Ten years after the landmark Paris Agreement, about half of the cooperative climate initiatives launched globally have either met their goals or continue to see active engagement, while more than one-fifth have stalled, according to a new independent study by the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW). The report, Ten Years of the Paris Agreement: A Stocktake of Cooperative Climate Initiatives, highlights the performance, gaps, and future opportunities for multi-actor climate collaboration.
Cooperative climate initiatives bring together governments, international organisations, and non-state actors to accelerate climate action. The CEEW study noted that progress has been strongest in the energy, industry, and transport sectors, with initiatives such as the Just Energy Transition Partnerships (JET-P), Global Cooling Pledge, 2030 Breakthroughs, and International Solar Alliance (ISA) emerging as models combining ambition with measurable delivery. Initiatives with clear targets, monitoring systems, and structured governance have performed best, although only 28% had defined budgets, underscoring the need for stronger financial planning.
The analysis also highlighted limited South–South collaboration, signaling a need for the Global South to leverage regional cooperation to implement impactful initiatives. Among the top 10 countries leading cooperative climate initiatives, most hail from the Global North or have hosted COP events in the past decade, including the UK, UAE, Egypt, Azerbaijan, and France. India stands out as the only Global South country in the top ten, having co-led at least eight major international initiatives—including the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI), Leadership Group for Industry Transition (LEAD-IT), Mission Innovation, and ISA—mobilising an average of 47 countries per initiative.
Speaking at the launch, Simon Stiell, Executive Secretary, UNFCCC, said:
“Ten years ago in Paris, the world changed course. Clean energy investment has multiplied tenfold, with over USD two trillion flowing into renewables last year alone. The task now is to move from plans to projects and commitments to real-world impact.”
Shyam Saran, President, India International Centre, noted:
“Paris was meant to turn global consensus into global action, but ambition must now be matched by accountability. COP30 must confront the reality of a climate emergency and ensure genuine collaboration that delivers results.”
Dr Arunabha Ghosh, CEO, CEEW, added:
“The gap between ambition and implementation has only widened. South Asia, where the costs of inaction are already visible in lives and livelihoods, cannot wait. This must be the decade when we turn promises into performance.”
Ravi Shankar Prasad, Distinguished Fellow, CEEW, emphasized the importance of execution:
“The Paris Agreement gave us a living framework built on responsibility and solidarity. History will not ask who signed it, but who delivered it.”
The study was launched at the ‘Paris@10: From Rule-Making to Delivery’ dialogue, which brought together senior policymakers, diplomats, and experts from India and international institutions, including representatives from MoEF&CC, Ministry of External Affairs, ISA, CDRI, TERI, and The Indian Express.
The CEEW study calls for closing the ambition–delivery gap, strengthening finance mechanisms, and prioritising adaptation and just transitions to ensure the Paris Agreement’s goals translate into tangible action.
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