New Delhi: The United Nations (UN) climate head has invited heads of state and government to showcase their nationally determined contribution (NDC) targets at the United Nations Secretary-General’s High-Level Special Event on Climate Action in New York on September 24.
In a letter to 196 parties to the Paris Agreement, as well as observer organisations and states, executive secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Simon Stiell on Wednesday called on all parties to announce their NDCs by the end of September.
“Nationally Determined Contributions, NDCs 3.0, must be submitted as soon as possible. Submissions by the end of September will be included in the 2025 NDC Synthesis Report. This report, published prior to Conference of the Parties 30 (COP30) in Belém, will provide an important update of progress thus far,” the letter, seen by HT, said.
“Around 190 countries have indicated they will submit their new NDCs this year or have already submitted,” a UNFCCC spokesperson said.
Stiell, who made short missions to key economies this year—including Brazil, China, South Africa, France, Germany, India, Nigeria, Mexico, Türkiye, Indonesia, and Australia—has been stressing that countries need to take climate action to protect their economic interests.
{{/usCountry}}Stiell, who made short missions to key economies this year—including Brazil, China, South Africa, France, Germany, India, Nigeria, Mexico, Türkiye, Indonesia, and Australia—has been stressing that countries need to take climate action to protect their economic interests.
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In 2023, as part of the outcome of the first global stocktake, Parties committed to accelerating action in this decade and agreed to come forward in their next NDCs with ambitious, economy-wide emission reduction targets aligned with limiting global warming to 1.5°C, as informed by the latest science and in light of different national circumstances.
“These national climate plans are much more than words on paper; they are among this century’s most powerful engines of economic growth and rising living standards, and the cornerstone of humanity’s fight against the global climate crisis. I commend those Parties who have already submitted their new NDCs, and I especially applaud Parties that have demonstrated a whole-of-government, whole-of-economy, and whole-of-society approach to boosting climate action. Strong climate plans—that both drive down emissions and build climate resilience—are the best defence against the global climate crisis hitting eight billion people right now,” Stiell said in his letter.
He said climate disasters are cutting Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by as much as 5% in some countries. “Every nation continues to experience worsening climate-driven disasters, causing immense human suffering and devastating economic losses across every region, cutting GDP by 5% in some places. This is creating a knock-on effect on living standards and is raising costs for ordinary people and businesses,” Stiell said.
On the other hand, countries taking climate action could benefit from the clean energy boom, he suggested. “Countries submitting strong new NDCs are on their way to securing the biggest share of the clean energy boom—which hit USD 2 trillion in 2024—and the millions of jobs and stronger economic growth it is creating, along with much lower health costs, and more secure and affordable clean energy.”
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Further, Stiell warned that the world is headed for 3°C of warming over pre-industrial levels. “The approach of COP30 is a timely reminder that UN-convened cooperation and the national actions taken in response are delivering real progress; without it, humanity would be headed for up to 5°C of global heating and an unlivable planet. We are currently headed for around 3°C, which underscores how far we have collectively come and how far we still have to go to limit global heating to 1.5°C—as science demands, and to protect 8 billion people,” he said.
China and the EU are among the major economies expected to announce their NDCs. China in April announced that it will set out new goals for emission cuts by 2035, “covering the entire scope of the economy, including all greenhouse gases,” ahead of the COP30 summit in November in Brazil.
India is formulating its first comprehensive National Adaptation Plan (NAP) to enhance resilience to climate change. The NAP represents a major step forward in aligning adaptation planning with India’s national development priorities and global climate commitments under the UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement.
Union environment minister Bhupender Yadav had said the NAP seeks to protect lives, ecosystems, and livelihoods by understanding current and future climate risks and vulnerabilities, identifying medium- and long-term priorities for climate adaptation, and establishing systems, policies, measures, and capacities to ensure strengthened adaptation planning, budgeting, and implementation.
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Officials said India is expected to submit its National Adaptation Plan this year.
HT reported on Wednesday that the COP30 and its focus on rebuilding multilateralism is a counter to unilateral trade measures and ongoing tariff wars, COP30 resident André Corrêa do Lago said in an interview with HT on Tuesday. He also indicated that COP30 may be very different from previous COPs, with limited focus on a “deal” or a “cover text,” and much more on real action.
Responding to HT’s question on the tariff war and the geopolitical situation impacting expectations ahead of COP30, Lago said: “Well, I think it’s quite obvious that it has an impact but somehow, as someone told me—and I tend to agree—is that all these unilateral measures confirm how important it is to strengthen multilateralism. So, we are trying to do something really positive in Belém and [it] will have an impact much beyond climate. It will be like a reaction to a situation that I think most countries are uncomfortable with,” he said.