A new international study has identified 28 climate policies that consistently lead to lower greenhouse gas emissions across different countries and sectors. Researchers analysed 1,737 individual climate measures implemented in 40 countries over a 32-year period, developing a new statistical approach to determine which policies genuinely deliver results. The analysis shows that while governments have dramatically expanded their climate policy portfolios since 2000, only a subset of measures reliably reduces emissions across diverse contexts.
The study also introduces a new method for evaluating complex policy environments, using statistical “filters” to distinguish real policy impacts from background noise. The results highlight several particularly effective instruments, including carbon pricing mechanisms, energy efficiency standards, investments in renewable energy research, emissions reporting requirements, and the removal of fossil-fuel subsidies. Beyond climate policy, researchers suggest that this analytical approach could help governments worldwide better evaluate complex policy systems in areas such as healthcare, education, and economic regulation.