the likelihood of compliance. In 2016, the city passed a circulation plan for the city centre that reduced vehicle traffic and increased pedestrian and cyclist infrastructure. The plan was controversial, with concerns that businesses would be affected, but the badge of Leuven 2030 created a coalition of backers. In just three years, cycling in the city increased by 44%.

Oslo uses a carbon budget to estimate how much carbon it can emit and still reach the Paris targets.

The City of Oslo introduced the budget in 2016, and now treats emissions like it does money—creating yearly budgets for each department to bring the climate into every decision. In fact, the city council is only able to approve plans if they will reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Using the Paris Agreement’s most ambitious targets, the city calculated how much carbon dioxide would need to be reduced each year, and then mapped out concrete measures that would help them achieve those goals. The strategy—renewed yearly to account for changing statistics—is developed in collaboration with 40 industry and business stakeholders to ensure universal buy-in. The city also developed a barometer with 14 measures to monitor if the budget is working properly. This helps the city to keep track of weak spots and strengths in its strategy. Oslo’s 2020 budget specifically targets the transport of goods, construction sites, and public transport. The climate budget method is highly replicable, and Oslo believes that its main strength is holding every sector of government accountable for reducing emissions

The Bhutanese constitution requires that 60% of its land must at all times be covered with forest.

This policy has not only succeeded but it has also been exceeded. 70% of the nation’s land is covered in forests, and 51% of Bhutan’s forests are protected as national parks. Vast areas of old-growth forests make Bhutan one of the world's few carbon-sink nations. This means it absorbs more CO2 than it emits. This policy supersedes all incoming legislation, which means the forests can never drop below 60% land cover. This is important for ensuring the long-term integrity of both the environment and its carbon sequestration potential. Likewise, forest protection has been vital in Bhutan’s rapid biodiversity recovery, with tiger numbers doubling since 2010. The forests also ensure the health of river systems in India which provide water for millions.

Major federal suppliers of the US government will now be required to use the CDP procurement framework.

Sustainable procurement policies are ways for companies and governments to lower their carbon footprints. The CDP (formerly known as the Carbon Disclosure Project) is a leading non-profit in this sector, having pioneered stringent procurement standards. CDP standards are mainly used by the private sector. However, a new US government decision has changed this. The decision means all major US federal suppliers will now use the CDP disclosure model, ensuring that suppliers of federal institutions must disclose the environmental footprints of their products. This allows the government to make procurement decisions based on the best environmental standards. In 2020 alone, companies reporting through the CDP framework reduced their emissions by 619 million metric tonnes, demonstrating the effectiveness of the model and its potential for decarbonising federal procurement.

__69% of UK councils, covering 95% of the UK's population, have declared a climate emergency. This acknowledges the state of climate breakdown and accepts their role in finding local solutions to it. __

Climate Emergency Declarations demonstrate that government bodies recognise the threat of climate change. They also show that the body recognizes climate breakdown as an active emergency. Across the United Kingdom, 576 district and county councils have declared climate emergencies. Many have followed this up by implementing climate action plans. These plans set out how the council in question will react to the climate crisis. Local-level action is incredibly important for combating climate change. Localised efforts allow the specific problems and opportunities of an area to be directly addressed. This is difficult to replicate at a national level, which is why local declarations are such an important policy tool.

The Colombian Constitutional Court upheld the inherent rights of nature in multiple court rulings.

Unlike other nations that recognizs the rights of nature, Colombia has no legislation recognising the rights of nature. However, the nation’s supreme court upholds the rights of nature as self-evident. This superseded the need to refer to existing legislation. This policy builds upon the nation’s indigenous history and the global importance of its biodiversity. The court's recognition goes beyond rhetoric. The rights of natural bodies such as the Coello, Combeima, and Cocora Rivers have been used as legal justification to end mining projects and compel polluting companies to pay for clean-ups. The struggle against climate change means natural systems need legal protection from unsustainable development. This policy by the supreme court fulfils that need.

__The German Federal Foreign Office has established the Office of the Special Representative for International Climate Policy. They appointed former Greenpeace Executive Director, Jennifer Morgan, to the post. __

Climate change has created new challenges for a political system that developed before it was thought possible for human action to damage the climate. Likewise, most traditional government institutions are inward-facing, but the inherently global character of climate change means an outward-looking approach is needed. This is why Germany has created a new post focusing specifically on the international character of climate policy. They recruited the veteran climate activist Jennifer Morgan to be the post's first incumbent. Innovations like these are vital not only in adapting institutions to climate change, but in adapting climate policy to the global nature of the challenge.

__Rio de Janeiro’s government has divided the city into four types of Colour 'Corridors': green corridors focus on forests, blue on rivers, brown on employment, and orange on poverty reduction. __

Rio de Janeiro’s mayor has been a powerful advocate for the role of cities in combating climate change. The city is among the first in the Global South to join the Carbon Neutral Cities Alliance. The colour corridor development plan is a global leader in sustainable development in cities. It is uniquely focused on the local context in Rio de Janeiro. The city is home to the world’s largest urban forest. It also has some of South America's largest slums, as well as being a major financial centre. This conflicting set of needs means any climate-friendly development plan must support a diverse set of goals.

The Rio Colour Corridors allow for the development of one “corridor” to be undertaken without damaging the development in another and thus provide an important model to demonstrate that low-carbon, nature-friendly development does not always have to be a series of compromises.

The Danish government has promoted the communal ownership of windfarms, which has helped accelerate the nation's renewable energy growth.

The Danish windfarm co-operative model involves communities helping to fund, plan, build, and then own significant stakes in new windfarm developments. Windfarms in other nations often struggle to win public support. This is rarely an issue in the co-op model due to the direct stake local communities hold in the projects. The communities receive many benefits from co-op models compared to allowing purely private businesses to build in their neighbourhoods. The Danish government has a long history of supporting co-op models in other sectors and windfarms are no exception. In 2011 for example, the government decreed that all windfarms must be at least 20% owned by the local community. Initiatives such as these help ease the installation of wind power. They also spread the benefits equitably, providing a powerful model for other nations to follow.

The island of Bougainville is set to gain independence from Papua New Guinea in 2025. One of the ten main declarations in its draft constitution is the protection of the environment and the elimination of pollution.

Most constitutions were written before the gravity of climate change or ecocide were fully understood. In these cases, governments have had to go through laborious processes to include the climate and the environment in their decision-making. Bougainville, as an emerging nation, is sidestepping this process. The draft constitution includes dedications to environmental protection and the constant minimisation of pollution. In the past, Bougainville has suffered from unsustainable mining and is particularly vulnerable to future climate impacts. The island is also host to massive reserves of copper, a vital metal for the energy transition. By baking strong environmental protections into its core policy frameworks, the fledgling nation can ensure that future mining operations consider the needs of people and the planet.

This strategy is designed to help pastoral herders in the Horn of Africa adapt to the effects of climate change.

Herders in the Horn of Africa undertake seasonal migrations. They travel to new grazing grounds or watering sites. This often takes them across borders. These routes are usually well established, following pre-existing weather patterns. However, climate change is seriously affecting this way of life. With prolonged droughts and greater uncertainty of weather patterns, the traditional pathways of herders are being disrupted. Watering holes are being found empty, and pasture lands remain barren all year round.

This project by The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) in Eastern Africa is designed to increase the herders resilience to climate change. It mainly does this by facilitating cross-border communication about when pasturelands are overgrazed or underwatered, and when they need to be left to regenerate. The project also aims to provide infrastructure and funding to combat weather uncertainty. Alongside its capacity for increasing resilience, the project also aims to sequester over 70 million tonnes of carbon through its improved rangeland management.

In 2019, the French government created a convention of citizens to advise the government on its climate policy direction.

The Citizens Convention on Climate was an assembly of 150 randomly-selected French citizens. They convened between 2019-2020 to discuss how France could reduce its carbon emission by 40% before 2030. During this time, they suggested legislation for the government to translate into law. The convention proposed 149 measures to the French government. These included making ecocide a crime and banning short-haul flights with a rail alternative. This policy of using direct democracy as a way to address climate change was an innovative step, demonstrating how public deliberations can be used to strengthen climate legislation.

The Commissioner for Future Generations has a duty to be the guardian of the interests of the people who don’t yet have a say in Welsh society.

Wales is the first country in the world to have a commissioner dedicated to securing the interests and rights of future generations. The commissioner works to ensure all policy coming out of the Senedd has long-term benefits. Likewise, her role involves scrutinising policy to ensure it does not sacrifice future well-being for short-term gain. Actions which contribute to climate change are often justified by a process known as “discounting the future”. In discounting, the needs and concerns of future generations are considered to be of less worth than the present. However, as we are now living through climate breakdown caused by past actions, discounting the future clearly has disastrous consequences.

70km² of bison rangeland has been returned to their Native American stewards by the US government.

The policy of returning land to traditional native American stewards is spreading across the US. The returned land in Montana is being used to build a native history museum and expand bison ranges. Returning land is important for redressing historical injustices, as well as for protecting ecology and climate. While comprising less than 5% of the world's population, indigenous people protect 80% of global biodiversity. In Montana and beyond, native tribal nations have been busy restoring the buffalo prairie. These ecosystems have massive carbon sequestration potential, far higher than prairie converted to farmland or grasslands without megafauna.

Ghent is tackling food sector emissions with a food policy council made up of stakeholders from all sectors.

The local government created a participative governance model, to find and scale initiatives that would encourage a circular economy and reduce waste. The city created a distribution programme named “Foodsavers”, which has redistributed surplus food to over 57,000 people in need. In schools, children learn how to create community gardens in order to grow food locally and reduce imports. A platform was also designed to connect food sellers with local growers, shortening the supply chain supporting local producers, and saving over 400 tonnes of emissions per year.

Japan’s annual “top runner” industry competition is used to reward energy efficiency frontrunners and uses the competition winners to set new efficiency standards.

Japan’s "Top Runner" programme for improving energy efficiency is a standout example of how market-based instruments can drive down energy use. The policy is relatively simple: every few years, Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry (METI) reviews different categories of products. The most energy-efficient product in each category is then named the "Top Runner". The standard set by this product must then be met. This means that the programme continuously encourages improvement and innovation. The policy also inspires competitive innovation as companies compete to be named the Top Runner. The METI also has the ability to publicly name and shame companies that do not meet targets, as well as order fines. The policy covers 24 categories of appliances and products, leading to energy savings across sectors: an OECD report estimated that the Top Runner programme reduced energy consumption by 5% in the transport sector and 8% in the residential sector. From 2008-2012, the Top Runner programme encouraged energy efficiency improvements that resulted in an estimated yearly reduction of 25,000 million tonnes of CO2.

A community land trust is building hurricane-proof neighbourhoods in areas of Florida recovering from the physical and financial impacts of climate change.

Much of Florida’s coastline is particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change. The biggest threat is the increasing frequency and strength of hurricanes. For example, the recent hurricane Ian caused an estimated $67bn in property damage. To combat this, the Florida Keys Community Land Trust (FKCLT) has been developed to create hurricane-resistant, low-cost housing for local residents. This not only mitigates the physical impact of hurricanes, but also the market disruptions which follow. These market disruptions appear in the form of rent spikes, property speculation and subsequent resident displacement. The policy of FKCLT is to buy up damaged property, develop it, and then sell it at semi-fixed, subsidized prices. This policy tackles not only the natural, but also the social impact of climate change, and represents an important lesson to policymakers crafting holistic climate policy approaches.

50 nations across the globe have pledged to cut their methane emissions by 30% by 2030. This could eliminate 0.2˚C warming by 2050.

Methane does not remain in the atmosphere as long as carbon dioxide, but its warming effect is 80x stronger. By some estimates, up to 25% of today's global warming is driven by methane from human actions. The global methane pledge is therefore particularly important. The reduction of methane emissions can quickly slow the rate of global temperature increases.

Human methane emissions come mainly from agriculture and waste. Fortunately, technological and governance solutions already exist to minimise emissions from both of these sources. The global methane pledge exists to galvanise this action. The target of a 30% reduction is global, not national; allowing nations with smaller starting emissions to help nations with higher existing emissions reduce theirs. The methane pledge community also engages with the private sector, development banks, financial institutions and philanthropy to aid in emissions reductions.

Every Sunday between 7am and 2pm, Bogota enacts the Ciclovía, removing cars from over 76km of its roads and allowing their use by cyclists, skateboarders, and pedestrians.

The Ciclovía was first instituted in 1976 and has grown considerably since then. About 1.7 million people attend each week, about a quarter of the city’s population. The event not only reduces the city's carbon footprint but also provides an opportunity for citizens to exercise, commute, and socialise on Bogota’s car-free streets. This policy is also a living example of replicability. Following its success, other cities from Philadelphia to Ottawa have instituted similar policies, often directly citing the Ciclovía as inspiration.

__Germany and Norway’s $500 million joint fund to protect the Brazilian Amazon is being re-opened __

The Amazon rainforest stores an estimated 123bn tons of carbon and helps cool global temperatures by its effects on the hydrological cycle. However, deforestation is pushing it towards collapse.The Amazon Fund was created in 2008 to help financially support the Brazilian government’s efforts to protect the Amazon. Its funding helps to maintain protected areas and combat illegal deforestation. However, following the increase in deforestation and rollbacks of rainforest protection since 2019, the fund was suspended for fear it was being misused. Brazil’s new administration has pledged zero deforestation and stronger rainforest protections. This prompted Germany and Norway to immediately enter the process of re-opening the Amazon Fund. The fund is a non-reimbursable fund, where money is distributed to projects for combatting deforestation and supporting sustainable usage of the Amazon rainforest.

The Chinese government pledged to stop building coal power plants overseas. This policy could divest $50bn from the fossil fuels industry.

Transitional finance isn’t just about backing climate solutions, it’s also about pulling funding away from harmful investments. In 2021, China’s President Xi Jinping, announced to the United Nations General Assembly that China was ending its construction and funding of international coal-fired power plants. This announcement will have a massive impact on the world's decarbonisation journey, as China has historically been a major builder of, and investor in, coal fired power plants. Since the announcement, 26 planned projects have been cancelled, and many more could follow. This pledge could withdraw up to $50bn from the coal power market. It mirrors similar pledges from South Korea and Japan. Combined with China’s pledge, these policies could see a 95% reduction in foreign coal-power funding.

The Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley, is assembling a global coalition of developing nations to demand appropriate climate finance from high income nations and international banks.

Many of the nations that will be worst affected by climate change contributed the least to it. This is especially true for islands and developing countries. The Prime Minister of Barbados has led efforts to amplify the voice of these countries through the Bridgetown Initiative. This calls on the IMF and high-income nations to reorient global monetary policy to help combat the climate crisis. Countries that back the Bridgetown Initiative are historically nations that have not been the main beneficiaries of the fossil fuel economy, but will suffer the worst effects of climate change. The initiative seeks to address this inequality through financial mechanisms. By cancelling onerous debts and releasing up to $1 trillion in lending funds for climate adaptation, Mia Mottley’s plans are an important step towards international climate justice.

__Korea’s Ministry of Environment has created a green credit card, which rewards users for climate-friendly purchasing decisions. __

In 2011, Korea’s Ministry of Environment collaborated with the Institute of Environment, Technology and Industry to create the Green Credit Card. The card can be used just like a normal credit card, except that it rewards users for making environmentally friendly choices, such as using public transport or purchasing sustainable products. Points are also awarded to lower utility bills. Users of the card can save up their points and convert them to "EcoMoney", using it like cash at participating hotels and restaurants, buying energy-saving appliances such as light bulbs, or donating it to environmental funds. By December 2016, Korea had issued 15 million cards, incentivising sustainable consumption in 55% of the economically active population. Through informing consumer choices, the Green Credit card is estimated to have avoided 2.5 million tonnes of GHGs between July 2011 and December 2016. In addition to the emissions saved from sustainable purchasing, it is estimated that a further 1.46 million tonnes of GHG emissions were reduced through promoting public transport and saving residential energy.

Zambia provides results-based funding for private sector renewable energy companies; the scheme has so far benefitted over 910,151 people and mitigates over 2,529,296kgs of CO2 annually.

Zambia’s Beyond the Grid Fund (BGFZ) aims to simultaneously bring renewable energy to Zambian households while stimulating private sector investment in renewable energy. Its innovative results-based financing mechanism asks energy service companies to apply for funds by submitting comprehensive business models, details on the quality of their product and how many people they aim to help, and a plan for the future. Importantly, they must show how they will continue to operate after the end of BGFZ’s contract. The BGFZ has some universal standards, including that the technology must be maintained under a warranty for at least three years. This model means that the recipient of what is termed an “Energy Service Subscription” receives a high-quality and uninterrupted service. This means that the companies with the best and most sustainable models are rewarded, guaranteeing a higher social impact for the population and de-risking investment in the growing renewable sector. The concept is also being extended with the Beyond the Grid Fund for Africa, which aims to replicate the project in countries like Burkina Faso, Liberia, Mozambique and Uganda. The Beyond the Grid Fund for Africa (BGFA) is a multi-donor facility established and managed by Nefco – the Nordic Green Bank.

Singapore has issued more than $2.9bn in green bonds since 2017.

To drum up green finance, Singapore’s Monetary Authority is making it easy to buy green bonds. While the buyer pays for the bond themselves, the government will cover the cost of getting that bond validated, and will pay for any independent external reviews. By doing this, the scheme tackles one of the key hurdles for green bonds—it lowers up-front transaction costs. So far, bonds have been issued to foreign and domestic companies in various areas, including solar and wind farms in India and geothermal projects in Indonesia. The programme is just one of a suite of policies aiming to scale up green finance in ASEAN countries and will last until 2023.

__Santa Fe’s Secretariat of State for Energy has partnered with the province’s public bank to provide financing for companies' sustainability transitions. __

To stimulate the local green economy, Santa Fe’s Secretary of State for Energy and the Municipality of Rosario partnered with the province’s public bank to give SMEs more access to finance. The region’s industry depends mostly on natural gas, with companies shying away from starting renewable projects due to high upfront costs. The Green Credit Lines initiative was designed to combat this. The government provided support for technical evaluations. From 2014-2018, over ARS$75million (£320,000) in investment was approved, 60% of which went to renewable energy projects and a third to energy efficiency. In 2018, the government expanded the line of green credit, allowing households and SMEs to install renewable energy equipment and connect to the local grid. The use of finance has encouraged renewable energy in both SMEs and households. This has stimulated local production, saving locals money and providing over 1000 jobs to young people.

__Uruguay has instituted one of the world's most robust carbon taxes to further encourage its energy sector to transition to renewables. __

Policy goals often require multiple instruments. This is why—alongside their investment and support for renewable energy—Uruguay has instituted one of the world's most significant carbon taxes to further its decarbonisation journey. Only one-fifth of the world's carbon emissions are covered by carbon taxes, and the average tax is only $3 USD per tonne. The global price necessary for keeping us below 2C warming is $75, which is why Uruguay’s carbon tax of $137 is such a pioneering policy, far higher than the EU’s $82. At almost double the necessary level to prevent catastrophic global warming, it is likely that Uruguay’s carbon tax will allow the nation to meet its climate commitments.

Indonesia’s government has been issuing and promoting a form of Sharia-compliant finance to fund its sustainability transition.

Green Sukuk, as the bonds are known, are a form of Sharia-compliant loan where 100% of the proceeds go to financing green projects. They can be used for a variety of purposes, such as mitigation, adaptation, renewable energy generation or biodiversity enhancement. The bonds come with a set of requirements to ensure the projects they fund are green, ranging from a rigorous project evaluation stage to ongoing emissions reporting. Such bonds are vital in Indonesia, a country particularly vulnerable to climate change where even the capital city is being moved to avoid sea-level rise. However, Indonesia also has significant potential for the utilisation of green finance—with high potential for renewable energy generation and rainforest restoration.

The recently passed Inflation Reduction Act provides $369bn in climate finance for climate justice, adaptation, and could lead to a 40% reduction in emissions by 2030.

The Inflation Reduction Act is designed to provide a green recovery to the US economy. This comes in the wake of the double shocks of COVID-19 and soaring inflation rates. The legislation includes funding for the expansion of EV infrastructure, renewable energy, research funding, and many other low-carbon projects. Its goal is not only to lessen the carbon intensity of the US economy, but also to provide high-quality jobs. This policy could transition the economy away from its dependency on fossil fuel energy. The measures outlined in this legislation could reduce the US carbon footprint by 2.4bn tonnes. This will go a long way towards getting the country closer to its 50% reduction by 2030 target.

Multiple countries have pulled out of the Energy Charter Treaty (ECT), an agreement that allows fossil fuel companies to sue governments for blocking fossil fuel extraction.

The ECT is a major obstacle in national efforts to decarbonise energy systems. It creates a punishment mechanism for governments looking to minimise fossil fuel extraction in their territory. As an example, in 2021 the Italian government was successfully sued by an oil and gas company for its new law banning coastal oil drilling. The suit forced the Italian government to pay out £210m in damages. As a result, many European nations have been pulling out of the charter, allowing them to pursue their decarbonisation efforts without fear of being hampered by fossil fuel interests. This policy of pulling out of this treaty will help ensure necessary government investment is used on decarbonisation, rather than supporting further fossil fuel investment.

__In 2021, The State of Florida announced a $1bn Resilient Florida Program to help Florida adapt to the extreme weather effects of Climate Breakdown. __

The Resilient Florida Program is solely focused on increasing the resilience and adaptability of Florida communities in the face of climate change. As a low-lying, coastal state, this means most of the adaptation will be directed to resisting rising sea levels. But the increasing frequency and strength of hurricanes will also require updated and expanded infrastructure. The fund works by distributing money to local governments that score highly on vulnerability assessments, such as Cape Coral, allowing them to focus on the specific vulnerabilities they face. However, Florida has a long history of levee and dyke building, which in many cases has failed to stymie the damage caused by increasingly severe hurricanes. As a result, the programme also has provisions for the funding of a new “Florida Flood Hub for Applied Research and Innovation” within the University of South Florida, which is designed to find new ways to increase Florida’s resilience.

New Zealand is instituting a new policy to include agricultural emissions from cattle and fertilizer into its existing carbon pricing mechanisms.

The new policy, which is set to become law no later than 2025, is an important step for a nation where almost half its greenhouse gas emissions come from agricultural sources. When it comes into force, this new law will see farmers pay for the emissions created by their farming operations. The major sources of greenhouse gas emissions in New Zealand’s agricultural sector are methane from cattle farming and nitrous oxides from fertilisers. Whilst both are relatively short-lived greenhouse gases in comparison to carbon dioxide, they are far more potent. Nitrous oxide, for example, causes 300 times more warming than an equivalent amount of CO2. This policy has been more successful than similar policies to reduce emissions from agriculture in places like the Netherlands because of its He Waka Eke Noa–"We are in this together”—approach. This method has engaged key stakeholders throughout the process and evolved through farmer-led consultations, which allowed it to enjoy wider support than more top-down, technocratic policies.

The Better Energy Communities (BEC) project is a national retrofitting initiative specifically aimed at supporting innovative approaches to community energy.

The programme looks for ideas that have a mix of solutions, contain co-benefits, and most importantly, are community focused. For example, Arranmore Island used retrofit funding from BEC as part of its five-year energy strategy, creating jobs and local pride to tackle problems such as depopulation and emigration. Some communities have retrofitted churches and local buildings to reduce emissions from local activity. Retrofits include technologies such as heat pumps, water filters, solar panels, leak proofing and insulation building. By grouping buildings together, community-wide benefits are offered at a lower cost and are more efficient. The initiative also brings everyone into the conversation about climate change. Cumulatively the programme has now supported upgrades in 18,200 homes and 2,570 non-domestic buildings. The 2019 round of grants supported 57 projects, which will upgrade 698 homes and 570 non-domestic buildings, eliminating 34,676 tonnes of CO2 a year.

The Network for Greening the Financial System (NGFS) is a coalition of central banks and academic institutions helping the financial sector adapt to climate and environmental risks.

This coalition is a knowledge-sharing network dedicated to climate and ecological risk management. They also study the best practices for mobilising mainstream finance to support sustainable transitions. Over 121 central banks are members of the Network for Greening the Financial System. Multiple universities and non-profits, such as Climate Analytics and the University of Maryland, act as partners to inform the banks. This coalition has produced some of the most rigorous CO2 emissions models to date, which are used by the US Federal Reserve and European Central Bank.

__To fund decarbonisation, China's Central Bank is providing low-interest loans for companies to help fund their sustainability transitions. __

China plans for its carbon emissions to peak by 2030. They also plan to cut their economy’s carbon intensity by 65% by 2060. To achieve these goals, the central bank has released a new set of favourable loans specifically for decarbonising institutions. These loans can be used directly by companies, or to back the subsequent low-carbon lending funds of other financial institutions. This significantly increases the scope of finance available. These loans benefit from low-interest rates, favourable renewal systems and strengthening regulations around greenwashing. The loans require the public reporting of carbon reduction by the borrowing institutions.

__Over 100 British universities have re-directed £17.6bn away from fossil fuel investments. __

Following a variety of grassroots divestment campaigns, many universities have withdrawn their investments from fossil fuel companies. Collectively, the money withdrawn represents £17.6bn now unavailable to fossil fuel producers. In total, these divestments represent 65% of the UK’s higher education sector. The campaign began in 2013, and the number of institutions joining has increased almost every year. What this represents is not only an effective divestment policy, but also a replicable model for other types of institution. Two Irish universities have already followed suit, and a number of campaigns in the USA are underway to divest major university endowments from fossil fuels.

Cape Verde has instituted its first blue bond on the sustainable investing platform Blu-X.

This blue bond provides a platform for investment into the nation's sustainable ocean economy, while divesting from carbon-intensive and polluting industries. By partnering with Blu-X, Cape Verde’s blue bond can reach a global cohort of investors. What is notable about this blue bond is that it is the world's first to be fully supported by market forces, and has no reliance on a public guarantee. US$1million of the money raised is earmarked for micro-loans to help start small sustainable businesses. The blue bond makes Cape Verde’s abundant marine ecosystems beneficial as a climate moderator and a source of wealth for the nation’s economy.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Insurance & Risk Finance Facility helps to provide insurance and finance for climate-vulnerable regions.

If you’re at risk from climate change-related harms, it can be hard to get insurance. One of the main impacts climate change has on weather, aside from making it more extreme, is to make it more unpredictable. This renders vulnerable areas unlikely to receive sufficient support from insurers. That’s where the UNDP Insurance and Risk Finance comes in. The Programme creates networks and partnerships to provide financial assistance and tailored insurance products to climate-vulnerable regions. Alongside this, the mechanism helps lead long-term, structural changes in the insurance market through policy guidance. These structural changes help develop the insurance industry for a climate-changed world and make them fit for the future challenges of vulnerable nations.

In summer 2022, Germany instituted a 9€ monthly ticket for all local and regional travel. It massively boosted public transport use and prevented 1.8 million tonnes of CO2 from being emitted.

In the context of soaring fuel prices, the three-month experiment provided a 9€ monthly ticket for all local and regional travel. The trial was a major success, providing cheap and equitable transport. It also saved carbon emissions equivalent to those from powering 350,000 German homes for a full year. Beyond carbon emissions, the reduced fare lowered particulate pollution in cities by 6-7%, and boosted social participation for low-income households. Across the globe, air pollution from cars kills upwards of 385,000 people every year. The price of a monthly ticket has since been raised to 49€, which is still a notable reduction in the cost of public transport. This experimental policy shows the effectiveness, workability, and scalability of subsidised public transport as a climate solution.

Saughton Park, Edinburgh is now powered and heated by a combined ground-source heat pump and micro-hydroelectric generation.

Saughton Park is a public park, greenhouse and sporting facility in Edinburgh. It recently installed a new combined heat pump and micro-hydro system. These are able to completely power the park and its facilities with low-carbon, sustainable energy. All sporting facilities, the local café, and the Victorian-era greenhouse are powered by the new system, which saves £18,000 in heating costs per year, as well as up to 90 tonnes of CO2 each year. The heat pump is particularly effective as it can be easily installed in the park's wide open spaces. Heating one park may seem like a small change, but the power of this system to save money and cut emissions makes it highly replicable the world over.

__The city of Zurich is converting its gas-based heating system into distance-heating networks and renewable energy. __

The city of Zurich has been replacing its gas heating systems since 2011. The city has replaced gas systems with a variety of low-carbon alternatives, such as solar power and waste-to-heat systems. These are used to provide heat to distance heating systems, that have been progressively extended across the city. With the recent volatility of gas prices, Zurich has taken the opportunity to accelerate its transition to a gas-free heating system. The most recent phase of distance heating is expected to conclude in 2024, and the entire city could be fully connected to district heating by 2040. The alternative system not only has lower carbon emissions, but is also cheaper. This saves both the consumers and the city authorities money over traditional gas heating systems.

98% of Uruguay’s power is provided by renewable energy. This mostly comes from wind and hydroelectric power, but they’re looking to green hydrogen for the future.

The Uruguayan government has taken an active role in expanding its renewable energy sector. It has invested in solar, wind, and hydropower as energy security and decarbonisation measures. The country's economy is primarily agricultural, so much of the remaining energy use is from difficult-to-electrify sources, such as farm machinery. To overcome this obstacle, the government is investing heavily in green hydrogen. They’ve established a US$10million grant alongside a green hydrogen roadmap. This hydrogen will be produced using the electricity from the nations thriving (and expanding) renewables sector, allowing the small nation to decarbonise whilst avoiding the energy density problems that often hamper the expansion of renewable energy.

__All new commercial buildings in France are now required to cover their roofs with solar panels or plants. __

The new requirement for commercial buildings to have either green or solar roofs has a number of benefits. It will help further decarbonise France’s energy grid and provide resilience and flexibility. Green roofs are important for biodiversity and help reduce the urban heat island effect, as well helping to mitigate air pollution by absorbing particulate matter. This law is particularly important as it is often impossible to add solar panels or green roofs to traditional buildings due to structural constraints. Greater structural integrity (especially when covered in greenery) makes buildings more resilient to damage. As construction is the main source of carbon emissions over a building’s lifetime, extending a building's lifetime is an important carbon-reduction measure. This policy is easily replicable, and its success has provided a model for other national governments.

Instead of building new roads, Rwanda is distributing vital resources by drone and saving significant carbon emissions in the process.

Rwanda uses autonomous drones to deliver medical blood deliveries across the country. They take off from two core distribution hubs. The system is efficient and quick, and each hub can make up to 500 deliveries per day. This is important for a country like Rwanda, which has a difficult geography, a small road network, and little refrigeration infrastructure. With the drone fleet, the mass storage of blood supplies can be made as efficient as possible without compromising the need to deliver quickly across the nation. This drone-based solution enables the well-being benefits of well-connected health infrastructure. It also avoids carbon-intensive investment in road building, growing a delivery fleet, or refrigeration units. This is an example of an alternative, low-carbon development. It demonstrates that development doesn’t need to cause an increased carbon footprint.

With 90% of its existing energy supply provided by renewable energy, Kenya plans to go fully renewable by 2030.

A combination of geothermal, wind, and solar power currently powers most of Kenya’s electricity grid. Any other requirements are currently met through natural gas imports. Although most of the grid is already renewable, Kenya’s electricity needs are growing fast. This makes the transition to 100% even more difficult. Likewise, the government aims to develop a sufficient renewable surplus to power a green hydrogen industry. This is an important step in creating fertiliser for its agricultural industries.

The next phase of renewable expansion is being undertaken in partnership with the German development cooperation ministry, an agreement signed at COP27. This agreement will provide funding and expertise to further expand the existing mix of sources. In particular, solar, which currently only makes up 1% of the nation's power generation. Alongside this, focusing on reducing the energy intensity of the growth in demand will help mitigate the increased pressure on the grid.

An incoming French law will ban all short-haul internal flights where there is an existing rail route alternative.

The French parliament recently announced its intention to ban all short-haul domestic flights where a rail alternative is available. The Law was approved by the European Commission and is due to enter a trial phase covering routes between Paris and Lyon. Aviation is a major cause of greenhouse emissions, with short-haul flights being among the most polluting. Rail transport is one of the most carbon-efficient forms of transport. Studies have shown that if this policy was implemented in the entire EU, it could save 3.5 million tonnes of CO2 per year.

India has installed 700,000 off-grid solar-powered streetlamps.

The Indian government has overcome the challenges of connecting remote rural areas by using solar panels. In many remote rural districts of India, there is no grid connection and little funding to create one. Low-cost distributed solar addresses the need for electricity in these areas. Alongside streetlighting, these solar systems have also been used to provide public solar water pumps and public charging stations for electric lanterns. This is an important climate solution, as it prevents the need for carbon-intensive infrastructure. Likewise, this policy is easily replicable and can be scaled up for any suitable region in need of electrification without a grid connection.

Vancouver is using the heat generated by the city's sewage system to provide 10MW of energy for its district heating system.

A waste-to-energy facility captures heat from the city’s sewage system and transforms it into energy. Through heat pumps, the system reduces carbon emissions by 90%, and currently provides heat and hot water for 18,000 people. It also heats over 45,000m² of commercial space. When it reaches its full size, it is predicted to save 45,000 tonnes of carbon emissions each year. This policy has a wide range of applicability and replicability, as almost every large urban area will create sufficient sewage to produce the necessary heating energy.

__India is consolidating its solar power projects in order to lower the overall cost of construction and infrastructure. __

A significant portion of the cost to construct solar power plants goes into their grid connection and local substations. To minimise these costs, the Indian government is creating “Ultra-Mega Solar Power Projects”. These are significantly larger than standard projects and consolidate solar power generation. Through this consolidation, the construction cost per MWh is significantly lowered. India is planning to create 40,000MW of new capacity between 2023-2024, potentially saving over 36 million tonnes of CO2.

A recent citizens' referendum in the canton of Zurich voted for the circular economy to be enshrined in their constitution.

Zurich canton voted to enshrine the circular economy in its constitution and calls on local authorities to implement it in their districts. Councils must enable “considerate treatment of resources, materials, and goods, as well as the closing of materials loops”. This will mean authorities have to find ways to make their areas more resource efficient. Including increasing recycled goods use, reducing waste, and minimising the number of new resources entering their economic cycles.

A circular economy is a vital tool against the climate crisis. One of the major drivers of increased emissions is the exploitation of new resources. Likewise, the waste created from a linear economy can have disastrous effects. For example, new research demonstrates microplastics (primarily from single-use plastics) could cause massive climate disruptions through their effect on ocean evaporation.

The city of Helsinki has constructed a new district with its own innovative smart-grid system.

Kalasatama was constructed on a brownfield site, allowing a city to create its electricity grid almost from scratch. This means the grid is optimised for the most efficient use and distribution of energy. It only sends buildings (with their own microgrids) the exact amount of energy they need. The district's smart electricity grid also turns buildings into energy producers, as well as consumers. This smart grid, alongside a local solar plant, helped the district reach carbon-neutral status. Kalasatama also has a smart waste management system to reduce waste production and encourage recycling. Furthermore, the district boasts extensive electric car charging, a smart heating system, and modern electricity storage solutions.

A coalition of Portland’s government, businesses, non-profits, and citizens is creating a city-wide circular economy.

Across Portland, a coalition between local government agencies, businesses, and citizens are allowing the city to reduce its dependency on the linear economy. A collection of repair cafes and workshops has spread across the city to encourage reuse instead of waste. The city’s Bureau of Planning and Sustainability has been an active partner in scaling up the circular economy, providing grants, funding, and staffing support.

Alongside this direct support, the local government has helped by connecting similar initiatives in the wider Portland metro area. This encompasses twenty-four cities. By connecting a wider area, aspects of the circular economy, such as a “library of things” can be more effective. This policy framework is not only highly replicable but grows in effectiveness the more widely it is used.

In 2017, Kenya introduced one of the world's strongest plastic bag bans and has seen massive reductions in their usage since.

The ban covers all plastic carrier bags. Those found manufacturing, importing, or selling the bags can incur a fine of up to £32,000 or face a prison sentence of up to four years. Likewise, those found using them on smaller scales can be fined or face sentences. Since the policy was introduced 6 years ago, there has been an 80% reduction in plastic bag use. The amount of plastic waste has also dropped significantly. Plastic pollution not only causes environmental damage but is also a major source of greenhouse gas emissions. Even more worrying, new research shows microplastics can disrupt far more vital climate regulation systems in the ocean. This plastic ban thus represents a far more important climate policy than its immediate benefits to environmental health.

Barcelona has instituted pedestrian-centric, resident-oriented urban planning known as superblocks.

Barcelona’s urban planners envision a post-car world. As of 2018, 85% of the city’s area was dedicated to private vehicles. To combat this, the city has created mini car-free neighbourhoods called superblocks. The blocks are specifically designed as multi-use public spaces that will increase foot traffic and public green spaces. They include interventions like levelled pavements. All cars are banned in these areas, save for residents’ vehicles and deliveries. The superblocks are proving to have both environmental and social benefits. In the Sant Antoni neighbourhood, car traffic fell by 82%, pedestrian trips rose by 28%, and streetside businesses saw greater revenues. Expanding the system to the whole city would significantly reduce emissions, mitigate the urban heat island effect, and improve public health. Beyond superblocks, Barcelona is cracking down on car pollution. In February 2022, it imposed a 30km/h speed limit on 68% of the city’s roads.

Paris’ new transport system means residents can navigate the city quickly, easily, and without a car.

Cities looking to reduce emissions from their transport sectors need to encourage their citizens to do three things: drive less, walk and cycle more, and embrace public transit. To make those activities as easy as possible, Paris's mayor Anne Hidalgo is embracing a new concept of urban organisation: the 15-minute city. Conceived by urban planner Carlos Moreno, the idea is that residents can access basic amenities and social activities without having to get into a car. During France’s coronavirus lockdown, the “Paris Respire '' programme turned 45 kilometres of traffic lanes into cyclist corridors. Since the mayor's re-election, she has committed to creating an additional 10km of separated bike lanes. Other initiatives to encourage public transit include allowing people under the age of 18 to travel on public transit for free.

Senegal expanded its renewable energy network with a new 159MW capacity wind farm. This will prevent 300,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions per year.

In February 2020, Senegal celebrated the opening of the biggest wind farm in West Africa. Senegal’s national electricity company connected the farm’s 159MW of capacity to the national power grid, representing a 15% increase in Senegal’s generation capacity. The farm, Parc Eolien Taiba N’Diaye (PETN), was an investment in line with Plan Senegal Emergent. The government’s economic development strategy aims to expand electricity access while reducing emissions. Senegal has also signed up for the Green Secondary Cities Development Program and started sustainability initiatives in 25 cities. The projects cover urban mobility, land use, water and solid waste, and energy efficiency. With the opening of PETN, Senegal will now get 30% of its energy from renewable sources.

This city-wide retrofit policy has already reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 70,000 tonnes per year. By 2018, participants had cut their energy use by 17%.

Energy use in buildings is responsible for around 71% of Chicago’s emissions. To bring these down, the city’s sustainability office partnered with private institutions to launch the Energy Retrofit Challenge. The challenge asked Chicago’s big buildings to agree to one goal: reduce energy consumption by at least 20% within five years.

While the programme is voluntary, it has cultivated a level of prestige and goodwill that has drawn over 100 participants, spanning 5,200,000m² of the city. Annual awards ceremonies encourage continuous improvements in energy efficiency, and each participant tracks and shares their efficiency gains through a portal. The competition aspect proved highly successful — within the first 18 months of the launch, participating buildings reduced (weather-averaged) energy use by 7%. Building on this success, Chicago’s government has announced plans to power all 900 of its city buildings with renewable energy by 2025.

Using mineralised CO2 to make cement, Hawaii’s construction industry aims to save 12,200 tonnes of CO2 emissions.

Hawaiian policymakers are looking to carbon-reinforced concrete to reduce emissions from the construction industry. Hawaii’s Department of Transport saved 680kg of CO2 in a demonstration project. If scaled to all of Hawaii’s construction, mineralised concrete has the potential to save 12,200 tonnes of CO2. The production of concrete produces about 6% of the world’s emissions per year, and companies such as CarbonCure are trying to find a solution. In a process known as CO2 mineralisation, carbon dioxide is permanently captured and can be used as a construction material in making cement. This helps store carbon that would otherwise be released into the atmosphere. The City of Honolulu has already passed a resolution recommending that all government bodies procure carbon-injected concrete in their construction work.

Zurich has achieved a rate of nearly 50% recycled concrete in new public buildings.

The City of Zurich’s regulations on concrete show the effectiveness of using public procurement to send economic signals. The city has addressed construction emissions in two ways: requiring the use of recycled concrete, and requiring that concrete used in public buildings meets high environmental standards. They use a standard labelled CEM III/B. This type of cement replaces a material named "clinker" with a lower-carbon alternative, reducing emissions by 25-30% compared to conventional concrete.

Using recycled concrete creates a more circular economy. It reduces concrete’s environmental impact by stretching materials further. For example, the city collected old kerbstones and re-used them to make new ones, which reduced 1.4kg of CO2 per unit compared to imported ones. The city's newest building, the Zurich Kunsthaus Art Museum, will be made almost entirely of reduced-carbon and recycled concrete. Zurich’s position as a sustainable concrete pioneer has encouraged research into how to reduce emissions from the difficult-to-decarbonise construction industry. Using concrete remains a CO2-intense activity, and procuring alternatives such as fly-ash concrete is less impactful.

Mexico City is using behavioural and financial incentives to encourage the development of environmentally-friendly buildings.

The programme was launched in 2009 following two years of research and collaboration with the local construction and building industry. The Ministry of Environment developed an assessment scheme to award new and retrofitted buildings a label of either compliant, efficient or excellent.

Policy-makers combined behavioural nudges with financial ones. Higher certificate levels receive bigger property and payroll tax reductions. Participating buildings also qualify for a dedicated retrofit loan support scheme to help them finance the projects. In order to maintain compliance, the buildings are re-assessed every two years. The programme took a comprehensive view of building performance, requiring multiple actions to reach the "excellent" category. These include:

• Energy efficiency
• Water management
• Transport
• Insulation

And more. As of 2017, the scheme covered 8,220m² of floor space. It has saved 133,00MWh of electricity, and 1,735,356m³ of water. The city also leads by example, with over 21,000m² of green roofs on government buildings. Between 2009 and 2017, the certification programme covered 65 buildings and has avoided 116,789 tonnes of CO2 emissions.

In May 2018, the Puerto Rico Energy Bureau, the regulator for the main island of the archipelago, issued the world's first microgrid regulations.

Island nations are more likely to feel adverse effects from unpredictable weather patterns caused by a warming climate. Renewable energy microgrids have emerged as the primary solution to Puerto Rico’s frequent electricity shortages.

In 2017, Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico and caused over 1.5 million people to lose power. Microgrids avoid blackouts by functioning either independently or by detaching from the grid if needed. They are easier to connect to renewable energy, with solar microgrid systems forming the main part of the solution in Puerto Rico.

The regulations class three types of microgrids; personal, community, and third-party utility. The Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA) is embracing microgrids in its next Integrated Resource Plan. They aim to install 1.4GW of solar and 920 MW of battery storage by 2022. The Environmental Defense Fund is also collaborating with communities to scale up solar microgrids and develop new policies. Other island nations are also turning to microgrids for climate mitigation and resilience. For example, the Bahamas’ recently launched a solarisation programme across four islands.

__China is a leading manufacturer of electric buses. They now also use green financial incentives to encourage their uptake by local municipalities. __

China’s top-down approach to electrifying its public transit system began in 2009 as a way to manage growing urbanisation while combating poor air quality. The government released a suite of policies aimed at encouraging e-bus use. These include fleet mandates and manufacturing incentives. Most significant are subsidies that make the buses affordable. After running the buses for a set amount of time, cities can receive nearly half of the bus’s cost. City leadership was also vital in the transition, and the central government instigated competition between 13 pilot cities rolling out new electric buses. While the country’s rapid embrace of electric buses comes from a political and financial mobilisation that other cities might struggle to replicate, the benefits are undeniable: public health outcomes have improved from decreased air pollution, and bus emissions decreased by 48%. According to the Shenzhen Bus Group, its 100% electric bus fleet reduces annual CO2 emissions by 440,000 tonnes.

__Singapore has installed the world's largest floating solar farm over a man-made reservoir. __

In 2021, Singapore’s government installed 20 hectares of solar panels, floating on Tengeh reservoir. In countries where large swathes of land are not readily available for huge solar or wind parks, another solution is available: floating solar panels. Installing solar panels on water surfaces such as reservoirs or lakes makes use of otherwise unused space, instead of valuable farmland. The floating solar farm in Singapore is now the largest in the world. With 122,000 solar panels, it can produce 60MW of electricity. As floating technology develops and costs come down, these solar installations will form a key part of the clean energy transition in land-scarce countries.

Delaware’s ‘Cool Switch’ policy incentivises non-residential consumers to switch to low-impact methods of refrigeration.

HFC emitting refrigerants are far more powerful warming agents than carbon dioxide, meaning low-emission cooling solutions are vital in mitigating climate change. The Cool Switch policy incentivises non-residential consumers to switch to low-impact methods of refrigeration. Any businesses using more than 22.7kgs of refrigerants are eligible for the scheme. The policy prioritises environmental impact, as the amount that consumers receive for switching to more climate-friendly alternatives is directly tied to the impact of the refrigerant. The rebate is paid at a rate of $25 per tonne of avoided CO2 equivalent emissions. Natural systems of refrigeration also qualify for a higher rate than synthetic systems, further disincentivising polluting refrigerators. The Cool Switch programme receives funds from a network of states called The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, a market-based initiative aimed at reducing the emissions of HFCs.

The CoolLease programme channels purchasing power towards more climate-friendly cooling solutions.

In 2016, Kigali became the birthplace of the Kigali amendment to the Montreal Protocol. It’s a landmark international agreement to phase down ozone-depleting refrigerants. Rwanda is only the second country to announce a National Cooling Strategy. A large part of the strategy involves cutting energy demand using policies such as minimum energy requirements.

One policy stands out — in 2019, the Ministry of Environment launched the CoolLease scheme. It’s a first-of-its-kind incentive scheme to tackle emissions from air conditioners. Building owners effectively rent cooling technology from technology providers. The providers are responsible for the installation and maintenance of the cooling equipment, and can remove the equipment if the lessee defaults on payments. The policy transfers responsibility for efficient systems to the provider, making it easier and cheaper to replace old models. It also combats the challenge of high-initial costs, making it easier for residents to choose more climate-friendly options. CoolLease funding is only available to energy-efficient and climate-friendly technologies, helping to funnel Rwanda’s 35bn franc (£25m) cooling industry towards sustainable solutions.

The Thai Rice Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Action (NAMA) project uses new production methods to encourage low-emission rice farming.

Rice agriculture is responsible for 60% of Thailand’s emissions, largely a result of the methane produced by flooded rice paddies. However, there are alternative farming practices that can both increase rice production and reduce emissions. Switching from conventional flooded paddies to a system of alternate wetting and drying (AWD) can drastically reduce emissions while improving yields. To increase the adoption of these techniques, the NAMA facility organisation has teamed up with Germany’s foreign aid ministry, UNEP’s Sustainable Rice Platform, and Thailand’s Ministry of Agriculture.

To build trust in the practices, the project has held training and information sessions for government officers, private companies and farmers. To build trust in the practices, seven demonstration plots were planted to prove the economic and environmental benefits of switching to low-carbon rice farming. The project is also aiming to develop innovative financial incentive schemes to increase the rate of adoption. It will be carried through 2023.

The second round of the “Faster Adoption of and Manufacturing of Electric” (FAME-2) scheme provides cash and subsidies for Indian cities electrifying their vehicle fleets

India’s national government is scaling up clean transport with the Faster Adoption of and Manufacturing of Electric (FAME-2) vehicles scheme. It’s a policy that subsidises states to electrify their fleets. This second round of funding provides US$1.22bn ready for investment in Indian states buying electric vehicles and building charging infrastructure.

Kolkata is planning to purchase 5,000 electric buses and electrify its ferry system by 2030. The FAME-2 scheme covered 60% of the cost of this procurement. The combined emission reductions of these new vehicles will add up to 14,086 tonnes of CO2. To encourage the use of buses, Kolkata has also designed a common mobility card. This allows people to move smoothly between different modes of transport. The first round of FAME funding subsidised 5,095 electric buses across 64 different cities and states. demand for electrifying transport across the country is growing.

Built underneath the city’s canals, Amsterdam has constructed a new bike storage facility with enough space for 7,000 bicycles.

Amsterdam is one of the world’s most bicycle-friendly cities. With bikes being so popular, it’s often hard to find a place to park. This new bike storage facility is located in central Amsterdam. It’s designed to help relieve competition for space between pedestrians and cyclists. By building beneath a canal, it also avoids taking up precious above-ground space. The storage facility further encourages bicycle usage by offering free 24hr parking, with a cost of only 1.35€ every day after that. This policy adds to Amsterdam’s people-centric, low-carbon transport system, and provides an effective model for other cities to replicate.

Cities across the USA are instituting policies to decarbonise and electrify their building stock as part of the Building Decarbonization Coalition.

The Building Decarbonization Coalition (BDC) is a collection of cities, from Tacoma to New York, sharing ideas and resources on decarbonisation. The main policy they pursue is electrifying existing buildings. But they’re also working on improving building codes and insulation. Electrifying buildings cuts emissions quickly, and it enables buildings to be powered by renewable energy when the capacity becomes available. The BDC is also a knowledge-sharing coalition. It provides tools that allow easy-to-find and open-access breakdowns of where and how cities are decarbonising. The USA has a wide variety of climates and urban designs, so the ability to assess decarbonisation by region helps cities plan their policies according to their local needs and opportunities. This collaboration and knowledge sharing could be replicated by nations worldwide, allowing cities to accelerate their decarbonisation journeys.

COP27 closed with a breakthrough agreement for wealthier nations to provide loss and damage funding for vulnerable nations hit hardest by climate disasters.

This fund represents a major breakthrough in acknowledging the differentiated impacts of global climate breakdown. However, serious contention remains over the specific methods by which the fund is administered and distributed. For the Loss and Damages fund to fulfil its potential, it needs to overcome certain challenges:

• Lack of clarity: Given the broad definitions used in the agreement, specifics of the arrangement still need to be defined. For example, the ‘donor base’ of this new fund remains a point of contention. The overall strategic framework of the loss and damage agreement needs greater clarity. Apolitical’s course on Reaching Net Zero provides the skills to help government employees implement ambitious policies.

__Cardiff Tidal Lagoon is a proposed tidal energy power plant. It would use the natural variation of the tide to produce enough zero-carbon electricity to power every home in Wales. __

Despite the huge potential for producing renewable energy, the project remains in the planning and consultation stage. For it to fulfil its potential, the biggest barrier it is facing is:

• Stakeholder engagement: The scale of the project means it has to enjoy widespread support in order to have a chance of approval. To engage stakeholders effectively requires the use of soft skills, such as strong presentations, effective problem framing, and compelling usage of feedback. Apolitical’s Introduction to Public Engagement outlines evidence-backed steps for working closer with the public.

__South Africa is in negotiations with the international community to swap from coal to renewable energy. It has secured $8.5bn (£6bn) to fund the transition. __

The decarbonisation deal hasn’t yet been signed off. Investors and the South African energy grid are reticent to take the first move. To fulfil the immense potential of a decarbonised grid in South Africa, both the nation and its financial backers must overcome certain challenges:

• New solutions pose new problems: Whilst the novelty of this policy is what gives it such potential, it also poses problems. New issues arising from climate change governance and decarbonisation often act as obstacles to effective policy implementation. Apolitical provides training courses designed to make public servants ready for these new challenges, such as the Public Servants and Climate Change, Reaching Net Zero course.

__The COP15 agreement represents the next step in global efforts to curb biodiversity loss and ecosystem decline. By putting 30% of the planet under protected areas by 2030 and providing greater finance for developing countries, the COP15 delegates hope to reverse global ecological decline. __

Components of the deal remain contentious. The targets are concrete, but it is still being determined where these new nature reserves will be and who will fund them. In order to implement the agreement and reverse biodiversity decline, certain challenges must be overcome:

• Messaging: conservation movements have been accused of perpetuating unjust power arrangements, and proper messaging will be needed to demonstrate how the policies outlined in the agreement are different. Apolitical’s course on Centring Equity in Climate Action helps provide these skills to public servants.

__Vanuatu has published a draft resolution requesting that the International Court of Justice (ICJ) outlines the legal obligations polluting nations have for the climate damage they cause to vulnerable nations, such as Vanuatu. __

Implementation Gap: Vanuatu is a constant voice in international climate agreements, having recently proposed the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty. The Climate Justice Resolution was recently proposed by Vanuatu at the UN, but created by a broad coalition of nations that are particularly at risk from the effects of climate breakdown. However, the proposal remains relatively unknown outside these nations, and the demands of the Vanuatu-led coalition need to be heard.

• Lack of popular communications: The governments in the coalition need to boost their messaging capabilities to be able to build a wider profile for their proposal and its demands. Increasing the digital literacy and social media presence of public employees will be vital to this, such skills can be developed through Apolitical’s course on Centring Equity in Climate Action.