What are Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC)?

Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) are at the heart of the Paris Agreement and the achievement of its long-term goals. The NDCs embody each country's efforts to reduce national emissions and adapt to the impacts of climate change. The Paris Agreement (Article 4, paragraph 2) requires each party to prepare, communicate and maintain progressive Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) that it intends to achieve. The Parties shall pursue domestic mitigation measures to achieve the objectives of such contributions.

what does that mean

The Paris Agreement requires each country to outline and communicate their post-2020 climate action, known as their NDCs.

Together, these climate actions determine whether the world meets the long-term goals of the Paris Agreement to reach a global peak in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions as soon as possible and then make rapid reductions in line with the best available science to achieve a balance between anthropogenic emissions from sources and sinks of GHGs in the second half of this century. It is understood that peaking emissions will take longer for developing country Parties and that emission reductions are undertaken on the basis of equity and in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication efforts, which are critical development priorities for many developing countries.

The Paris Agreement recognizes that the long-term goals specified in its Articles 2 and 4.1 will be achieved over time, and therefore builds on a gradual increase in aggregate and individual ambitions.

NDCs are submitted every five years to the UNFCCC Secretariat. In order to strengthen ambitions over time, the Paris Agreement stipulates that subsequent NDCs will represent progress on the previous NDC and reflect its highest possible ambitions.