An Overview of Existing Legislation, Initiatives & Policies
Global scale/supranational level
UN Paris Agreement (2015): Aims to limit global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels through Nationally Determined Contributions and long-term strategies from countries.
The Agreement is a legally binding international treaty. Today, 195 Parties (194 States plus the European Union) have joined the Paris Agreement.
In 2023, the inaugural "global stocktake" under the Paris Agreement concluded during COP28, setting a course to ramp up efforts across mitigation, adaptation, and finance by 2030. This included urging governments to expedite the shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources like wind and solar power in their forthcoming climate pledges.
UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (2015): Include SDG 7 on affordable clean energy and SDG 13 on climate action (urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts). Provide targets adopted by all UN members, including energy access and emissions reduction goals. Action against climate change also becomes a key factor in the whole agenda.
Source: Filho, W.L., Wall, T., Salvia, A.L. et al. The central role of climate action in achieving the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals. Sci Rep 13, 20582 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-47746-w
3. EU Green Deal (2020): Major policy package to achieve climate neutrality in the European Union by 2050, including regulations on industries, carbon pricing, and renewable energy targets. It is linked to the commitments under the Paris Agreement.
Source: https://www.consilium.europa.eu/policies/green-deal/
4. AU Agenda 2063: Africa's development blueprint to achieve inclusive and sustainable socio-economic development over a 50-year period. It includes expanding energy access through large-scale renewable projects like solar and hydropower.
Its goal number (7) is Environmentally sustainable and climate resilient economies and communities