Issue Brief

Shaping the Global Stocktake Process Under the Paris Agreement

Sumit Prasad, Karthik Ganesan, Vaibhav Gupta
September 2017 | International Cooperation

Citation: Prasad, Sumit, Karthik Ganesan, Vaibhav Gupta. 2017. Shaping the Global Stocktake Process Under the Paris Agreement. New Delhi: Council on Energy, Environment and Water.

Download PDF

Overview

The Paris Agreement gives provision of the periodic Global Stocktake (GST) to establish the collective progress and efforts of the Parties. This issue brief captures views of a few developing country Parties on the matter of GST, while considering desired level of flexibilities on expected reporting requirements. It is second in our series of working papers/ issue briefs where the former focuses on Parties’ views on the transparency framework under the Paris Agreement.

There is a need to define a systematic approach that would capture the efforts of the Parties in a comprehensive manner and help in enhancing international cooperation on climate actions.

The GST should encompass efforts pertaining to mitigation, adaptation, loss and damage, and means of implementation and support (finance, technology & capacity building), and bring about a balance between these competing actions.

Source: @JshPhotog @GreenpeaceAR / @EverydayClimateChange

Key Highlights

A majority of developing countries support a comprehensive, facilitative, Party- driven, transparent, and equitable model for the GST process.
A coordination mechanism needs to be developed between the GST process and the working agenda on transparency, NDCs, adaptation communication and compliance committee.
Institutional arrangements and reporting mechanisms under the UNFCCC must be utilised to the fullest, while discussing the modalities for the GST.
The process must remain bottom-up and make outcomes available on easily accessible public platforms.

Information, sources and associated bodies for GST process

Information	National inventory report (CTF for Developed Parties)	BUR/BR	National Communication	National Adaptation Plan (NAP)	Capacity Building Portal	ICA / IAR Reports	Assessment/Synthesis Report (IPCC)	Report on work of other bodies under COP
Inventory	✔	✔	✔			✔
Mitigation		✔	✔
Adaptation		✔	✔	✔				✔
NDCs		✔				✔
Means of implementation & Support		✔	✔		✔	✔		✔
Progression & Assessment							✔	✔
Note		Suggested primary sources of input
		Suggested alternative sources of input
		Verification method to be adopted

Source: CEEW Analysis

The Ad Hoc Working Group on the Paris Agreement (APA) has identified 3 emerging models under which GST could operate. The phases (preparatory, technical and political) described under these 3 models are overlapping in nature, and would interact with each other defining a holistic approach.
The GST should help build trust and create a space for positive feedback, besides showcasing the collective progress and efforts taken by the Parties.
The GST should take a stock of forward looking components (carbon budget, support needed) and drive home the need to move towards a global emissions cap.

GST should be practical not limited to the narrow task of collecting data. Besides showcasing the collective progress and efforts taken by the Parties, it should help build trust and creating a space for positive feedback, and take a stock of forward looking components (carbon budget, support needed).