Background

National climate action plans, known as nationally determined contributions or NDCs, are at the heart of the Paris Agreement. In this treaty, countries committed to limiting global warming to “well below 2 degrees above pre-industrial levels,” and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C. NDCs embody efforts by each country to reduce national emissions and adapt to the impacts of climate change.

The Paris Agreement requests countries to submit updated NDCs every five years to the UNFCCC secretariat. They are encouraged to submit NDCs that reflect increased ambition, whether in terms of strengthened targets, accelerated timelines, or a broader scope covering additional sectors or greenhouse gases. The idea is that over time, the aggregate reductions in emissions will put the world on a Paris-compatible pathway.

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