Implementation Status of Article 6.2 Guidance
Updated June 2, 2025
Introduction
Article 6, paragraph 2 of the Paris Agreement provides Parties with guidance on voluntary participation in cooperative approaches, enabling Parties to collaborate to achieve nationally determined contributions (NDCs) by using internationally transferred mitigation outcomes (ITMOs). By enabling Parties to transfer mitigation outcomes, Article 6 directs financing towards climate action and sustainable development while maintaining NDC integrity. Key components of the implementation of cooperative approaches are authorization, reporting and tracking, which are foundational for establishing accountability and transparency. Parties must have authorization arrangements in place to meet participation requirements under Article 6.2 guidance. Authorization can support alignment with the NDC and prevent doublecounting of emission reductions. Managed through registries, tracking systems record ITMOs. Reporting requires Parties to submit initial, annual, and regular reports under the transparency framework of the Paris Agreement. By preventing double counting of emissions reductions, these systems play a key role in safeguarding the integrity of ITMOs.
Parties’ progress on authorization, tracking, and reporting reveals there is currently limited global readiness to implement cooperative approaches. Among the 90 Parties analyzed, only 11 have both authorization and tracking arrangements in place, while 9 Parties have submitted initial reports to the UNFCCC. However, 72 Parties have authorization and/or tracking arrangements in place, in progress, or under consideration, while 18 have no publicly available information for both authorization and tracking arrangements. The findings suggest significant interest in implementing Article 6, while highlighting the need for clear guidance and capacity building efforts to enable Parties to achieve climate goals through cooperative approaches
Authorization Under Article 6.2
Eighteen Parties analyzed have authorization arrangements in place, while 49 Parties are estimated to have authorization arrangements in progress or under consideration.
The majority of Parties analyzed demonstrate advancement towards Article 6.2 authorization arrangements. About 55% of Parties analyzed are estimated to have authorization arrangements in progress or under consideration, while only 20% have arrangements in place. Authorization entities were identified for 52 Parties.
3.3 Tracking Arrangements Under Article 6.2 Guidance
Twelve Parties analyzed have Article 6.2 tracking arrangements in place, while 45 Parties are estimated to have tracking arrangements in progress or under consideration.
The majority of Parties analyzed have tracking arrangements for ITMOs in progress, under consideration, or in place. About 50% of included Parties have tracking arrangements in progress or under consideration, while 13% have arrangements in place. Registries for tracking ITMOs have been identified for 17 Parties.
Reporting under Article 6.2
Nine Parties have formally submitted an Article 6.2 initial report to the UNFCCC. Four Parties have additionally submitted annual information information. Finally, three Parties have submitted a biennial transparency report (BTR) relevant to Article 6.
Overall, reporting on Article 6.2 remains limited. Cambodia, Ghana, Guyana, Mongolia, Rwanda, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Switzerland, Thailand, and Vanuatu have submitted Article 6.2 Initial Reports, while Ghana, Guyana, Thailand, and Vanuatu have submitted annual information using the draft version of the agreed electronic format (AEF). Ghana, Guyana, and Thailand have also included Article 6 information in Biennial Transparency Reports (BTRs).
Conclusion
Global readiness for implementing Article 6.2 remains limited. However, many Parties are considering implementation, representing various stages of development of authorization and tracking arrangements. Having arrangements in place is critical to demonstrate fulfillment of participation responsibilities under Article 6.2. Parties should establish arrangements that enable informed decisions regarding authorization that ensure high integrity, promote NDC implementation, and align with long-term goals. The Parties should also ensure that tracking arrangements can record necessary ITMOs information and effectively report necessary information as required under Article 6.2 guidance. Finally, ensuring timely and robust reporting is pivotal for promoting transparency and trust in the cooperative approach implementation. Map 4 displays the overall implementation status of Article 6.2 for each Party analyzed considering authorization, tracking, and reporting statuses.
* For the purpose of evaluating the implementation status of Parties included in the A6ISR, "in place" refers to a Party that has clearly defined the arrangements for the purpose of authorization/tracking. "In progress" refers to a Party that has taken action towards developing authorization/tracking arrangements. "Under consideration" indicates a Party may be interested in authorization/tracking arrangements, but is not yet in the development stage. Designations are subject to interpretation and are based on the data collection efforts and understanding of A6IP. The A6IP Center has exercised its best effort to ensure completeness of information. Please note that the "Authority to Provide Article 6.2 Authorization” table may not capture all agencies engaging with Article 6.2 authorization.