From Pledges to Practice: Building Coherent and Reliable Climate Policy

As the climate crisis deepens, 2025 is not just another year for climate policy-it’s a year of reckoning for governments, businesses and citizens. While the Paris Agreement’s call to limit warming to 1.5°C looms large, the spotlight this year is on how countries are moving from bold promises to coherent, predictable and actionable climate plans.

Europe’s New Deforestation-Free Supply Chains

One of the most talked-about policy shifts this year is Europe’s requirement that, by December 2025, all major companies selling commodities like— beef, cocoa and palm oil in the EU must prove their products are deforestation-free. This is a huge step for global supply chains, pushing producers in Latin America, Africa and Asia to adopt traceability and sustainable land-use practices. Small companies will follow suit in 2026—signaling a new era of accountability and transparency.

The Dutch Climate Plan 2025-2035: Lessons in Consistency

The Netherlands unveiled its ambitious Climate Plan 2025-2035, aiming not just for emissions cuts but for a coherent, consistent and predictable policy landscape. The plan’s four guiding principles-equity, economic perspective, space for societal initiative and coherence across sectors-are setting a new benchmark for climate governance.

Yet, the rollout hasn’t been without bumps. For example: - the government’s reversal on mandatory hybrid heat pumps in 2026 created uncertainty for homeowners and businesses, highlighting the importance of clear, stable policies. Experts warn that inconsistency can erode public trust and stall investment in green technologies.

The Net Zero Race: Who’s On Track?

A new global forecast shows that while more countries have legislated net-zero targets, actual progress varies. The Inevitable Policy Response (IPR) 2025 Transition Forecast projects that, based on current policies, the world is on track for a 2°C temperature rise-not the 1.5°C Paris goal. Countries like— the UK, Germany and France are maintaining momentum, but others-especially those with targets beyond 2050-face a significant gap between ambition and action.

Coherence Is the New Ambition

Policy experts now argue that coherence and predictability are just as important as ambition. Without them, businesses hesitate to invest, citizens lose confidence, and the climate transition slows down. The Dutch experience is a case in point: only when policies are predictable and cross-sectoral can society make the long-term investments needed for a climate-neutral future.