Towards a successful outcome of the first global stocktake of the Paris Agreement

The first global stocktake (GST1) of collective progress towards the goals of the Paris Agreement will conclude at COP28. How the final stage of GST1 is organised, who is involved and how the final outputs are structured can influence the success of the process. This paper explores how to organise the final component of GST1 and how to design related outputs to be impactful. This paper sets out how to build broad, high-level momentum behind GST1 by structuring activities in 2023 and beyond into four phases of: i) awareness building; ii) socialisation; iii) decision-making; and iv) follow-up. This paper highlights the importance of technical outputs that are fit for purpose and identifies potential options for structuring technical outputs from GST1 to target different actors, including negotiators, policy makers, practitioners, and a broader audience beyond the UNFCCC process. The paper also sets out how to design a package of political outputs from GST1 to include different mutually supportive elements, including negotiated, consultative, and non-negotiated elements, which could play distinct roles and engage different actors. The paper underlines the importance of efforts to monitor how GST1 outputs are taken forward by different actors after COP28. This follow-up could build on existing provisions and establish new processes where needed, to help assess the success of the GST1 exercise and inform subsequent GST cycles.