Bad grade on Global Stocktake should lead to more ambitious climate action plans

Article: 06.12.23, Dubai

It’s a critical element of the Paris Agreement: the Global Stocktake. This is a 5-yearly assessment of the progress countries are making towards the goal of keeping global warming below 1,5 degrees Celsius.

In September the results came in from the very first Global Stocktake and they were not very encouraging. The planet is not on track, and with the current efforts we will see a temperature rise of 2.5 to 2.9 graden Celsius by the end of the century. The effects will be dramatic. Beyond 1.5C, climate impacts like extreme weather or sea-level rise get substantially worse. This will threaten communities in climate vulnerable regions in their very existence.

Action by Climate Action Network Europe during COP28. Photo: COP28 / Mahmoud Khaled

More ambitious climate action plans

“The only acceptable outcome of COP28 is that all parties agree on much more ambitious climate action plans”, says lobby and advocacy officer Esin Erdogan from Simavi. “These should be based on the different capabilities and responsibilities of individual countries. It should also review climate action from a human rights perspective, including gender and water justice.”

Women's leadership in decision-making

“We need a coherent plan by the end of COP28 with a clear roadmap. And this should also include preparing communities for climate change fallout.” She adds that the Global Stocktake provides an opportunity for countries to assess the gender responsiveness of their climate policies and actions. “New plans should be supporting women's leadership and participation in climate decision-making at all levels of policy and implementation.”

Esther Oeganda

Everbody has the human right to safe water and sanitation.

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