Non-State and Subnational Action Methodology

Non-state and subnational actions that contribute to climate change mitigation are becoming increasingly important and need to be explicitly considered by countries when they determine their national contributions.

The Non-State and Subnational Action Methodology provides guidance to national government agencies, research institutions and non-governmental organizations, for the integration of non-state and subnational actors’ activities.

The methodology covers any kind of activity that reduces greenhouse gas emissions and is led by non-state and subnational actors. Actions can be:

• Legally binding (e.g. a state government setting a greenhouse gas emissions reduction target), or voluntary (e.g. a company committing to 100 per cent renewables);
• Individual (by one subnational or non-state actor) or cooperative (in the form of initiatives by a group of actors).

Combine with:

• Climate Action Aggregation Tool (CAAT): 

To support the implementation of the Non-State and Subnational Action Guide, ICAT, with the support of NewClimate Institute and the Word Resources Institute, developed the CAAT. The CAAT allows users to: 

1. better quantify the impact of region, city, and business emissions reduction efforts;
2. evaluate how they overlap with or complement national policies; and
3. determine the impact of combined national and subnational efforts for integration into more holistic target-setting.

• Aggregating the Impacts of Non-State and Subnational Climate Actions: An Exploration of Methods:

This paper discusses methodological assumptions to estimate the collective impact of mitigation commitments and targets of non-state and subnational entities. It serves as a supplement to the ICAT Non-State and Subnational Action Methodology. The paper will facilitate users in employing methods that are suitable for their specific objectives when determining the collective impact of mitigation actions taken by cities, businesses, and states. It will also promote greater transparency in reporting impact assessment results.