Periodic Reporting for period 1 - Equity-Paris (Building a comprehensive burden sharing framework to inform on an equitable implementation of the Paris Agreement)
Período documentado: 2023-01-15 hasta 2025-09-14
This MSCA project started as the world was finalising the adoption of the rulebook of the Paris Agreement at COP26. The first stocktake of the UN was due two years later, at COP28. While the Stocktake focused on assessing global ambition, scientific literature was needed to assess the fairness and ambition of various state and non-state actors.
This project offered to develop scientifically robust equity-based assessments to guide the implementation of the global goals of the Paris Agreements into institutional targets. This project offered to develop methods to inform:
1. Assessment of new climate targets and implications for climate litigation (WP1)
2. Subnational emissions scenarios and targets consistent with the Paris Agreement (WP2)
3. Equitable international finance transfers to achieve global mitigation scenarios (WP3)
This project offered to develop scientifically robust equity-based assessments to guide the implementation of the global goals of the Paris Agreements into institutional targets. This project offered to develop methods to inform:
1. Assessment of new climate targets and implications for climate litigation (WP1)
2. Subnational emissions scenarios and targets consistent with the Paris Agreement (WP2)
3. Equitable international finance transfers to achieve global mitigation scenarios (WP3)
WP1 led to several outcomes. First, a book chapter was published in French to explain how the fair-share literature is relevant for informing, assessing, and possibly litigating the national emissions targets, including based on the 2024 ruling of the European Court of Human Rights in the Klimaseniorinnen case.
Robiou du Pont, Proof on equitable emissions trajectories before courts (La preuve des trajectoires de réduction les plus équitables devant les juges). Book Chapter In Cournil (éd.), DICE Éditions, (2024) Online.
I also wrote an expert report used and cited by the European Court of Human Rights in the Klimaseniorinnen case:
Calculation of an emissions budget for Switzerland based on Bretschger’s (2012) methodology, Robiou du Pont and Nicholls, 2023, Online.
As an expert, I also contributed to collect and convey the testimonies of first nation representatives to the International Court of Justice to inform its Advisory Opinion, with jurists and UN Special Rapporteur for the Environment, David Boyd.
PISFCC, WY4CJ et al. 2024 People’s Petition - A Collective Climate Justice Call for the ICJ. Online.
Finally, I led the publication of an article that assesses the ambition of national emissions targets and suggests a novel modelling practice to better reflect legal norms. This article is already filed in two climate litigation cases.
Robiou du Pont, Dekker, van Vuuren, Schaeffer, Effect of discontinuous fair-share emissions allocations immediately based on equity. Nature Communications (2025). Online.
Regarding WP2, I have led a cooperation with the Data Driven EnviroLab, at the University of North Carolina, USA, that developed the best available subnational emissions database. With this cooperation, I could develop the first multilevel emissions allocation framework, with emissions allocations for hundreds of local governments. The article is under review, and its publication will be followed through:
Robiou du Pont et al., Equity-Based Emissions Allocations in Multi-Level Governance. Under review with Nature Climate Change. Online.
I have also joined the technical group of the alliance of subnational governments called “Integrity Matters for Cities, States and Regions” (IM4CSTARs) and contributed to developing their draft report for consultation, available here. This work with local actors and decision makers made my research more relevant, and will facilitate its uptake, upon publication.
Finally, I contributed to a European project in social sciences and humanities aiming at informing the city of Valencia on citizen engagement to achieve fair and ambitious emissions goals. The report is:
Robiou du Pont et al. 2024 A user guide to engage citizens in the Valencia Climate Alliance. Part of the SSH Centre a H2020 project. Online.
Regarding WP3, I contributed as a co-author to the publication of an article that reviews the sources of variability in fair emissions allocations to countries, and the implications in terms of international financial transfers:
Dekker et al., 2025 Navigating the black box of fair national emissions targets. Nature Climate Change. Online.
In addition, I explored the role of companies in engaging with emissions reductions and funding climate mitigation. I led the publication of an article that clarifies the role of companies, and the conceptual limitations when trying to assess the adequacy of their contributions to the global climate goals:
Robiou du Pont et al. 2024 Corporate emissions targets and the neglect of future innovators. Science. Online.
Robiou du Pont, Proof on equitable emissions trajectories before courts (La preuve des trajectoires de réduction les plus équitables devant les juges). Book Chapter In Cournil (éd.), DICE Éditions, (2024) Online.
I also wrote an expert report used and cited by the European Court of Human Rights in the Klimaseniorinnen case:
Calculation of an emissions budget for Switzerland based on Bretschger’s (2012) methodology, Robiou du Pont and Nicholls, 2023, Online.
As an expert, I also contributed to collect and convey the testimonies of first nation representatives to the International Court of Justice to inform its Advisory Opinion, with jurists and UN Special Rapporteur for the Environment, David Boyd.
PISFCC, WY4CJ et al. 2024 People’s Petition - A Collective Climate Justice Call for the ICJ. Online.
Finally, I led the publication of an article that assesses the ambition of national emissions targets and suggests a novel modelling practice to better reflect legal norms. This article is already filed in two climate litigation cases.
Robiou du Pont, Dekker, van Vuuren, Schaeffer, Effect of discontinuous fair-share emissions allocations immediately based on equity. Nature Communications (2025). Online.
Regarding WP2, I have led a cooperation with the Data Driven EnviroLab, at the University of North Carolina, USA, that developed the best available subnational emissions database. With this cooperation, I could develop the first multilevel emissions allocation framework, with emissions allocations for hundreds of local governments. The article is under review, and its publication will be followed through:
Robiou du Pont et al., Equity-Based Emissions Allocations in Multi-Level Governance. Under review with Nature Climate Change. Online.
I have also joined the technical group of the alliance of subnational governments called “Integrity Matters for Cities, States and Regions” (IM4CSTARs) and contributed to developing their draft report for consultation, available here. This work with local actors and decision makers made my research more relevant, and will facilitate its uptake, upon publication.
Finally, I contributed to a European project in social sciences and humanities aiming at informing the city of Valencia on citizen engagement to achieve fair and ambitious emissions goals. The report is:
Robiou du Pont et al. 2024 A user guide to engage citizens in the Valencia Climate Alliance. Part of the SSH Centre a H2020 project. Online.
Regarding WP3, I contributed as a co-author to the publication of an article that reviews the sources of variability in fair emissions allocations to countries, and the implications in terms of international financial transfers:
Dekker et al., 2025 Navigating the black box of fair national emissions targets. Nature Climate Change. Online.
In addition, I explored the role of companies in engaging with emissions reductions and funding climate mitigation. I led the publication of an article that clarifies the role of companies, and the conceptual limitations when trying to assess the adequacy of their contributions to the global climate goals:
Robiou du Pont et al. 2024 Corporate emissions targets and the neglect of future innovators. Science. Online.
The project advanced the understanding the limitations of using fair-share modelling to assess the ambition of state and non-state actors. This project led to several publications:
Robiou du Pont et al., Equity-Based Emissions Allocations in Multi-Level Governance. Under review with Nature Climate Change
Robiou du Pont et al., 2025 Effect of discontinuous fair-share emissions allocations immediately based on equity, Nature Communications. Online
Dekker et al., 2025 Navigating the black box of fair national emissions targets. Nature Climate Change. Online
Robiou du Pont, 2024 Proof on equitable emissions trajectories before courts. Book Chapter in Cournil (éd.), DICE Éditions, Online
Robiou du Pont et al. 2024 Corporate emissions targets and the neglect of future innovators. Science. Online
The full list of conferences and public seminars is available here: https://yannrobioudupont.org/media(se abrirá en una nueva ventana)
I have also written expert reports for several court cases, including for the European Court of Human Rights. I have also supported the writing of a report voicing the testimonies of youth of indigenous people for the International Court of Justice.
Overall, this project advanced the understanding of the limitations of using fair-share framework initially developed to inform international negotiations, to assess the ambition of climate pledges of state and non-state actors under the Paris Agreement and international law.
Regarding national governments (WP1), this project showed the variability of fair-share allocations and the implied climate finance (WP3), given the various types of modelling assumptions.
It showed the influence of the grandfathering modelling influence present in the whole literature, and suggested a solution.
Looking at sub-national governments (WP2), it provided the most comprehensive allocation framework while highlighting its limitations. It calls on future research to discuss how relevant this approach is to subnational decisionmakers.
Looking at companies, it highlighted the inadequacy of fair-share allocations frameworks. For future research, this opens the question of how to assess Paris-misalignment, or breach, rather than focusing on Paris Alignment only.
Robiou du Pont et al., Equity-Based Emissions Allocations in Multi-Level Governance. Under review with Nature Climate Change
Robiou du Pont et al., 2025 Effect of discontinuous fair-share emissions allocations immediately based on equity, Nature Communications. Online
Dekker et al., 2025 Navigating the black box of fair national emissions targets. Nature Climate Change. Online
Robiou du Pont, 2024 Proof on equitable emissions trajectories before courts. Book Chapter in Cournil (éd.), DICE Éditions, Online
Robiou du Pont et al. 2024 Corporate emissions targets and the neglect of future innovators. Science. Online
The full list of conferences and public seminars is available here: https://yannrobioudupont.org/media(se abrirá en una nueva ventana)
I have also written expert reports for several court cases, including for the European Court of Human Rights. I have also supported the writing of a report voicing the testimonies of youth of indigenous people for the International Court of Justice.
Overall, this project advanced the understanding of the limitations of using fair-share framework initially developed to inform international negotiations, to assess the ambition of climate pledges of state and non-state actors under the Paris Agreement and international law.
Regarding national governments (WP1), this project showed the variability of fair-share allocations and the implied climate finance (WP3), given the various types of modelling assumptions.
It showed the influence of the grandfathering modelling influence present in the whole literature, and suggested a solution.
Looking at sub-national governments (WP2), it provided the most comprehensive allocation framework while highlighting its limitations. It calls on future research to discuss how relevant this approach is to subnational decisionmakers.
Looking at companies, it highlighted the inadequacy of fair-share allocations frameworks. For future research, this opens the question of how to assess Paris-misalignment, or breach, rather than focusing on Paris Alignment only.