Long-term Strategies: state of play, challenges and possible support through the G20

Publication: Policy Brief
Citation: Haase, Isabel; Duwe, Matthias (2022): Long-term strategies in a G20 context. Ecologic Institute, Berlin.

The G20 summit 2022 under Indonesia's presidency is a central moment for geopolitics, as representatives of the most powerful economies convene to discuss important worldwide developments. One central topic is the advancement of climate action. As the G20 countries are responsible for more than 80% of global GHG emissions (destatis, 2022), their actions can make or break a path towards climate neutrality at global level. Against this background, the national long-term strategies (LTS) of the G20, which outline the course for the necessary transition towards that goal, could be instrumental in serving as a compass to guide policy. These strategies are also a topic at COP27 in Sharm-el-Sheik.

Based on experience worldwide to date, this paper provides an overview of the process of developing an LTS and its challenges, examines the support available for countries undergoing this process and presents some ideas on how the G20 could raise the political profile of the strategies. It has been included as input into the T20 process preceding the 2020 summit.

Out of the 20 member countries of the G20, 16 have developed and published a national LTS (as of November 2022). The fact that the vast majority of G20 member countries already have a strategy in place is a good starting point for considering how the group could advance their use further. The G20 has the political weight, the institutional capacity and opportunity to support the development and implementation of the LTS. This can be accomplished in a number of ways, including by increasing the strategies' visibility, providing direct financial or technical support for the development and implementation of the strategies, and facilitating dialogue and cooperation.

This relationship goes both ways: If LTS are able to provide a coherent long-term roadmap for achieving net-zero emissions, they are consistent with the G20’s ambition to advance an effective, efficient and just transition to climate-friendly economies. This is urgently needed, as climate change, if left unaddressed, will cause major economic losses for both developed and developing countries. Well-designed LTSs could support policy planning within and across countries and foster cooperation on specific topics as pathways and investment needs are identified for each sector.

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This webinar presents and discusses the findings of a report by SEI Tallinn. The analysis, conducted as part of the Climate Recon 2050 project, analyses the role of the LULUCF sector in Member States’ Long-Term Strategies (LTSs). Although the majority of LTSs published so far address the topic, the extent to which countries with significant potential in the sector explore its contribution to climate neutrality varies, even among Member States with significant needs for modernization of their existing legacy networks.

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online, Berlin, Germany

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This webinar presents and discusses findings of a report by Energy Policy Group. The analysis focuses on the role of district heating in Member States' Long-term Climate Strategies (LTSs). The report describes the current situation, highlights key challenges and shortcomings of published LTSs, and proposes a way forward for integrating efficient, low-carbon and reliable district heating systems into climate neutrality strategies.

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screen shot of the briefing note's first page

This Briefing Note presents the first insights from Climate Recon 2050 – a project aiming to facilitate intra-EU exchange and foster the creation of know-how and networks essential to develop effective and ambitious national long-term climate strategies as a tool to guide a successful transition to a low-carbon economy. The Briefing Note brings together insights from the project’s activities – including a day of discussions on long-term climate planning held among policymakers from 10 EU Member States – and builds on related research by project partners.

2050 Climate Strategies in EU Countries: State of Play

Briefing Note 01

Year 2018

Publication:Document

On 9 May 2022, Europe Day, the Conference on the Future of Europe (CFE) closed – with the adoption of 49 recommendations. This is not the end of the process, but the beginning of new political action. With the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the role of the CFE as a starting point for renewed discussions on important topics such as climate, energy policy and EU democracy has been reiterated. Indeed, many recommendations from the CFE address EU climate policies – especially the ones prepared by its third citizens' panel on climate change, the environment and health. In this Ecologic Institute paper, Deyana Spasova questions how the panel's recommendations can improve EU climate policy? Where do the recommendations merely reiterate what is already in place? And how could the EU best translate the suggestions into policy action? The paper is available for download.

Conference on the Future of Europe

What is next for EU climate policies?

Year 2022

Presentation:Speech

What kind of Europe do we want for the year 2035? This question is addressed by the EU initiative 'Conference on the Future of Europe', which enables European citizens to discuss their own ideas for Europe's future. Within the member states respective National Citizens' Panels, participants developed policy recommendations that were later passed on to the Conference. Ecologic Institute's Matthias Duwe gave a presentation on the topic of Climate and Environment at the Citizens' Forum in Germany on 15 January 2022.

National Citizens' Panel on the Future of Europe

15 January 2022
Matthias Duwe

Language: English
Authorship: Isabel Haase

Matthias Duwe
Funding: Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV), Germany

European Climate Foundation (ECF), International
Published by: Ecologic Institute, Germany
Year: 2022
Dimension: 11 pp.
Project: Dialogue on Pathways and Policies for a Climate-neutral EU (Climate Recon 2050)
Project ID: 30008
Keywords: Climate

Energy

long-term climate strategies, G20, climate, strategy, 2050, long-term, decarbonization, CO2, Paris Agreement, Article 4.19, emissions reductions, greenhouse gas emissions, GHG, carbon budget, governance, mainstreaming, climate and energy goals, policymakers, climate action, international cooperation

Further Links

Climate Recon project website

PublicationReportCharting a Path to Net Zero

This report presents the findings from an assessment of 22 long-term strategies (LTSs) of the EU Member States available as of March 2022. It is complemented by a briefing that summarizes the key findings and recommendations, as well as an overview of the underlying... Read more

Velten, Eike Karola, Nick Evans, Deyana Spasova, Matthias Duwe, Ramiro de la Vega, Laurens Duin, and Harrison Branner (2022): Charting a path to net zero: An assessment of national long-term strategies in the EU. Ecologic Institute, Berlin.