New Policy Brief Release: Achieving High-Integrity Cooperative Climate Initiatives

Cooperative Climate Initiatives (CCIs) play a critical role in achieving the Paris climate goals, and their numbers have steadily increased in recent years. However, significant integrity concerns remain. Our assessment of 267 CCIs launched at the past three COPs and recognized by the UNFCCC highlights three main issues. First, while CCIs make numerous commitments, implementation often falls short. Second, accountability and transparency gaps persist, with many initiatives lacking monitoring frameworks and sufficient transparency for accountability. Third, CCIs primarily benefit Global North countries, underscoring the need to engage local stakeholders and create tangible benefits in underrepresented regions such as the Central and West Asia region (including Azerbaijan) and developing nations. In response, this policy brief offers recommendations, particularly for the COP 29 and 30 presidencies, but also climate action orchestrators, and CCIs to promote higher integrity:

• Stakeholders and orchestrators, including UN-affiliated campaigns, should enhance transparency, accountability, and inclusiveness in CCIs.
• The COP presidency should encourage greater participation from local businesses, investors, and cities, particularly in the Central and West Asia region (including Azerbaijan), also beyond COP29.
• CCIs should address broader environmental and social issues, including biodiversity loss, desertification, and environmental justice