Document Type

Article

Publication Date

Fall 9-25-2025

Abstract

The Climate Transparency Pact (CTP) is an actionable proposal to bridge the credibility gap in the Paris Agreement's Global Stocktake (GST). While the Enhanced Transparency Framework (ETF) sets a reporting structure, it remains largely voluntary and lacks strong compliance measures. The result is clear: despite successive COP negotiations, global temperature projections remain at 2.5-2.9C above pre-industrial levels (UNEP, 2023), threatening ecosystems, economies, and human security. Drawing upon Dr. Robert Cialdini's six principles of persuasion, the CTP is built not only as a legal instrument but also as a behavioral framework: Authority: Embedding the CTP under UNFCCC's Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI) to give it institutional legitimacy. . Commitment & Consistency: Once nations join a tier, they are publicly accountable to maintain or improve their status. Reciprocity: Gold Tier benefits (trade advantages, finance access) reward compliance, creating a cycle of mutual benefit. . Social Proof: Publishing annual compliance rankings increases peer pressure to act. Liking: Capacity-building programs foster cooperative relationships, encouraging states to emulate respected climate leaders. Scarcity: Exclusive benefits like CBAM exemptions are available only to compliant members. The CTP offers a tiered membership model-Gold, Silver, and Observer-balancing enforcement with equity. It integrates sanctions, incentives, and capacity-building into the GST cycle, making climate transparency a matter of both political prestige and economic strategy

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