The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) regularly publishes summaries for policymakers (SPMs) following the principle of policy-neutrality. As the urgency of climate change grows, there have been calls for IPCC assessments to be more solution-oriented, which means to assess policy instruments. Yet, there is a scholarly debate regarding whether and how it is possible to discuss policy instruments while staying policy-neutral. To inform this debate we conduct a content analysis of Working Group III SPMs on mitigation published in the last two decades. We find that the SPMs contain limited content on policy instruments with little change over time. This suggests that the SPMs have not yet become more solution-oriented while abiding by their policy-neutrality principle. On the other hand, we show that SPMs have shifted from emphasizing the cost-effectiveness of mitigation towards emphasizing projections of required emissions reductions. Thus, SPM content development is consistent with the evolution of ideas in global climate negotiations. Regardless of whether it chooses to amend its policy-neutrality principle, we recommend that the IPCC still strive to be more solution-oriented. For example, the IPCC could better support the growing ecosystem of national and local boundary organizations which can broker context-specific knowledge on policy instruments. ... Read more

Despite growing recognition of the role of agriculture and forestry in achieving climate and sustainability goals, empirical evidence remains limited, particularly in developing countries like North Macedonia. Using a participatory case study approach, this study examines the linkages (synergies and trade-offs) between climate mitigation Policies and Measures in the agriculture and forestry sector and the Sustainable Development Goals and quantifies them. Additionally, it uses Geographic Information System tools to visualise the most significant linkages across three case studies, making them concrete and serving as a communication tool to enhance policymaker engagement. Key findings reveal that agricultural policies within the Nationally Determined Contributions exclusively generate positive impacts with the Sustainable Development Goals, while forestry measures provide significant co-benefits with minimal trade-offs. Major synergies align with Goals 15 (Life on Land) and 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), while the most notable trade-off occurs with Goal 2 (Zero Hunger). Further, the spatial analysis makes these linkages concrete, showing which regions would benefit most. Overall, the findings underscore the need for enhanced policy planning in the next revision of the Nationally Determined Contributions, alongside stronger judicial systems and streamlined administrative processes, to balance climate mitigation with sustainable development. The findings of this study empirically advance the literature on the effects of climate measures on sustainable development and show the added benefit of using spatial analysis to inform this literature's impact on policymaking. The assessment is qualitative and does not estimate the magnitude of greenhouse gas or carbon dioxide equivalent impacts. ... Read more

The main task of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is to provide comprehensive assessments of climate science. However, there are accusations of bias toward certain research fields based on limited empirical evidence. By analyzing the evidence base of Working Group 3 (WG3) reports, we show that integrated assessment modeling (IAM) research was influential in all six assessments, and overrepresented in the Summary for Policymakers (SPM). Further, we show that a small number of men working in Western Europe and the USA dominate IAM research. Thus, global climate negotiations and science may have historically prioritized mitigation solutions suggested by an unrepresentative scientific sample and missed solutions from other perspectives like those of females and non-Western cultures. However, we also show that IAM research influence decreased in AR6, implying a leveling playing field between research fields. But more effort is needed to ensure a comprehensive assessment. ... Read more

Energy models are used to study emissions mitigation pathways, such as those compatible with the Paris Agreement goals. These models vary in structure, objectives, parameterization and level of detail, yielding differences in the computed energy and climate policy scenarios. To study model differences, diagnostic indicators are common practice in many academic fields, for example, in the physical climate sciences. However, they have not yet been applied systematically in mitigation literature, beyond addressing individual model dimensions. Here we address this gap by quantifying energy model typology along five dimensions: responsiveness, mitigation strategies, energy supply, energy demand and mitigation costs and effort, each expressed through several diagnostic indicators. The framework is applied to a diagnostic experiment with eight energy models in which we explore ten scenarios focusing on Europe. Comparing indicators to the ensemble yields comprehensive ‘energy model fingerprints’, which describe systematic model behaviour and contextualize model differences for future multi-model comparison studies. ... Read more

The impact of waste policies and measures from National Determined Contributions (NDCs) on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is unexamined and creates conditions for policy conflict and incoherence. This participatory case study of North Macedonia quantifies synergies and trade-offs. Our results show twelve times more synergies than trade-offs. The most important synergies concern SDG 8: Decent work and economic growth (score: 10) and SDG 3: Good health and well-being (score: 5) since formalizing the recycling sector is expected to create jobs, economic productivity is expected to improve as a result of increased resource efficiency in industry, and declining pollution is expected to increase health through adequate waste management in landfills. On the other hand, the most important trade-off pertains to SDG 1: No poverty (score: −3) because the incomes of informal workers are expected to decrease, affecting financially vulnerable families. In conclusion, despite being the least emitting sector globally, the waste sector is a promising avenue for mitigating climate change because of its synergistic effects with the SDGs. Circular economy policies in line with the 3Rs: reduce, reuse and recycle hold the most potential for synergies in developing countries. This case study generated momentum for policy implementation by highlighting policy synergies and ideas for the next revision of the NDC. Central to this was the process of fostering dialogue and learning among otherwise siloed policy actors. ... Read more