The Global Stocktake ("GST") is a collective assessment of progress towards achieving the Paris Agreement's goals. It takes place every five years, starting in 2023, and provides a comprehensive review of mitigation, adaptation, finance, and technology transfer efforts. The process depends on the availability and quality of data, including data on national climate action plans and progress, which must be reliable and of high quality. It is a vital process for global climate action and helps ensure that the commitments made by countries are being implemented.

What is The Global Stocktake?

Measures progress towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions and limiting global warming to 2°C.

GST thematic areas

Mitigation

Adaptation

Focuses on assessing countries' progress in adapting to climate change, including measures to reduce the risks of extreme weather events and sea-level rise.

Means of implementation and support

Developed countries provide financial and technical support to developing countries to reduce emissions and adapt to climate change.

This phase involves gathering information needed for the assessment, which also serves as preparation for the technical assessment.

Collecting and Preparing Information

Technical Assessment and Dialogues

Consideration of Outputs

Three parts of GST

During this phase, experts and parties consider all inputs from a scientific and technical perspective, taking into account equity and the best available science.
The facilitators assess progress towards achieving the collective goals of the Paris Agreement and identify opportunities for enhanced action and support.

The findings of the GST are considered at high-level events, where they inform the Parties about the results of the Technical Assessment. This enables them to update and enhance their actions in a nationally determined manner and strengthen international cooperation for climate action. The consideration of outputs includes identifying opportunities and challenges for enhancing action and support, developing political messages to promote stronger action and enhanced support, and sharing good practices on international cooperation.

Conclusion

Reporting frequency

Through the collection and preparation of information, technical assessment and dialogues, and consideration of outputs, the GST informs Parties about progress, opportunities, and challenges in climate action. It plays a vital role in ensuring that countries' commitments are being implemented and promotes stronger international cooperation for addressing climate change.

The GST is designed to be completed two years before the Nationally Determined Contributions (“NDC”) submission, and more specifically, at the beginning of each new cycle of NDC. Hence, the first GST should be implemented in 2023 (COP 28), to inform countries in preparing for the NDC due in 2025. Because the Paris Agreement requests that each country develop and submit their NDC every five years, the second GST should be completed in 2028 and its results used for NDCs due in 2030. This schedule will allow countries sufficient time to consider the GST outcomes when developing their NDC.