International
Governancefor Global
Commons
Stewardship— Annex
The role of international
initiatives in driving
system transformations
Annex
December 2023

1

1

Driving system transformations

This annex accompanies the main discussion

We focus on three system transformations

paper that proposes a framework foroutlined in the Global Commons Stewardshipunderstanding the roles of international

Framework:

initiatives in safeguarding the global commons.
We do not list the individual initiatives in the•main discussion paper but describe them

decarbonization of energy, industry andtransport;

separately in this annex. International•sustainable food, land, water and oceans;

initiatives can involve civil society organizations,•sustainable production and consumption

businesses and governments. In contrast toof materials; andintergovernmental bodies, such initiatives

2

act without a formal intergovernmental

For each transformation, we identify major

mandate, so all their work is non-binding on

international initiatives acting across the six

governments.

interventions:1.

Shared goals and pathways: Goals

4. Behavior change: A challenging but noare critical to set the right level ofless important objective of international

ambition for countries, businesses

initiatives is to accelerate the behavior

and civil society. Pathways can makechange required to safeguard thetime-bound targets operational andglobal commons, including changes

bring together stakeholders—includingin the volume and types of goods andcompeting businesses—to develop a

services people consume (demand-

joint vision of how shared goals can beside measures). These include

achieved. International initiatives canchanges toward healthier and more

propose targets that operationalize

environmentally sustainable diets andintergovernmental agreements and canenergy-saving mobility choices. Suchdevelop pathways for reaching them.

changes are notoriously hard to facilitate

By providing international benchmarks,

and comparatively few international

they help in raising the level of ambition,

initiatives have emerged in this space.

developing a consensus around the

It is also important to recognize thatfeasibility of achieving ambitious goals

large-scale behavior change will

and assisting stakeholders in moving

be impossible without overhauling

toward them (e.g., by reducing first-

the underlying system, such as themover disadvantages). International

available infrastructure (supply side) andinitiatives can play an important roleeconomic incentives (policies).

in translating pathways into voluntarystandards for business targets.

5. Innovation and new technologies:
Knowledge and technological innovation

2. Policy and regulation: Well-designed

are non-rival goods, so new ideas andinternational initiatives can support

solutions create benefits for wider society,governments in improving policy andnot just for their inventors (e.g., lower

regulation by sharing lessons and best

manufacturing costs, foundations forpractices internationally, including

further research). The development andthrough open-access databases. They

deployment of technologies also benefit

can also score countries’ policies, whichfrom international collaboration and shared

helps pinpoint gaps and disseminates

financing. Innovation is therefore a criticallearning from one country to the next.

driver of global commons stewardship.

3. Finance, de-risking and investments:

6. Data and monitoring, evaluation and

The transformations for stewardship ofaccountability: Many transformations

the global commons require a fundamental

are held back by a lack of data, shared

reallocation of financial resources andaccountability standards and rigorous

face significant financing shortfalls.

evaluation of what works and what

To increase resource mobilization,

doesn’t. International initiatives haveinternational initiatives can help develop

been particularly active in driving

and advance new financing concepts

standards for data and monitoring,and instruments, such as blended

evaluation and accountability.

1

finance, Paris-aligned investments andhigh-integrity carbon markets.
1 See Blended Finance Taskforce, 2020 and IEA, 2022.

3

We explore how far each intervention has

main discussion paper. The list of initiatives is

progressed toward triggering a system shiftbased on a qualitative assessment that has

and assign color codes as follows:

been tested in discussions with practitioners.
To enhance readability, we have focused•

Red: Ideation phaseon what we see as some of the most•Yellow: Development phase

important initiatives, which has obviously•

Green: Take-off phase

involved a degree of subjectivity. Our aim
is not to provide an exhaustive review, but

International initiatives can thus play

to give a flavor of the important role played

up to six roles across the three system

by international initiatives in driving global

transformations for global commonscommons stewardship.

stewardship, which are described in the4Decarbonization of energy,
industry and transport

2

Numerous international initiatives are helping

areas, such as behavior change. Figure 1 lists

drive the decarbonization of energy, industry

the principal international initiatives that support

and transport; but major gaps remain in key

this transformation and outlines major gaps.

FIGURE 1
International initiatives supporting the decarbonization of energy, industry, and transport
Ideation

Development

Take-off

OECD tracking of
USD 100 billion goal

2050 Pathways Platform

DATA, MONITORING& EVALUATION AND
ACCOUNTABILITYSHARED GOALS AND
PATHWAYS

MPP

ISSB
SystemChange Lab

IEA’s 1.5°
pathway
SBTiCAT

GHG Protocol

CDP

ICVCM

TCFD

IRP

NZAOA

JETP

Universal
Energy Facility

FINANCE,
DE-RISKING ANDINVESTMENT

Green
Climate Fund

ETC

SEforAll

GEAPP

PPCA

Global Power System
Transformation
Consortium

POLICY ANDREGULATION

GFANZ

GEAPP

ISSB

NDC
Partnership

C40

International
Solar Alliance

GuarantCo

VCMI

Blended FinanceTaskforce

Climate Policy
Database

Bloomberg Net
Zero Pathfinder

IRENA

IEA’s Global Commission for
Urgent Action on Energy Efficiency
NUDGE

BIToolkit

BEHAVIOUR
CHANGE

Oil & Gas Methane Partnership

INNOVATION & NEW
TECHNOLOGIES

BreakthroughEnergyMissionInnovation

Clean Energy
Ministerial

MPP

5

2.1

Shared goals and pathways

Global goals and pathways
reference point for decarbonizing the global energy system. It is used by governments,
companies and financial markets to monitor policies and business action relative to thechanges needed for reaching net-zero emissions by mid-century. It forms the basis ofmany national and sector decarbonization pathways. However, the IEA’s data and models
are not freely available, so it is hard to interrogate and challenge the IEA 1.5°C pathway.

National goals and pathways
The 2050 Pathways Platform helps countries articulate their long-term low-emission
development strategies in accordance with Article 4.19 of the Paris Agreement. These
strategies then inform the nationally determined contributions (NDCs) that articulate
each country’s shorter-term efforts to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
Today most large GHG emitters have adopted mid-century net-zero targets that areunderpinned by increasingly robust national pathways.
The Energy Transitions Commission (ETC) brings together business leaders to develop
shared pathways toward energy decarbonization. It informs the decisions of public
and private decision makers by providing them with datapoints and tools on the energy
transition; and by convening action-oriented, high-level discussions and collaborations.

6

Take-off

The International Energy Agency (IEA) 1.5°C pathway has become the international

Sector goals and pathways
The Mission Possible Partnership (MPP) is a multistakeholder coalition that develops
shared sector transition strategies for hard-to-abate sectors, including aluminum,chemicals, concrete, steel, aviation, trucking and shipping. The MPP identifies the main
sources of emissions and the viability and timeframes of various mitigation approaches.
A shared understanding of the pathways enables cooperation (e.g., on research anddevelopment) and reduces first-mover disadvantages.

Business goals and pathways
The Science-Based Target Initiative (SBTi) is a partnership between CDP, the UN Global
Compact, the World Resources Institute (WRI) and the World Wildlife Fund that setsout standards and net-zero pathways for Paris-consistent business targets. The SBTi
has mobilized a critical mass of businesses to set verifiable net-zero targets: more than
2,200 companies have signed up to the SBTi and it covers around one-third of the global
economy capitalization.

2.2

Policy and regulation
Overall climate policies
and helps countries translate their NDCs into concrete actions and policies. Countries
formulate their NDCs every five years and can draw on insights and funding from thepartnership’s members.
The Bloomberg Net Zero Pathfinder shares insights with policymakers on how to design

Development

The NDC Partnership offers a tailored package of expertise and technical assistance,

and implement effective decarbonization strategies. It offers them a public resource tofind effective climate solutions.
The Climate Policy Database inventories national decarbonization policies across a
range of policy areas. The freely accessible data enables governments and other stakeholders to learn about what has worked in other countries, to benchmark their own
progress and to hold policymakers to account.
The recently established Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP) pools resourcesfrom foundations and government donors to support better decarbonization policies
with a particular view toward strengthening efforts to ensure a just energy transition.

7

Power systems
The International Renewable Energy Agency is the leading global intergovernmental
agency for energy transformation, providing state-of-the-art data and analyses ontechnology, innovation, policy, finance and investment. It aims to accelerate the adoptionof sustainable energy.
The Global Power System Transformation Consortium works on a more technical,
sector-specific level. It is a consortium of the major global energy grid operators thatdevelops insights that are shared with other countries.

Urban decarbonization
The C40 Cities Clean Energy Network supports cities in planning and implementing
ambitious energy transition policies. They can set their own targets, switch their energy
supply to renewables, promote energy efficiency and promote decentralized renewableenergy generation.

Energy accessSustainable Energy for All is an international organization that works in partnership with
the United Nations and government leaders, the private sector, financial institutions, civilsociety and philanthropies to drive faster action toward the achievement of Sustainable
Development Goal 7 (SDG7)—access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern
energy for all by 2030—in line with the Paris Agreement on climate.
The International Solar Alliance is a platform for increased deployment of solar energy
technologies as a means of promoting energy access, ensuring energy security anddriving the energy transition in member countries. The phaseout of the fossil fuel energy
supply poses significant challenges for policymakers.
The Powering Past Coal Alliance is a coalition of national and subnational governments,
businesses and organizations working to advance the transition from unabated coal
power generation to clean energy in the European Union by 2030 and the world by 2040.

8

2.3

Finance, de-risking and investment

Climate finance
The GEAPP aims to scale the energy transition, provide renewable energy to 1 billion

The Just Energy Transition Partnership was launched at COP26 in 2021 to support
South Africa in its decarbonization effort in the context of domestic climate policy. It is thefirst of its kind, as it focuses on a just and fair transition, protecting vulnerable workers andcommunities. At COP27, the international partners group announced a partnership forIndonesia to achieve a just transition for workers and communities, as energy production

Development

underserved people and create tens of millions of new green jobs.

shifts away from coal.2 Similarly, they have announced a partnership to help Vietnam with
their climate and energy goals.3
2 European Commission, 2022.
3 GOV.UK, 2022.

Financial and business alliances for net zero
The Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero is a coalition of leading financial institutions
that aim to provide tools and resources for the financial sector to implement its net-zeroambitions. It connects the financial sector with the net-zero campaign, climate scientists,
experts and civil society.
The UN-convened Net Zero Asset Owner Alliance is a member-led initiative of
institutional investors committed to transitioning their investment portfolios to net-zero
GHG emissions by 2050.

9

Climate disclosure in accounting
The International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) was initiated by the International
Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) Foundation, which already sets accounting
standards that apply in about 140 countries. The ISSB is supported by a broad coalitionof relevant organizations, suggesting that emerging accounting standards could soon
move toward widespread adoption.

Voluntary carbon markets
The Voluntary Carbon Markets Integrity Initiative (VCMI) helps companies maketransparent and credible claims about their carbon credits and associated claims. A
Claims Code of Practice is being developed through an inclusive stakeholder process.
Similarly, the Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market is an independent
governance body that aims to ensure the voluntary carbon market follows defined global
standards.

Blended finance
The Green Climate Fund—a critical element of the historic Paris Agreement—is theworld’s largest climate fund, mandated to support developing countries in raising andrealizing their NDC ambitions toward low-emissions, climate-resilient pathways.
GuarantCo was established in 2005 to help close the infrastructure funding gap andalleviate poverty in lower-income countries across Africa and Asia. Its local currency
credit solutions aim to mobilize private sector investment for infrastructure projects.
The Universal Energy Facility (UEF) is a multi-donor, results-based finance facility
established to significantly accelerate and scale up energy access across sub-SaharanAfrica. The UEF provides incentive payments to eligible organizations deploying energy
solutions and providing verified end-user electricity connections.
The Blended Finance Taskforce was established to help mobilize large-scale capital for
the SDGs, including for climate. It identified key barriers for the effective use of blended
finance and is now implementing an action program to increase mainstream private
investment for high-impact sectors, with a focus on emerging markets.

10

2.4

Behavior change

Energy efficiency
high-level commission established to advance global progress on energy efficiency.
It has developed a series of actionable recommendations to support governments in

Ideation

The IEA’s Global Commission for Urgent Action on Energy Efficiency is an independentachieving more ambitious action on energy efficiency.

National campaigns
The NUDGE project aims to systematically assess and unleash the potential of
behavioral interventions toward achieving higher energy efficiency.
The Behavioural Insights Toolkit is intended to support policymakers, civil servants andprofessionals who design programs to reduce the emissions of citizens and businesses.
The International Resource Panel (IRP) was launched by the United Nations Environment
Programme (UNEP) to improve worldwide resource use. It has argued in favor of
absolute reductions in resource use to achieve the energy transition. High-income
countries need to decouple their energy usage from wellbeing; while middle-to-lowerincome countries need to increase their energy usage at a comparatively slower rate.

11

2.5

Innovation and new technologies

The Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM) and Mission Innovation bring together governments
and other stakeholders to accelerate clean energy innovation and deployment. They
foster intergovernmental knowledge transfer, which is central to the energy transition.
The CEM is a high-level global forum that promotes policies and programs to advanceclean energy technology, share lessons learned and best practices, and promote thetransition to a global clean energy economy. Mission Innovation is a group of 22 countries
and the European Commission aimed at stepping up their collective ambition, collaborationand investment in the research, development and implementation of clean energy.
Breakthrough Energy was established by Bill Gates and a coalition of private investors
to support net-zero innovations. Breakthrough Energy Ventures encourages thedevelopment of new net-zero energy technologies, championing policies that speed
innovation from lab to market, and bringing together governments, research institutions,private companies and investors to expand and enhance clean energy investment.
The MPP and other industry coalitions are promoting pilot initiatives for new
technologies and their deployment in areas such as green steel and green shipping.
Such initiatives require more resources and focused attention from decision-makers todeliver the necessary technology breakthroughs and uptake.
The Cement Sustainability Initiative is a strategic partnership between the Global
Cement and Concrete Association and the World Business Council for Sustainable
Development (WBCSD) to facilitate sustainable development in the cement sector andits value chains.

MethaneThe Oil & Gas Methane Partnership is a multistakeholder initiative launched by UNEP and
the Climate and Clean Air Coalition. It commits companies to a gold standard reporting
framework that improves the accuracy and transparency of methane emissions,requiring them to set and report on reduction targets.

12

Development

Energy technologies and industrial
decarbonization

2.6

Data and monitoring, evaluation andaccountability

The Taskforce on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) has developed
a framework to help public companies and other organizations more effectively
disclose climate-related risks and opportunities through existing reporting processes.
Governments around the world have now begun to codify aspects of the TCFD
recommendations into policy and regulation.

Development

Monitoring

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development tracks the progressof countries toward the $100 billion goal. In 2009, developed countries committed
to collectively mobilize this amount per year by 2020 for climate action; this was
subsequently extended to 2025. In 2020, donor countries fell short of their goal byaround $16 billion.
The Climate Action Tracker (CAT) has been key to operationalizing targets at the national
level by providing scientific assessments of government climate action for 39 countries
and the European Union, covering around 85% of global emissions. In addition, the CAT
aggregates country actions at the global level to assess the likely temperature rise during
the 21st century. Furthermore, the CAT provides sectoral analyses to illustrate required
pathways for international aviation and shipping. The CAT quantifies and evaluates
nations’ climate change mitigation targets, policies and actions; and assesses whether
these are Paris-aligned and fair.

13

The IRP was launched by UNEP to improve worldwide resource use. It has argued infavor of absolute reductions in resource use to achieve the energy transition. High-income
countries need to decouple their energy usage from wellbeing; while middle-to-lowerincome countries need to increase their energy usage at a comparatively slower rate.

GHG accounting
The GHG Protocol was established by the WRI and the WBCSD to ensure that there is astandardized mechanism to measure and manage GHG emissions from both the public
and private sectors. It is the most widely used GHG accounting standard worldwide.

Data visualization
The Systems Change Lab has collected and visualized data on key transformations
for energy. Its portal presents data on the necessary shifts for industry and power, andanalyzes whether targets are on track.

14

Sustainable food, land,
water and oceans

3

Food production has increased dramaticallyTransforming to a more sustainable food andsince the middle of the last century, which

land use system is critical to curb climate

has promoted human development andchange, protect biodiversity and improve

massively reduced hunger and malnutrition.

human health.

However, today’s food and land use
systems are environmentally destructive

Numerous international initiatives are helping

and vulnerable; they generate poor healthdrive change toward sustainable food, land,outcomes and reinforce major inequalities.

water and oceans; but major gaps remain.

The hidden costs of the food system exceed

Figure 2 lists the principal international$12 trillion per year—indeed, they are higher

initiatives that support this transformation

than the total value of agricultural production.

and outlines major gaps.

FIGURE 2International initiatives supporting sustainable food, land, water and oceans
Ideation

Development

IHME

FELD Action
Tracker

TNFD

Darwin Core
SystemChange Lab

Take-off

DATA, MONITORING& EVALUATION AND
ACCOUNTABILITY

High Ambition Coalition (HAC)
for Nature and People

SHARED GOALS AND
PATHWAYS

UN Biodiversity
Lab

Food Systems
Dashboard

ISSB

FCLP

SBTi’s FLAG
Guidance

Land & Carbon
Lab

Global Forest
Watch

SBTN

TRASE

Forest Declaration
Assessment

Verra (VCS)

AFR100FINANCE,
DE-RISKING ANDINVESTMENT

Initiative
20x20

SBTi

FCPF

NatureFinance

VCMI

FAIRR
Initiative

EAT Lancet Commission

End Wildlife
Crime

Good Food
Institute

The Race to Zerocampaign
Traders
Roadmap
Global Methane
PledgePOLICY ANDREGULATIONFACT Dialogue

ART

REDD+

Behavioural
Insights Team

TNFD

SBTN

GHG Protocol Land Sector
and Removals Guidance

FOLU

WBCSD

Business for
NatureRoundtable on
Sustainable
Palm Oil

AGRA

FCLP

SPACESLEAF Coalition

BEHAVIOUR
CHANGEINNOVATION & NEW
TECHNOLOGIES

CGIAR

15

3.1

Shared goals and pathways

Policy goals and pathways
have committed to protecting at least 30% of the world’s land and marine areas by 2030.
Many of these countries have also made domestic commitments to reach the 30% goal.
They have now committed to a plan to work together to ensure the implementation of thisambitious global target.
The Forest Declaration Assessment provides an annual civil society-led progressassessment on global forests. It increases transparency and holds policymakers
accountable for their promises on deforestation.
The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil is a global nonprofit organization with voluntary
members, bringing together stakeholders from across the palm oil supply chain todevelop and implement global standards for sustainable palm oil. Together with the New
York Declaration and the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil, this has been effective inconvincing corporates not to endorse deforestation.
At COP26, more than 125 countries committed to the Global Methane Pledge, aimed at
reducing methane emissions by at least 30% from 2020 levels by 2030. 4
4 Changing Markets Foundation, 2022.

16

Development

The High Ambition Coalition for People and Nature involves over 100 countries which

Business goals and pathways
The SBTi’s FLAG Guidance provides a framework for companies in land-intensive
sectors to set science-based targets that cover land-based reductions and removals.
The guidance enables companies to reduce their global GHG emissions from agriculture,
forestry and other land use. It offers a common, robust, science-based understanding of
how much and how quickly a company needs to cut its land-related emissions.
The Science-Based Targets Network (SBTN) aims to motivate companies and cities
to implement science-based targets that reduce their negative impact on nature. The
science-based targets are measurable, actionable and time-bound objectives thatare set by companies beginning in 2023. The SBTN also offers guidance and tools forcompanies to assess their efforts to reduce nature loss.
Business for Nature is a coalition that brings together businesses and conservation
organizations and calls on governments to adopt policies to reverse nature loss.5 It
recently published an open letter addressed to heads of state urging them to “make it
mandatory” for all large businesses and financial institutions to assess and disclose theirimpacts and dependencies on biodiversity by 2030, with more than 300 businesses
signing the letter. 6
The GHG Protocol Land Sector and Removals Guidance is currently being developed
and will be published in 2023. It explains how companies can account for and reporton GHG emissions and removals from land management, land use change, biogenic
products, carbon dioxide removal technologies and related activities in GHG inventories.
The Race to Zero has included land-based emissions in the minimum requirements
for companies to join the campaign. The Race to Zero is a global campaign that rallies
leadership and support from businesses, cities, regions and investors for a zero-carbon
recovery. Including land-based emissions in its pledges is central, as this incentivizes
companies to work toward reducing deforestation.
The Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) offers a financial
disclosure framework for organizations to report and act on nature-related risks toincentivize financial investments in nature-positive outcomes.
The agricultural commodity Traders Roadmap was published at COP26 and was
signed by the biggest food commodity companies, committing them to move against
deforestation in their supply chains.
5 FOLU, 2021.
6 Weston, 2022.

17

3.2

Policy and regulation

Whole-of-government policies
The Forest and Climate Leaders’ Partnership (FCLP), launched on November 7, 2022
at COP27, is a voluntary partnership of 26 countries which have committed to halt andconsumer countries to share progress on reducing deforestation and hold countries
accountable on the pledges and commitments they have made.7
SPACES, a new coalition launched following the Montreal Convention on Biological
Diversity COP15, supports interested governments in undertaking spatial planning forterrestrial and marine areas in order to achieve nature and climate targets.
The FACT Dialogue is a government-to-government dialogue that is bringing together
the largest producers and consumers of internationally traded agricultural commodities
to stop deforestation.
The Food and Land Use Coalition (FOLU) is a coalition of committed partners that aims totransform our consumption of food and the use of land. FOLU supports climate-based solutions
and helps build a shared understanding of the challenges and opportunities in the transition.
7 Nature-Based Solutions Initiative, 2023.

Food security
AGRA is an African-led alliance that aims to catalyze an inclusive agriculturaltransformation in Africa by improving farmers’ incomes and strengthening food security.
It aims to build systems and tools that provide high-quality seeds, improve soil health andincrease access to markets and investments.

18

Ideationreverse forest loss and land degradation by 2030. It brings together key producer and3.3

Finance, de-risking and investment
Carbon markets
REDD+ is a global framework created by the United Nations Framework Convention
that reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation, and promote thesustainable management of forests and the conservation and enhancement of forest
carbon stocks in low-income countries. REDD+ has been broadly successful in the pastand has yielded transformative results, especially in Brazil and Indonesia. However, its

Ideationon Climate Change Conference of the Parties to guide activities in the forest sector

financial model is unsustainable: REDD+ was founded as an interim solution whereby
certain higher-income countries pay for projects in other lower-income countries, and it
is very unlikely that this model will continue in the future.
The Architecture for REDD+ Transactions is a global initiative that seeks to incentivize
governments to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation, and torestore forests and protect intact forests.
Verra’s Verified Carbon Standard Program is the world’s most widely used GHG crediting
program. It drives finance toward activities that reduce and remove emissions, improve
livelihoods and protect nature.
The LEAF Coalition has also mobilized financing to stop deforestation, most recently
raising $1 billion in 2021. It is a partnership between the governments of Norway, theUnited Kingdom, the United States and leading multinational companies. It aims tofacilitate high-quality emissions reductions in tropical and subtropical forest countries.
The VCMI helps companies make transparent and credible claims about their purchaseand use of carbon credits and associated claims. A Claims Code of Practice is being
developed through an inclusive stakeholder process. The VCMI supports access to highintegrity voluntary carbon markets.
The Forest Carbon Partnership Facility is a partnership of governments, businesses, civilsociety and Indigenous Peoples focused on reducing emissions and supporting REDD+.
Around 17 donors have made contributions and commitments of approximately $1.3 billion.

Restoration finance
AFR100 is a partnership of 33 African governments and numerous technical andfinancial partners. It assesses restoration opportunities, and tests and actively upscales
promising solutions.

19

Initiative 20x20 is a country-led initiative that aims to restore 50 million hectaresof forests, farms, pasture and other landscapes by 2030 in Latin America and the
Caribbean.

Other finance for nature-based solutions
NatureFinance aims to put nature-positive and equitable outcomes at the heart of global
finance by advocating for effective policy, creating an ecosystem of investable naturerelated ventures and innovation and incubation activities.

3.4

Behavior change
Shifting dietsto accelerate alternative protein innovation. With the help of plant-based meat,
fermentation and cultivated meat, the global growth rate of meat consumption could
decrease. The overall aim is to feed more people with fewer resources, thus decoupling
human wellbeing from land use growth. Nudges can be a powerful tool to shift personal
diets. Recent developments in big data and artificial intelligence enable policymakers andbusinesses to identify patterns more rapidly and close information gaps to make nudging
more effective.
The EAT-Lancet Commission on Food, Planet, Health provides a science-based
framework for a ‘planetary diet’ in which nutritional needs and planetary boundaries arealigned.
The Behavioural Insights Team (BIT) creates and applies behavioral insights to drive
positive change, including on diets.
The Farm Animal Investment Risk and Return Initiative is an investor network that raises
awareness of the environmental, social and governance consequences of intense
livestock production and advocates for sustainable animal farming backed by fundmanagers.
The WBCSD has been building a business coalition of leading companies across thefood value chain and beyond, called FReSH. Members are collaborating on a precompetitive basis to support healthy people on a healthy planet.

20

Ideation

The Good Food Institute is a nongovernmental organization (NGO) that is seeking

Trade in wildlife
End Wildlife Crime is an alliance of individuals and organizations working to encourage
states to fill serious gaps in international law on wildlife crime by advocating for andoffering technical support to create new global agreements, amend existing international
wildlife trade laws and adopt a new international agreement on pandemic prevention.

3.5

Innovation and new technologies
The Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research is a global research
partnership that aims to drive research and innovation in food, land and water systems.

3.6

Ideation

Research on food security

Data and monitoring, evaluation andaccountability
The Systems Change Lab has collected and visualized data on key transformations
for nature. Its portal provides data on the necessary shifts for food, forest and land
management, ocean management and freshwater management, and on whether targets
are on track. The food systems dashboard combines data from multiple sources to give acomplete view of the food system.

Development

Tracking progress

The Food, Environment, Land and Development (FELD) Action Tracker is an initiative
under FOLU and led by the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network that, like theCAT, aims to track countries’ policies and determine whether they are on track to meet
key climate, nature and food system targets. At present, FELD remains vastly subscale;discussions are underway for a separate or integrated Nature Action Tracker.
The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) works with collaborators
worldwide to develop relevant and scientifically valid evidence that evaluates the stateof health, including dietary risks. The IHME’s Global Burden of Disease study, which
was published in 2017, quantified the impact of suboptimal diets on non-communicable21

disease mortality and morbidity, and highlighted the need for diet shifts globally. 8 The
IHME has subsequently created an indicator that provides a comprehensive pictureof mortality and disability across countries, time, age and sex, and quantifies healthloss from hundreds of diseases, injuries and risk factors so that health systems can be
improved and disparities eliminated.
8 The Lancet, 2019.

Accountability on deforestation
The Land & Carbon Lab is partnering with leading scientists and technologists to curate
best-in-class geospatial data on land use, land use change and associated carbon
stocks and flows.
TRASE is a data-driven transparency initiative that aims to advance our understandingof the trade and financing of commodities driving deforestation worldwide. It is publishedby Global Canopy and the Stockholm Environment Institute. They have also publisheda tracker that monitors financial institutions on their actions on deforestation andassociated human rights abuses.

Data sharing
The UN Biodiversity Lab integrates different data layers and makes them publicly
available.
The Darwin Core aims to facilitate the sharing of information about biological diversity byproviding a glossary of terms.

Monitoring and evaluation
The TNFD develops and delivers a risk management and disclosure framework fororganizations to report and act on evolving nature-related risks.
The ISSB is an independent private sector body that develops and approves IFRS
Sustainability Disclosure Standards.
The SBTN is a network of organizations developing methods and resources for sciencebased targets for nature for companies and science-based targets for both climate andnature for cities.

22

Sustainable production andconsumption of materials

4

The extraction and processing of materials

progress has been limited and major gaps

(metals, minerals, fuels and biomass) accountremain. As most governments have been

for about half of all GHG emissions and cause

slow to embrace policies to advanceapproximately 90% of global land-related

sustainable production and consumption,

biodiversity loss and water stress. Tacklingpressure and support from internationalsustainable production and consumption,

initiatives can play a critical role. Initiatives

including the circular economy, is thus criticalthat work on energy-intensive materials

for safeguarding the global commons, including

have already been addressed in the analysis

meeting climate and nature objectives.

of the energy transformation. This section

9

focuses on consumer goods industries such
A number of international initiatives aim to

as fashion and electronics. Figure 3 lists theaccelerate the change toward sustainable

principal international initiatives that support

production and consumption, but meaningful

this transformation and outlines major gaps.

9 Oberle et al., 2018.

FIGURE 3International initiatives supporting sustainable production and consumption of materials
Ideation

Development

SBTi

Take-off

SBTN

The Fashion
Pact

G20 Resource Efficiency
Dialogue Economy

The Consumer Goods Forum – plastic
waste coalition of action – shared goals

GHG Protocol

DATA, MONITORING& EVALUATION AND
ACCOUNTABILITY

IRP

CircleEconomyGCSI

Systems
Change Lab

Global Battery
Pass

EMF

SEEA

SHARED GOALS AND
PATHWAYSWRIOne Planet
NetworkRMI

IRPBusiness Coalition for a
Global Plastics Treaty

Battery Pass

G7 Berlin
Roadmap on
Resource
Efficiency andCircular
Economy

MPP

ChathamHouse

FINANCE,
DE-RISKING ANDINVESTMENT

Network forGreening the
Financial System

PACE

WRI

CPG

Ex’tax ProjectFoundation

Behavioral
Insights
Behavioural
Team Team
Insights

Good FoodClub of Rome
Institute

BEHAVIOUR
CHANGEPOLICY ANDREGULATION

Wellbeing
Economy Alliance

Circular Cities
Declaration

Responsible
Steel

PREVENT
Waste Alliance

C40

SINE
Foundation

SITRA

INNOVATION & NEW
TECHNOLOGIESZero Waste
Europe
GPAP

IRP

IRMA

PACE

Circular Electronics
Partnership
Consumers
Beyond Waste

SWITCH
programme

23

4.1

Shared goals and pathways
The IRP’s Global Resources Outlook analyzes scenarios for sustainable resource
consumption.

National goals and pathways
The G7 Berlin Roadmap on Resource Efficiency and Circular Economy (2022) sets the
direction for G7 government action on resource efficiency and the circular economy. The
G7 Alliance on Resource Efficiency develops priorities and updates the roadmap every
five years.
The G20 Resource Efficiency Dialogue brings together G20 resource efficiency
policymakers to align on circular economy and resource efficiency priorities.
The One Planet Network/10-Year Framework of Programmes on Sustainable
Consumption and Production, hosted by UNEP, acts as an action hub on SDG12, which is
focused on sustainable consumption and production. It brings together examples of bestpractice globally and works to inspire action toward achieving SDG12.

Sectoral goals and pathways
The WRI provides guidance on good material use and circularity targets.
The MPP sets sector-specific decarbonization targets, including on steel, aluminum andconcrete.
The Fashion Pact is a CEO-led coalition backed by one-third of the global fashionindustry. It has set collective targets signed by all members. However, it is not committed
to reductions in material consumption.
The Consumer Goods Forum Plastic Waste Coalition of Action is a coalition of over
40 companies that have committed to golden design rules that harmonize packaging
recyclability across the industry and promote extended producer responsibility schemes
to fund waste management systems.
The ETC brings together business leaders to develop shared pathways toward

24

Ideation

Global goals and pathwaysdecarbonization, including of materials. It informs the decisions of public and private
decision makers by providing them with datapoints and tools on decarbonization, as wellas convening action-oriented, high-level discussions and collaborations.
The Rocky Mountain Institute supports the decarbonization of the real economy—
including heavy industry, buildings and mobility—through market-based change. It works
with businesses, policymakers, communities and other organizations to identify andscale energy system interventions that will cut GHG emissions by at least 50% by 2030.

Business goals and pathways
The Business Coalition for a Global Plastics Treaty brings together businesses andfinancial institutions that jointly support the development of an ambitious, effective andlegally binding Global Plastics Treaty to promote reduced plastic production and use
through a circular economy approach.

4.2

Policy and regulation

Circular economy policy
Zero Waste Europe connects and supports a vibrant network of 34 local and national
together for a zero-waste future.
Chatham House has launched a global initiative to create a roadmap on an inclusive
circular economy.10 This aims to facilitate integrated coordination and policy alignment
10

Ideation

NGOs from all around Europe that share common values and objectives and are working

Chatham House, 2022.

25

of national circular economy roadmaps. Currently there is no collective vision for a
global circular economy and Chatham House, together with partner organizations wants
to create a platform for collective action. The initiative has just been launched, so its
effectiveness is yet to be determined.
The Wellbeing Economy Alliance aims to build momentum for an economic transformationthat delivers shared wellbeing for people and the environment. It brings together morethan 200 organizations, national and local governments and individuals to make society
more sustainable.
The PREVENT Waste Alliance was initiated by the German Federal Ministry for Economic
Cooperation and Development. It serves as a platform for exchange and international
cooperation for organizations from the public and private sectors, academia and civil society.
The Platform for Accelerating the Circular Economy (PACE), hosted by the WRI, brings
together the public and private sector, as well as civil society, to scale best practices on
the circular economy. The aim is to double global circularity in the next 10 years.

Plastics
The Global Plastic Action Partnership brings together governments, businesses andcivil society to translate commitments on plastic into policy action, both nationally andglobally.
The High Ambition Coalition to End Plastic Pollution aims to develop an ambitious
international legally binding instrument that is comprehensive and ensures urgent actionand effective interventions along the full lifecycle of plastics.

Built environment
The Circular Buildings Coalition seeks to cultivate alliances, build a common
understanding and amplify proven solutions to create a circular built environment inEurope.
The Circular Cities Declaration is a commitment document from cities and regions to use
the levers at their disposal coherently across their respective organizations to transition
from a linear economy to a circular economy.
C40—a global network of mayors of the world’s leading cities—is working toward citylevel policies that reduce material use through more efficient urban planning and building.

26

Responsible mining
The Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance offers independent third-party
verification and certification against a comprehensive standard for all mined materials
that covers the full range of issues relating to the impacts of industrial-scale mines.
Responsible Steel offers certification for sustainably produced and sourced steel.
The International Council on Mining and Metals is a leadership organization working
to improve the sustainability and responsibility of metal and mineral production. It
brings together one-third of the global metals and mining industry, along with partnerorganizations driving action and innovation for mining sustainability.

4.3

Finance, de-risking and investment

The Network for Greening the Financial System brings together financial supervisorsthat aim to accelerate the scale-up of green finance and develop recommendations forthe role central banks can play in tackling climate change. While it has a broad climate
focus, it aims to make economies more sustainable generally, including on materials.

Development

Finance for circular economy models

Taxes
Taxshift is a report by the Ex’tax Project Foundation that shows how shifting the tax burden
from labor to pollution and resource use could help support an inclusive circular economy.

27

4.4

Behavior change
Decoupling
human wellbeing.
BIT creates and applies behavioral insights to drive positive change, including by

Ideation

The Club of Rome has conducted research on decreasing resource use while increasing

reducing the use of single-use packaging and increasing demand for sustainably
sourced material throughout the supply chain.

4.5

Innovation and new technologies

Circular economy
ingenious solutions to the climate crisis, including on waste.
The Tom Ford Plastic Innovation Prize is a global competition focused on catalyzing
scalable and biologically degradable alternatives to thin-film plastic polybags.
Breakthrough Energy was created by Bill Gates and a coalition of private investors to
support net-zero innovations, including materials. The aim is to scale innovations andbring together governments, research institutions, private companies and investors to
expand and enhance investments in carbon neutral materials.

28

Ideation

The Earthshot Prize aims to select, accelerate, award and scale the best and mostFinnish innovation fund Sitra is an accountable and independent future-oriented fundthat is active both nationally and internationally. Sitra is seeking to accelerate thedevelopment of circular economy solutions in Finland and globally.
PACE is a global collaboration platform for key public and private decision makers toshare a vision and best practices, and to scale the circular economy.
The SINE Foundation is a think-and-do tank offering solutions for data sharing, including
on the circular economy.
The SWITCH Programme aims to support micro, small and medium-sized suppliers indeveloping countries in the value chains of large EU manufacturers and buyers to jointly
adopt circular economy practices. It is implemented by the United Nations Industrial
Development Organization in partnership with Chatham House, Circle Economy and theEuropean Investment Bank.
The Circular Electronics Partnership unites leaders in tech, consumer goods and waste
management to reimagine the value of electrical products and materials using a lifecycle
approach, reducing waste from the design stage through product use and recycling.
Consumers Beyond Waste is a multistakeholder initiative facilitated by the World
Economic Forum’s Future of Consumption platform. It brings together leading private,public and civil society sector actors committed to empowering consumers to accessinnovative consumption models at scale that offer aspirational, affordable and moresustainable alternatives to single use.

Sustainable Fashion
The Sustainable Apparel Coalition is an alliance in the apparel, footwear and textile
industry that works toward sustainable production. It publishes the Higg Index, whichenables companies to measure, improve and share their social and environmental
performance via a common framework.
Accelerating Circularity focuses on the after-use phase of textiles. It creates new supply
chains and business models to turn textile waste into mainstream raw materials.
Textile Exchange is a global nonprofit working toward sustainable production across the
fashion and textile industry.
Fashion for Good offers an innovation platform that connects those working onsustainable innovation with brands, retailers, manufacturers and funders to scale newtechnologies for the textile industry.

29

4.6

Data and monitoring, evaluation andaccountability
The Systems Change Lab has collected and visualized data on key transformations formaterials. Its portal provides data on the necessary shifts for the circular economy andindustry, and analyzes whether targets are on track.

Monitoring
The Global Commons Stewardship Index provides a scorecard on how countries are
impacting the Global Commons both within their borders and through imported goods
and services.
The System of Environmental-Economic Accounting (SEEA) is a framework that
integrates economic and environmental data, including on materials, to provide a morecomprehensive and multipurpose view of the interrelationships between the economy
and the environment. As of 2021, 90 countries had compiled SEEA accounts.
The Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s Global Commitment 2022 collects data and tracks
business commitments on plastic pollution. More than 500 organizations—including
large fast-moving consumer goods companies like PepsiCo and Nestlé—havecommitted to ambitious targets for 2025 and are reporting annually on progress. Whilethe commitments are voluntary, the submitted data enables civil society and customers
to hold companies accountable.
Circle Economy is an organization founded in 2011 that aims to empower decisionmakers from the public and private sectors to develop and implement circular economy
strategies and business models. It regularly publishes a Circularity Gap Reportcomparing secondary material use to total material use. Together with PACE, Circle
Economy also runs the Circular Economy Indicators Coalition, which aims to drive
harmonization and increased application of circular indicators.

Accountability
The IRP was launched by UNEP in 2007 to build and share knowledge on resource use.
The IRP is a science-policy interface comprised of scientists with expertise in resource
management issues. It produces reports distilling the latest scientific, technical and30

Ideation

Data visualizationsocio-economic findings to inform decision-making on natural resource use. The IRP’s
flagship report, the Global Resources Outlook, reports to the UN Environment Assemblyon trends and impacts of current global resource use and future scenarios every four
years.
The GHG Protocol has published the Corporate Value Chain (Scope 3) Accounting andReporting Standard, which enables companies to account for Scope 3 emissions thatcome from outside their own operations. Scope 3 emissions include the sourcing of
GHG-intensive raw materials.
The SBTi requires participating companies to set one or more emissions reduction
targets and/or supplier or customer engagement targets that collectively cover at least
two-thirds of their total Scope 3 emissions, including emissions from materials.
The SBTN is a network of organizations developing methods and resources for sciencebased targets for nature, including the production of biomass.
The Global Battery Pass is a partnership of 120-plus businesses, governments,
academics, industry actors and international and nongovernmental organizations. It aims
to ensure that battery production meets social and environmental standards.
At the European level, the Battery Pass is a consortium of businesses, thinktanks andscientific institutes that are seeking to jointly advance the development of a battery
passport based on the EU Battery Regulation.

Sustainable cities and communities
Transforming cities and communities and making them more sustainable is key toachieving the climate goals of the Paris Agreement. There are fewer nongovernmental
initiatives for cities transformation than for the other transformations. The transformationis also mainly being implemented at a subnational level, so global coordination andinitiatives have less relevance. However, there are important non-governmental
international initiatives in this space, including United Cities and Local Governments,
ICLEI, Cities Alliance, C40, Circular Buildings Coalition and Circular Cities Declaration.

31

Bibliography
Changing Markets Foundation. (2022). Methane Matters: Towards a Global Methane
Agreement.
Chatham House. (2022, November 2). From Concept to Action: A Global Roadmap for an
Inclusive Circular Economy. Chatham House – International Affairs Think Tank. https://www.
chathamhouse.org/events/all/research-event/global-roadmap-inclusive-circular-economyconcept-action
European Commission. (2022). Just Energy Transition Partnership with Indonesia. European
Commission. https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/IP_22_6926
FOLU. (2021). Accelerating the 10 Critical Transitions: Positive Tipping Points for Foodand Land Use Systems Transformation. FOLU. https://www.foodandlandusecoalition.org/
wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Positive-Tipping-Points-for-Food-and-Land-Use-SystemsTransformation.pdf
GOV.UK. (2022, December 14). International Agreement to Support Vietnam’s Ambitious
Climate and Energy Goals. GOV.UK. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/internationalagreement-to-support-vietnams-ambitious-climate-and-energy-goals
The Lancet. (2019). Health Effects of Dietary Risks in 195 Countries, 1990–2017: A Systematic
Analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017. https://www.thelancet.com/article/
S0140-6736(19)30041-8/fulltext#%20
Oberle, B., Bringezu, S., Hatfield-Dodds, S., Hellweg, S., Schandl, H. & Clement, J. (2018). Global
Resources Outlook. https://www.resourcepanel.org/reports/global-resources-outlook
Potočnik, J. & Teixeira, I. (2022). Making Climate Targets Achievable: Improving Wellbeing
through Reduced Absolute Resource Use—A Think Piece of the International Resource Panel
Co-Chairs. IRP.
Nature-Based Solutions Initiative. (2023). Nature-Based Solutions Initiative | Forest and Climate
Leaders’ Partnership launched at COP27. https://www.naturebasedsolutionsinitiative.org/
news/forest-and-climate-leaders-partnership-launched-at-cop27/
Weston, P. (2022, October 25). Businesses call for nature impact disclosures to be mandatory
by 2030. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/oct/26/mandatorydisclosure-impact-nature-2030-cop15-aoe

3233