Empowering the Ratchet-up Mechanism under the Paris Agreement

At the heart of the successful implementation of the Paris Agreement is whether and how effectively a ratchet-up mechanism through which Parties will increase ambition over time can work. This paper aims to examine the three elements of the ratchet-up mechanism: (1) a linkage between a five-year cycle of nationally determined contributions and long-term low greenhouse gas emission development strategies; (2) an enhanced transparency framework; and (3) a global stocktake. In particular, it will discuss what role each element should play and how these elements relate to each other. By considering the important factors of each element in terms of encouraging Parties to raise ambition, and also by identifying associated challenges, the paper makes proposals regarding the interlinkage of the three elements as well as specific proposals dedicated to each element.