Growth of Climate Regulations Provides Resilience Against US Policy Changes

Recent analysis from Oxford University’s Climate Policy Monitor underscores a significant expansion in climate-related regulations since 2020 across various global regions. Despite fluctuations in specific areas like the United States, where regulatory strength may diminish, organizations with international operations must adapt to a broader array of global compliance obligations.

The report identifies several existing voids within these regulations. The new policies exhibit disparities in their ambition, thoroughness, and enforcement intensity, with only a handful meeting comprehensive criteria on all fronts.

Thomas Hale, an expert in global public policy, emphasized the necessity for the expansion of climate rules. It is crucial to accelerate progress in regulatory ambition, scope, and rigor to ensure the safety of humanity.

Current strategies may lead to a global temperature increase of 3°C above the pre-industrial benchmarks by 2100, a situation that would drastically overshoot the Paris Agreement’s target of 1.5°C. The consequence of failing to meet these climate commitments could mean more frequent and severe occurrences of environmental disasters, such as heavy flooding.

Hale further stressed that it is imperative these policies be robustly enforced rather than just existing in legislation.

The Climate Policy Monitor evaluates climate policies enacted by nations, particularly among the G20, as well as in an additional cohort of 11 countries selected for their diverse economies and geographies. These countries collectively account for a predominant share of global greenhouse emissions.

The policies under scrutiny span several domains, including mandatory regulations imposed on government bodies and firms within these jurisdictions. Notably, public procurement stands out as a critical area, with 27 nations having introduced rules aimed at aligning their procurement processes with sustainable climate goals. Public spending through contracts, known as public procurement, constitutes a significant portion of a nation’s GDP.

For instance, Sweden has ambitious plans to electrify its heavy bus purchases, targeting 65% of new acquisitions to be electric. Similarly, Turkey and the United Kingdom have undertaken steps to limit emissions through their procurement choices—for cement in Turkey and for suppliers bidding on major contracts in the UK.

This detailed analysis and policy formulation form part of a collaborative effort spearheaded by the Blavatnik School of Government and Oxford Sustainable Law Programme. Their joint initiative aims to construct an evidence-backed framework conducive to promoting effective, equitable, and stringent net-zero regulations and policies.

The findings emphasize the growing importance of climate policies, not only as environmental mechanisms but as tools of resilience against potential policy reversals in any single nation. This growth in climate regulation continues to showcase an emerging consensus and commitment from the international community to address the pressing challenge of climate change.

Through these coordinated efforts and proactive engagement in climate regulations, the path towards achieving sustainable climate policy goals remains a global priority, resistant to shifts in individual national policies. The consistency and maturation of these regulations assure a certain level of stability and long-term strategic direction in global climate governance.