Carbon mitigation governance strategies in Morocco, China, and Norway

Abstract

This study examines the gap between the mitigation objectives promoted under the Paris Agreement and their implementation within contrasting national contexts. Using Morocco, China, and Norway as strategically selected cross-continental case studies, the paper evaluates how shared international climate commitments are translated into national mitigation policies under different economic, institutional, technological, and environmental conditions. Through comparative policy analysis, descriptive climate indicators, and governance assessment, the study examines the implementation of carbon taxation, emissions trading systems, renewable-energy investment, and related mitigation instruments. The comparison highlights persistent divergences between internationally articulated mitigation objectives and their translation into national policy outcomes. Particular attention is given to governance asymmetries and equity considerations, especially in emerging economies such as Morocco, where structural and institutional constraints shape mitigation capacity. The analysis demonstrates that effective climate governance cannot rely on uniform policy prescriptions; rather, it requires adaptive, differentiated, and inclusive mechanisms that align global responsibilities with local capabilities. By situating carbon mitigation within its political, economic, and institutional contexts, the paper contributes to ongoing debates on the design of more effective, just, and context-sensitive climate governance strategies.