The Climate Action Monitor is the flagship publication of the OECD International Programme for Action on Climate (IPAC). It provides insights on climate action and progress towards net-zero targets for 52 OECD Members and partner countries. The 2025 edition findings indicate that countries’ 2030 Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) emission targets remain insufficient to meet the Paris Agreement goals. As climate-related risks increase, achieving these targets will require greater ambition in the next round of NDCs (for 2035) and a substantial increase in national climate action, which has slowed significantly since 2021.
The Climate Action Monitor 2025
Introduction
Key figures
Only 30
countries, representing 17.7% of country-based global emissions, have legally binding net-zero pledges
Around 63%
of countries’ GHG emissions must be reduced by 2035 to align with the 1.5°C temperature goal
Only 1% expansion
of climate action in 2024 confirming the slowdown observed since 2021
Countries’ GHG emissions are not on track to reach net zero by 2050
Countries’ aggregate emissions are 8% (around 2.5 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent - Gt CO₂e) above the level needed to meet their 2030 targets. Furthermore, their current trajectories are inconsistent with NDCs and long-term net-zero goals, resulting in both an NDC Delivery Gap for 2030 and a large Target Consistency Gap for 2050. The forthcoming 2035 NDCs provide an opportunity to strengthen ambition and enhance credibility.
Without greater ambition, global warming will intensify
Climate hazards are intensifying: 2024 saw record heatwaves, floods and droughts, underscoring the increased risk of crossing climate tipping points. Under various emission scenarios, projections indicate that global average temperature could rise significantly with up to 6°C difference in global mean temperature between the very low- and very high-emissions scenarios, highlighting the costs of delayed action.
Climate action momentum is slowing
The OECD Climate Actions and Policies Measurement Framework (CAPMF) finds that climate action, as measured by the number of new climate policies and policy stringency, only expanded by 1% in 2024. This slowdown can no longer be explained by the COVID-19 pandemic or economic shocks: it reflects a loss of momentum in implementing effective policies. Moreover, uneven climate action across countries could increase carbon leakage, stemming the overall impact of global mitigation efforts. Stronger, co-ordinated international action remains essential to reaching climate goals.
What can governments do?
Only 17.7% of country-based emissions are currently covered by legally binding net-zero pledges. As countries increase their ambition, it is critical to translate long-term targets into legislation to provide clear, credible signals for deep GHG emission reductions.
Climate action momentum is slowing. While policy approaches must reflect national circumstances, greater international co-ordination is needed to scale up ambition and ensure convergence in effort across countries, helping to prevent carbon leakage and strengthen global mitigation outcomes.
