Publications & Tools

This paper evaluates the transparency of the GHG emissions targets presented in the INDCs of eight top-emitting Parties — Brazil, China, the European Union, India, Indonesia, Japan, Mexico, and the United States - wich, together, contribute nearly two thirds of annual global GHG emissions.

Using the Open Book framework developed by World Resources Institute, we present information in each Party’s INDC related to its emissions target(s) and identify any transparency gaps — that is, information that is unclear or not made explicit. Gaps might include, for example, lack of clarity about the scope of the emissions target or missing information on how the land sector will be accounted for in achieving the target. Based on the Open Book framework, we also suggest ways in which these Parties can improve the transparency of their GHG emissions targets. Although some Parties’ INDCs include elements related to GHG mitigation other than emissions targets — for example, targets related to renewable energy and forestry — our paper focuses on the transparency of the emissions targets.

In addition, this working paper presents GHG emissions trajectories for each of the eight Parties assessed through 2030, which reflect estimated pathways to achieve the INDC GHG emissions target(s). The purpose of these trajectories is not to predict future emissions, but to highlight—and quantify, where possible—uncertainties in the intention of the targets that are the result of transparency gaps.