Alternative Metrics for Comparing Domestic Climate Change Mitigation Efforts and the Emerging International Climate Policy Architecture

The availability of practical mechanisms for comparing domestic efforts aimed at mitigating global climate change is important for the stability, equity, and efficiency of international climate agreements. This article examines a variety of metrics that could be used to compare countries’ climate change mitigation efforts and to illustrate their potential application to large developed and developing countries. Because there is no single, comprehensive, measurable metric that could be applied to all countries, it suggests using a set of indicators to characterize and compare mitigation effort, akin to using a set of economic statistics to indicate the health of the macroeconomy. Given the iterative pledge-and-review approach that is emerging in current climate change negotiations, these statistics could enhance participation, commitment, and compliance if they can show that all parties are doing their “fair share,” both prospectively and retrospectively. The analysis highlights the need for a well-functioning policy surveillance regime.