What is an NDC?
NDC stands for Nationally Determined Contribution.
NDCs embody efforts by each country to reduce national emissions and adapt to the impacts of climate change, with the aim of achieving the commitments ratified in the Paris Agreement.
What is the Paris Agreement?
The Paris Agreement is an international, binding treaty which was developed under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) at its 21st Conference of the Parties (COP21) in Paris, France in 2015. 197 countries have ratified the Paris Agreement and made a legally bound commitment to curb global warming. This is aimed to be achieved by limiting average global temperature rise to well below 2 degrees Celsius, pursuing efforts to limit the temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius and to promote a net-zero emissions, resilient development pathway.
How are NDCs related to the Paris Agreement?
At the core of the Paris Agreement is the NDC mechanism. Each country defines their NDCs which outlines short-term and long-term commitments for climate change mitigation and adaptation. Countries update and submit their NDCs to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Secretariat every five years. This also ensures increasingly ambitious climate targets.
