Pilot studies of transformational impact show the extent of climate policy ambition

Four pilot cases have showed how looking at climate action policies through a Transformational Change lens can yield new insights into what works and why.

The four cases cover different levels, sectors and stakeholders, and have used a new methodology, developed by UNEP DTU Partnership experts, to assess both new and emerging climate policies.

The Transformational Change Methodology is a stepwise approach to determine the extent to which a policy is truly transformational in terms of delivering on the fundamental, radical changes required to meet the global climate goals and SDGs.

It is one of the ten Policy Assessment Guides available through the Initiative for Climate Action Transparency (ICAT), where UNEP DTU Partnership is an implementing partner.

 Change is required on all levels

If we are to limit the global rise in temperatures and get within reach of the goals of the Paris Agreement, change is required on all levels.

The systems approach of the transformative change assessment methodology makes it flexible and able to analyse policies from small municipalities to global industrial initiatives.

Putting the guide to the test, and proving its usefulness, the four pilot cases covered a broad palette of real world experiences:

• Development of a Energy Efficiency Master Plan in Tonga
• Assessment of the Transformational Change potential for the Citizens of the Future Initiative in Bolivia
• Development of a national Geothermal Energy Policy in Uganda
• Assessment of the Transformational Potential of the Nitric Acid Climate Action Group (NACAG) Initiative

Assessing policy impacts

The ICAT Assessment Guides are a series of methodologies for assessing greenhouse gas emission reductions, sustainable development and transformational impacts of policies and actions in an integrated and comprehensive manner across all levels of governance including sub-national levels supported by guides for stakeholder engagement and technical review.

They can play a critical role in implementing Nationally Determined Contributions and in preparing reports under the Enhanced Transparency Framework of the Paris Agreement and on progress in achieving the SDGs.

As an online toolbox, they are available to everyone and are designed to be able to be used as self-assessment tools. A series of interactive capacity building modules have been developed for countries and stakeholders interested in using the methodologies and guides.

There are currently guides available for Introductory guide, Sustainable development,  Transformational change and Stakeholder participation.

UNEP DTU Partnership in collaboration with ICAT, has also developed a series of templates for assessments of Sustainable development and Transformational change and for reporting on Transformational change.

The templates make it easier to use the ICAT Assessment Guides. The reporting template and the assessment template help to communicate results in a clear and concise manner, in a format ready to be presented to other stakeholders.

The four pilots were carried out in close collaboration with the Climate Technology Centre and Network, the NACAG initiative by GIZ and local stakeholders, such as the University of Makerere in Uganda and Servicios Ambientales S.A. in Bolivia.