The global stocktake is also regarded as an "ambition mechanism", making sure the world does not backtrack on the Paris Agreement..

The overarching goal of the Paris Agreement is to hold “the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels” and pursue efforts “to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.”  The science from the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) indicates that greenhouse gas emissions must peak before 2025 at the latest and decline 43% by 2030 to limit global warming to 1.5°C. Crossing the 1.5°C threshold risks unleashing far more severe climate change impacts, the IPCC warns. The Paris Agreement aims at increasing the ability to adapt to the adverse impacts of climate change. 

During the global stocktake, governments,  communities, organisations, businesses, the private sector and all other stakeholders come together to  self assess their efforts in implementation and how ambitious their  climate change plans are. It is a collective effort. The two year stocktake  process  firstly reviews information available, undertakes a technical assessment and moves to consider actions, decisions and pathways.

The findings from the global stocktake’s technical  assessment, outlined in the technical report published in September 2023 were therefore both a stark reminder of the urgency of our situation and a call to action.

In this sense, it’s not the stocktake itself that is the gamechanger – it’s the global response, the response by countries as Parties to the Paris Agreement, that will make the difference in the form of higher ambition and accelerated action. This response is reflected by how countries have considered the outcomes of the global stocktake in their climate action plans such as NDCs and LT-LEDS. 
 

In short, there are efforts to address the climate crisis, but overall, the Paris Agreement is lacking across all areas and not where it should be.

The Paris Agreement has inspired near-universal climate action and playing a central role in catalyzing cooperative action so the world can address the climate crisis. The world has avoided a potential 4°C increase to a range of 2.1-2.8°C if all current climate action plans are implemented. There is a possibility to get to a temperature increase that is below 2°C as  87% of  the global economy is now covered by targets associated with achieving climate neutrality.

But, there is a well-known huge mitigation gap, as the current trajectory of global emissions is not consistent with limiting the global temperature rise to 1.5°C, including when all climate action plans are considered. Adaptation to climate change is also not at the levels needed, and the world is experiencing increased losses from extreme climate events. The growing needs for climate action do not match current support available and mobilised  and the gap is widening.


There is hope. The global stocktake outcome outlines key actions and commitments, to be undertaken urgently, consistently and in a rapid manner to put the world back on track. The ambitious package to raise ambition and accelerate action includes global emission reduction targets, energy transition by tripling renewable energy and doubling energy efficiency by 2030, moving away from fossil fuels and promoting practices such as low-emission technologies, sustainable behaviors and nature-based actions. Adaptation efforts should be scaled up significantly, be well-coordinated and cover all relevant sectors such as agriculture, health, social protection, water and ecosystems, plans, policies and budgets. 

More and accessible financial support, capacity building and technology is required to actualise the ambitious commitments. 

The  global stocktake outcome decision outlines guidance and follow-up mechanisms for Parties and non-Party stakeholders. In practice  the guidance indicated how outcomes from the first global stocktake can inform climate policies and plans, both medium and long-term. Parties will update and communicate their NDCs in 2025 with an end date of 2035. 

The global stocktake decision also outlines events which will maintain the momentum of the stocktake and continue to inspire ambition and action. The events include: 

• GST Annual Dialogue
• Expert dialogue on mountains
• Expert dialogue on the disproportionate impacts of climate change on children and relevant policy solutions
• Roadmap to mission 1.5
• The UAE Dialogue on the GST outcomes
• High-level ministerial dialogue on the urgent need to scale up adaptation finance

Credit: UN Climate Change

For more information, please visit the global stocktake page on our website or contact the team at gst@unfccc.int.