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International

Our objective is to support an international community that steps up to the challenges posed by climate change and seizes the opportunities of the transition towards a net-zero greenhouse gas emissions economy and climate-resilient future.

The Paris Agreement, which sets the goal to limit the increase in global temperature to well below 2°C – aiming for 1.5°C, acts as our framework. The signatories of the Paris Agreement also committed to strengthening adaptation capabilities to cope with the inevitable impacts of climate change, re-orienting all financial flows and technology deployment and development consistently with these temperature goals.

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Key challenges

  • Exponential increases in the penetration of renewable energies – solar, wind, and geothermal, in particular in countries and regions where electricity demand and energy demand are growing fast, such as South-East Asia and Africa.
  • Designing pathways to achieve a net-zero, climate-resilient and socially-equitable economy by 2050. Reaching our ultimate climate goals requires the development of strategies that include all high-emitting sectors; are owned by all relevant stakeholders (national and local governments; businesses and investors, civil society); and provide clear guidance for alignment of finance.
  • Leveraging international-national dynamics, as well as the positive feedback loop between national governments, local authorities, businesses, investors and campaigners, to support higher climate ambition globally. Addressing climate change requires the building of an infrastructure empowering climate action champions within governments and companies while making the case for the alternative to business as usual as well as defining, defending and mainstreaming net zero.
  • Winning the narrative, and explaining the risks created by unmitigated global warming itself as well as the economic and social opportunities related to the transition to a zero-GHG and climate-resilient economy.
  • Building a trustworthy accountability system to bridge critical gaps; provide an independent assessment of the actual delivery of state and non-state actors’ commitments; and counteract greenwashing.
  • Ensure climate finance regulations across different jurisdictions are aligned with each other as well as with credible net-zero GHG emission scenarios, including ending new fossil fuel production. Addressing climate change requires the creation and delivery of specific financial instruments to address adaptation and loss and damage for the most vulnerable countries.

Mission

The transition to a net-zero greenhouse gas emissions society is the greatest challenge of our time and one that requires more than incremental steps. Addressing it requires aligning political and technical approaches, technological and behavioural change, global, national and local actors, and decisions and real-world implementation by governments, businesses and civil society.

  • Bridging Europe and the rest of the world: transforming the European Union into a leader and innovator for deep decarbonisation and just transition that has positive spillover effects on the rest of the world; aligning European diplomatic and trade policy with this goal; and bringing positive developments happening elsewhere back into European political, policy and public debates to further accelerate the European transition.
  • Supporting the climate movement: In many countries, a wave of public protests has demonstrated strong public support for mitigating climate change. Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg helped catalyse this movement, and now she and countless others are leading protests across the world. The ECF supports the work of Greta Thunberg and many other young activists by offering them pro bono logistical and communications support. By doing so we support their voices in the public debate. These young people are providing a vital reminder that the path to a net-zero emission economy needs to start today.

How we work

Recognising the urgency of meeting the Paris Agreement objectives, the ECF’s international team operates globally to support climate action. The ECF seeks to support climate ambition outside of Europe at country, regional, city and business levels by engaging citizens, policymakers, businesses and other actors in the low carbon transition.

  • The ECF hosts and supports the 2050 Pathways Platform

    The 2050 Pathways Platform is a multi-stakeholder initiative launched at COP 22 by High-Level Climate Champions Laurence Tubiana and Hakima El Haite to support countries seeking to develop long-term, net zero-GHG, climate-resilient and sustainable-development pathways. Designed as a space for collective problem-solving, the Platform also brings together a network of bilateral and multilateral donors, international and national think tanks, climate policy experts, and national civil society groups with an interest in long-term planning and a just transition to net zero emissions in response to the climate challenge.

    The Platform also supports activities that encourage countries to reach “True Zero”, and acts as the secretariat for the Carbon Neutrality Coalition, a group of pioneering countries that have agreed to develop ambitious climate strategies to meet the long-term objectives of the Paris Agreement.