Oxford University study: Climate policy strengthens globally, despite unprecedented contestation in the US and Europe

Granular survey of 37 major countries' climate-related laws and regulations, compiled by Oxford University researchers and dozens of leading global law firms, gives most detailed view yet of how climate policy is developing at a time of unprecedented political contestation.

Although the Trump Administration has reversed climate rules in the US, companies face increasing global compliance obligations: over 200 new rules were approved across the 37 countries in 2024 and the first half of 2025, 75% of which appeared outside Europe and North America.

On balance, climate policies are getting stronger. Across the 37 jurisdictions, policies moved closer to best practice in 82 instances and weakened in 42 instances.

Climate policy strengthening globally

Developing countries increasingly set the pace of climate action.

Overall, however, policies remain insufficient to close the gap between targets and actions and prevent severe climate impacts.

FULL REPORT (non-discoverable link available to media ahead of embargo lifting): https://www.bsg.ox.

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As countries meet at COP30 in the Amazon, a new Oxford University study gives the most detailed view yet of how different nations' laws and regulations are aligning - or not - to climate goals. The survey of climate policies across 37 countries (including the whole of the G20) was developed through pro-bono partnerships with dozens of leading law firms around the world.

"Nations and companies have made ambitious climate pledges, but to prevent catastrophic climate change what matters is concrete, implemented, enforceable rules", says co-lead Professor Thomas Hale at Oxford University's Blavatnik School of Government. "That's what we're surveying."

Since the last survey in 2024, new and strengthened climate policies can be found across the world, especially in Asia and emerging markets. For instance: Brazil, Kenya and Nigeria operationalised carbon markets. China has set out a regulatory framework for banks and insurance firms to promote carbon peaking and carbon neutrality. The Philippines' New Government Procurement Act seeks to redirect the country's USD$52 billion+ in annual procurement spending towards greener and more sustainable purchases. And the State of California adopted ambitious transparency rules requiring companies to disclosure information about their greenhouse gas emissions and the risks they face from climate change.

At the same time, the Trump Administration has rolled back climate policies in the US, and the EU has begun to revise or delay climate rules in areas like corporate disclosure, though the outcome of that process remains unclear.

"In this climate of contestation climate policy is fragmenting, but even in that fragmented landscape the global direction of travel remains clear and points to transition: the vast majority of nations continue to create and strengthen climate rules in the policy areas we surveyed", says co-lead Dr Thom Wetzer, Associate Professor at Oxford's Faculty of Law and Director of the Oxford Sustainable Law Programme.

Professor Hale of Oxford's Blavatnik School of Government adds: "The engine of climate policy has moved to emerging economies. In some regulatory domains, like rules requiring companies to disclose their emissions and other information related to climate change, African and Latin American countries now show higher ambition, on average, than European and North American countries. The US rollback has a real impact, but the long-term trend to transition remains increasingly clear even in the face of unprecedented contestation."

Overall, however, policies are still insufficient to close the persistent gap between targets and actions, and so prevent catastrophic climate change. While countries, companies, and other actors continue...