Project Catalyst’s work on mitigation has followed a ‘back-casting’ exercise –working back from a target of limiting global warming to 2°C to calculate emissions reduction requirements. When combined with analysis on the available opportunities for emissions reductions and expected costs, based off of the McKinsey global abatement cost curve, this ‘back-casting’ exercise can yield some useful insights.
These are explained in the publications and presentations listed below.

Publications

• Taking stock - the emissions level implied by the pledges to the Copenhagen Accord (February 2010). An analysis of the emissions reduction proposals put forward by Parties to the UNFCCC as part of the Copenhagen Accord process. The paper assesses how consistent these proposals are with the objective of setting the world on a path to 450 parts per million or less of greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere.

◘ This is an update to the paper produced on 7 December 2009 for the Copenhagen conference

• Synthesis paper: Towards a global climate agreement (July 2009). This report summarizes Project Catalyst's analysis and core messages.

◘ Translations available in Spanish, French, German, Portuguese, Russian and Mandarin

◘ For a 4-page briefing on this synthesis paper, produced for the Copenhagen conference.

• Setting a Benchmark: How Developed Countries Might Equitably Contribute Towards a 450 ppm Pathway (September 2009). An assessment of the commitments that individual developed countries have made in order to keep global temperatures from rising above 2 degrees Celsius.

◘ Translations available in Spanish, Portuguese, Russian and Mandarin

◘ For a 4-page briefing paper on comparability of effort across countries, produced for the Copenhagen conference

• Limiting atmospheric CO2e to 450ppm - the mitigation challenge (March 2009). Summary of findings from the Mitigation Working Group

• Using effective carbon mitigation policy to reach emission target (March 2009). Summary of findings from the Mitigation Working Group

Negotiating text proposals

• Reviewing and strengthening commitments – Proposed language for LCA text (December 2009). In the final days of the negotiations in Copenhagen, Project Catalyst proposed modifications to the LCA text in an effort to maximize the results coming out of the negotiations.

• Nature of Commitments and MRV - Proposed language for LCA text (14 December 2009). In the final days of the negotiations in Copenhagen, Project Catalyst proposed modifications to the LCA text in an effort to maximize the results coming out of the negotiations

Presentations

• Do the negotiating proposals match the analysis on needed financing and caps? (Copenhagen, 10 December 2009). This presentation was presented by Project Catalyst at its side event at COP 15.
• Creating a successful outcome in Copenhagen. (Barcelona, 3 November 2009). This presentation was presented by Project Catalyst at its side event at the Barcelona negotiations in November 2009.
• Setting a benchmark: How Developed Countries Might Equitably Contribute Towards a 450 ppm Pathway (September 2009) A presentation on this topic was produced to accompany the paper available above.
• Towards a global climate agreement. (Bonn, 6 June 2009). This presentation was presented by Project Catalyst at its side event at the Bonn negotiations in June 2009. To access a webcast of this event, please click on this link