For many, the Paris Agreement represented the first meaningful step in combating climate change. It sets goals for global average temperatures and requires countries to submit plans and timelines for reducing emissions. More international efforts have followed this landmark agreement. Every year, delegates meet at the Conference of the Parties, or COP, which is the United Nations conference on climate change and the body responsible for creating the Paris Agreement. They review the latest science and progress toward goals. Worldwide, these goals guide national policy and influence local governments. They have even influenced corporations to set goals and create policies to address climate change.

Understanding climate goals

What exactly are climate goals? They cover emissions-reduction targets such as net zero, outline steps to reduce emissions, and create protections from the effects of climate change for the most vulnerable people. Most climate goals have a time element. They often include language like “get to net zero by 2050” or “stop burning fossil fuels by 2030.” The proposed timing of a goal is important: Reaching net zero by 2050 means something very different from reaching it by 2100. Each requires a different level of effort and investment. Each leads to a different future for climate change and our ability to respond to it. Timelines are often a key piece of goal setting, and this is especially true with climate change. A few years can mean a big difference for many people.

International pacts like the Paris Agreement help countries move toward action. However, one of the biggest criticisms is that the agreements have limited power. International bodies such as the United Nations cannot enforce such policies directly. Instead, they rely on voluntary cooperation from UN member countries. What happens when countries don’t meet their commitments? Countries can collectively agree to refuse trade or partnerships with those that consistently do not prioritize climate change. The United Nations and other countries can also impose social pressure at the annual discussions on progress. Beyond this, not much can be done to ensure accountability.

International climate goals are an important starting point and one piece of a bigger puzzle. They provide a framework and help everyone move in the same direction. Then, there are national, regional, and local climate goals.

The Paris Agreement sets out overarching international goals. The “how” of achieving emissions reductions is left to the countries themselves. National goals are important because governments have a sovereign right to create and manage policies. That means that at the national level, countries can address how to move from goals to action. It’s best for a country—not an international organization—to determine what percentage of its electricity generation needs to come from wind energy, where new cities must be built, and how it should deal with heat waves.

Countries create national climate goals that set the tone for all levels of government. However, the powers of state and local governments vary greatly depending on the country. One small country might have several local or state governments, while a large country, like the United States, has multiple levels of government.

Exploring climate goals in the United States

To better understand these levels and how they interact, let’s look specifically at the layers of climate goals in the United States. The federal government has power over activities that cross state borders, including national transportation infrastructure, electricity transmission, and air and water pollution. Therefore, it has the power to make policies related to vehicle manufacturing and sales, electricity transmission standards, and pollution amounts. The national government has buying power and can directly support climate-friendly industries, like clean energy and low-carbon cement companies. It can invest in research and development for drought-tolerant crops and better building materials. It sets policies that trickle down to regional and local governments, making national climate goals even more significant.

Changes in our presidency and Congress can affect the country’s climate goals. These changes are an important feature of a democratic system, but they can significantly limit consistency in climate-change policy. Inconsistent approaches have historically meant slower progress. Many industries hesitate to commit to targets or rely on policies that might change in a few years. Current national goals prioritize “reducing U.S. greenhouse gas emissions 50 to 52 percent below 2005 levels in 2030” and ensuring that climate solutions are felt in all communities.¹  However, these goals could change depending on the next election cycle.

State governments play a key role in regulating electricity generation. They can plan infrastructure and public works projects. States can make it mandatory for electricity utility companies to invest in renewable energy, and they can choose low-carbon building materials for their projects. State and local governments often lay out their climate goals in documents called climate action plans (CAPs). These documents might include steps, timelines, and responsible parties for each goal.

State governments' roles vary. California has required that auto companies provide electric vehicle options to customers in the state, has implemented a statewide cap-and-trade program for carbon, and has supported the development of local climate-action plans. Other states have prioritized nuclear projects or carbon capture and sequestration, while some have passed measures limiting progress in addressing climate change.

Meanwhile, local governments—those at the county or city level—play a role, too. They have the power to design climate strategies specific to the needs of their local economy and environment.

These governments can regulate how buildings are constructed and renovated through building codes. The codes can be updated to require full electrification or low-carbon building materials. Local governments can improve public transportation options and expand electric charging infrastructure.

In fact, in the United States, local governments have much power. This is especially true when it comes to addressing climate change goals in their communities. For most people, the choices they have to reduce their emissions in their daily lives—the buildings they live in, the energy they use—are influenced more by their local government than by national or international policies. In 2021, the city of Seattle, Washington, passed an ordinance that prohibits natural gas in all new buildings. In 2019, San Francisco, California, released a plan to make city transportation 100 percent emissions-free by 2040.

Filling in the gaps in climate goals

The international, national, regional, and local climate goals do not operate independently or just trickle down from the higher levels to the local ones. By setting ambitious goals, local governments can push state and national governments. National governments can give different amounts of authority to state and local governments. Investment or experimentation with solutions at any level can influence climate goals. These levels must coordinate with, inform, and learn from each other for us to get to net zero.Individual companies, nonprofit organizations, and trade associations set goals, too. Through Architecture 2030, architects and other designers have created climate goals in the building industry. These goals—to have all new buildings and major renovations at zero carbon by 2030—guide investment and their work with policymakers. The success of climate policies at all levels relies on the collective action of businesses and industries.

We need climate goals. They guide and coordinate climate action. Still, climate goals will look different across the world. Every country and region has its context, history, community, resources, and geography. Therefore, every country and region will have a different approach and set of solutions to climate change. Together, that is how we overcome climate change’s challenges.

1 National Climate Task Force, The White House, https://www.whitehouse.gov/climate/#:~:text=Reducing%20U.S.%20greenhouse%20gas%20emissions,pollution%2Dfree%20electricity%20by%202035