The Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) are the commitments made by countries in response to the Paris Agreement on climate change. The NDCs are the cornerstone of the Paris Agreement, and all countries are expected to submit their NDCs to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
In December 2015, the Paris Agreement was adopted, and each country was required to set out their national climate commitments by submitting an NDC to the UNFCCC. Under the Paris Agreement, countries are expected to strengthen their NDCs every five years, beginning with the submission of NDCs in 2020. The new NDCs that are submitted in 2020 will become effective in 2022.
The NDCs are the main instrument for countries to communicate their plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, as well as their plans to adapt to the impacts of climate change. The NDCs contain information such as countries’ plans to reduce emissions, as well as their planned adaptation measures.
The NDCs are an important part of the global effort to address climate change. The NDCs are intended to provide countries with an opportunity to express their commitment to fighting climate change and to ensure that their commitments are consistent with the objectives of the Paris Agreement.
The NDCs are not legally binding, but countries are expected to make progress toward their commitments. The NDCs are also expected to be transparent, measurable, and verifiable.
The NDCs are expected to provide clarity on the actions that countries are taking to reduce emissions, as well as their plans to adapt to the impacts of climate change. Countries are also expected to take into account the economic and social aspects of climate change, and to consider the needs of vulnerable populations.
The NDCs are expected to be consistent with countries’ long-term strategies to address climate change. This means that countries should include information on how they will achieve their long-term goals, such as their strategies for reducing emissions and adapting to the impacts of climate change.
The NDCs are also expected to be ambitious, and countries are encouraged to set ambitious targets that are in line with the goals of the Paris Agreement. Countries should also take into account the costs of achieving their targets, and take into account the financial and technical support that may be needed.
In order to ensure that countries are making progress toward their commitments, the NDCs are expected to include information on how countries will measure and report their progress. This includes reporting on emissions reductions and adaptation measures, as well as reporting on the costs of achieving the targets.
The NDCs are expected to be updated every five years, and countries are expected to submit their updated NDCs to the UNFCCC in 2020. These updated NDCs will become effective in 2022, and countries are expected to submit their updated NDCs to the UNFCCC in 2020 in order to ensure that they are making progress toward their commitments.