Why it’s so hard to tell which climate policies actually work

illuminem summarizes for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on The Economist or enjoy below:

🗞️ Driving the news: A new study in Science has revealed the difficulty in evaluating climate policies, despite their rising number globally
• Of nearly 1,500 policies reviewed from 41 countries between 1998 and 2022, only 63 were found to significantly reduce emissions

🔭 The context: National climate policies have surged from 60 in 1997 to nearly 3,000 by 2022
• However, most lack rigorous evaluations, complicating the assessment of their real impact on emissions reductions
• Better analytical tools and systematic reviews are urgently needed to improve accountability.

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: With climate change accelerating, the effectiveness of policies must be clear to ensure countries are meeting their emissions targets
• Without robust evaluations, many policies may be ineffective, undermining global efforts to mitigate climate impacts

⏭️ What's next: Researchers and policymakers need to develop improved tools for measuring and tracking the effectiveness of climate policies, ensuring that resources are directed towards initiatives that drive real emissions cuts

💬 One quote: “Their effectiveness has proved almost impossible to measure.” — The Economist

📈 One stat: Out of 1,500 climate policies reviewed, only 63 had significant emissions reductions linked to them

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