The COP, by decision 1/CP.17, noted with grave concern the significant gap between the aggregate effect of Parties' mitigation pledges in terms of global annual emissions of greenhouse gases by 2020 and aggregate emission pathways consistent with having a likely chance of holding the increase in global average temperature below 2 °C or 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels.
Though the same decision, the COP decided to launch a workplan on enhancing mitigation ambition to identify and explore options for a range of actions that can close the ambition gap, with a view to ensuring the highest possible mitigation efforts by all Parties.
In Doha, through decision 2/CP.18, the COP decided to identify and explore in 2013 options for a range of actions that can close the pre-2020 ambition gap, with a view to identifying further activities for its plan of work in 2014, ensuring the highest possible mitigation efforts under the Convention.
Decision 1/CP.19 requested the ADP to accelerate its conduct of the workplan on enhancing mitigation ambition to identify and to explore options for a range of actions that can close the ambition gap, with a view to ensuring the highest possible mitigation efforts by all Parties in the context of decision 1/CP.17, paragraphs 7 and 8. Parties also decided to accelerate activities under the workplan on enhancing mitigation ambition in accordance with decision 1/CP.17, paragraphs 7 and 8, by, inter alia, intensifying, as from 2014, the technical examination of opportunities for actions with high mitigation potential, including those with adaptation and sustainable development co-benefits, with a focus on the implementation of policies, practices and technologies that are substantial, scalable and replicable, with a view to promoting voluntary cooperation on concrete actions in relation to identified mitigation opportunities in accordance with nationally defined development priorities.
The secretariat has set up a portal which presents information on cooperative initiatives undertaken around the world at various levels by governments, international organizations, civil society, and business to reduce emissions.
In Lima, the COP, by decision 1/CP.20, reiterated its resolve to enhance ambition in the pre-2020 period in order to ensure the highest possible mitigation efforts under the Convention by all Parties. The COP further decided to continue the technical examination of opportunities with high mitigation potential, including those with adaptation, health and sustainable development co-benefits, in the period 2015–2020 and requested the ADP to make recommendations in relation to further advancing the technical examination process, including the periodic assessment of the technical expert meetings, to the COP at its twenty-first session.