Reference Guide

This guide explains the terminology, classifications and coding framework used throughout the BAS Observatory. It should be read alongside the Observatory and BAS Insights pages.

The Observatory records whether and how NDCs engage with IPCC evidence, best available science and wider scientific references. It does not assess whether a country’s climate target is ambitious, adequate or scientifically justified.

A Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) is a Party’s official climate commitment under the Paris Agreement.

NDCs describe how Parties intend to reduce emissions, adapt to climate change and contribute to international climate goals.

The Observatory analyses the latest NDC submissions available at the time of coding.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is the United Nations body responsible for assessing scientific evidence relating to climate change.

The Observatory records whether and how NDCs engage with IPCC reports, methodologies, pathways, scenarios and scientific findings.

Substantial: Extensive engagement with IPCC evidence, methodologies and findings. Examples include references to assessment reports, target-setting informed by IPCC evidence, climate pathways, scenarios and accounting methodologies.

Partial: Meaningful but more limited engagement with IPCC evidence. Examples include inventory methodologies, reporting requirements and emissions accounting.

Minimal: Only isolated references to IPCC-related material.

No Mention: No meaningful IPCC engagement identified.

To Be Reviewed: The NDC exists but coding has not yet been completed.

No NDC 3.0: No NDC 3.0 submission was available for assessment at the time.

Science refers to broader references to:

  • Scientific research
  • Climate science
  • Modelling
  • Scientific institutions
  • Research programmes
  • Technical expertise

A Party may reference science without explicitly referring to best available science.

Best Available Science (BAS) refers to explicit references to best available science, latest science, science-based decision making or scientific evidence guiding climate action.

The coding records whether such references are explicitly present within the NDC itself.

Annex I: Industrialised countries and economies in transition identified under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.

Annex II: A subset of Annex I Parties with additional responsibilities relating to financial and technological support.

Non‑Annex I: Parties not listed within Annex I.

LDC: Least Developed Countries recognised by the United Nations.

SIDS: Small Island Developing States.

EIT: Economies in Transition.

Other: Countries not assigned to the above categories.

Some classifications overlap.

For example:

  • A Party can be both LDC and SIDS.
  • A Party can be both Annex I and Annex II.

The Observatory treats these classifications as tags rather than mutually exclusive groups. As a result, category counts remain correct, and category percentages remain correct. However, totals across categories should not be added together.

Percentages describe the proportion of Parties within the selected denominator. Depending on the display mode selected, the denominator may be:

  • The row total
  • The column total
  • All Parties included in the analysis

The denominator is displayed directly within each pivot cell.

For comparative analysis, the European Union is treated as a single Party. Individual European Union member states are not counted separately within the Compare Parties page in order to avoid double counting.