NDCs

NDCs, or Nationally Determined Contributions, are climate action plans adopted by countries under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) as part of the Paris Agreement. They reflect national choices and capabilities, with each country setting its own targets, policies, and measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to adapt to climate impacts. NDCs typically outline mitigation goals for a defined time frame and may also include adaptation strategies, finance needs, technology transfer, and capacity-building plans.

Content and structure commonly found in NDCs include the target year and base year, the type of target (absolute or intensity-based), the sectors covered (such as energy, transport, industry, and agriculture), and the assumptions used for population, economic growth, and energy mix. They may also describe adaptation priorities, resilience measures, and the financial and technical support required from the international community. Some NDCs distinguish unconditional elements (actions to be implemented with domestic resources) from conditional elements (actions contingent on support).

Process and updating: Under the Paris Agreement, Parties communicate new or updated NDCs at five-year intervals, with the intention of progressively increasing ambition. NDCs are accompanied by transparency provisions that require reporting on emissions, progress, finance, and support, subject to international review. A global stocktake assesses collective progress toward the agreement’s long-term temperature goals.

Scope and challenges: NDCs are not individually legally binding, but they form a collective framework intended to raise ambition over time. Their effectiveness depends on domestic implementation and on adequate finance, technology, and capacity-building support from the international community. Differences in national circumstances and accounting methods can affect comparability across NDCs.