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Five-point plan for next-generation NDCs, by World Resources Institute

Michael Simire
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Five-point plan for next-generation NDCs, by World Resources Institute

By early 2025, countries are due to unveil new national climate commitments under the Paris Agreement, known as nationally determined contributions (NDCs). These commitments form the foundation of international climate action, establishing emissions-reduction targets and other measures that countries promise to implement.

Nationally determined contributions (NDCs)
A Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) document

The Paris Agreement requires nations to put forward new NDCs every five years, with each round stronger than the last. In short, NDCs are important because they are the main vehicle for countries to collectively confront the global climate crisis.

Yet NDCs to date fall well short of what’s needed to avert increasingly dangerous climate impacts and hold global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees C (2.7 degrees F). A recent UN report found current commitments put the world on track for a catastrophic 2.5-2.9 degrees C (4.5 – 5.2 degrees F) of warming by 2100.

Key developments since the last round of NDCs in 2020 can help spur countries to step things up considerably this time around. The question is: Will they rise to the occasion?

The Seeds for Stronger Climate Action Are Taking Root

Indeed, the impetus for ambitious national climate action has never been stronger. For instance, most countries now have targets to achieve net-zero emissions by or around 2050. This round of NDCs will extend to 2035 – the midpoint between 2020 (when many countries began implementing their NDCs) and 2050 – making them an important milestone for aligning near- and mid-term action with long-term aspirations. The new NDCs must also be informed by last year’s Global Stocktake, a UN assessment that reveals the shortcomings in current national climate policies and clearly calls for countries to move away from fossil fuels, as well as transform transportation, food and agriculture, and more.

Countries are also increasingly joining global cooperative initiatives on issues ranging from food and forests to renewable energy and methane; translating those commitments into NDCs could unlock stronger ambition. Finally, new scientific evidence like last year’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report reveals that the impacts of climate change are leading to more devastating consequences sooner than anticipated, reinforcing the urgent need to curb emissions, drive adaptation and significantly increase financing for both.

In the past, too many NDCs fell short of their potential to set out the ambition and actions needed for truly transformative climate action. This time around, NDCs must evolve to set the sights of government on the pace and scale of change needed and advance implementation to deliver it.

Here, we propose a five-point plan for the next generation of NDCs:

1) Set 2035 and strengthen 2030 emissions-reduction targets aligned with 1.5-degrees C and net-zero emissions goals.

Research shows that preventing increasingly dangerous impacts of climate change requires limiting global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees C above pre-industrial levels. That means cutting global greenhouse gas emissions by 43% by 2030 and 60% by 2035, relative to 2019.

This is a collective goal supported by 194 vastly different countries, so it’s hard to prescribe a single, objective 2030 and 2035 emissions target at the national level (though various tools can help do so). Two things, however, are clear: First, countries, especially major emitters, must go much further in their emissions cuts than their current NDCs. And second, developed countries – historically the world’s largest emitters – have a responsibility to make the deepest reductions while providing substantially more finance to help developing countries accelerate climate action.

Less ambiguous than the collective 1.5- degrees C goal are the net-zero emissions targets that most countries have now adopted. Those countries should ensure that their 2030 and 2035 targets put them on a realistic path to phasing out emissions entirely by their net-zero target date. The window to align near- and mid-term climate action with long-term goals is finite. Infrastructure, for example, can take decades to turn over. If NDCs continue to lag so far behind, long-term goals will not be met without costly interventions later. The UN invited countries to submit their long-term climate strategies by November 2024, which can help inform countries’ near-term actions in their 2025 NDCs.

Finally, all countries should set targets that include non-CO2 greenhouse gases such as methane. Reining in these potent climate pollutants is among the fastest ways to reduce near-term warming, yet some countries still do not address them in their NDCs. Last year, China made a significant commitment to include non-CO2 emissions for the first time in its new NDC. This is especially important, as China’s non-CO2 emissions alone would rank among the world’s top 10 national emitters of total GHGs.

2) Accelerate systemwide transformations by establishing ambitious, timebound sectoral targets.

Limiting global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees C will require immediate action to transform nearly every sector. To spur such far-reaching changes, countries should set sector-specific targets that underpin their topline emissions-reduction goals, as well as jumpstart a process with ministries to integrate these targets into their strategic planning. Doing so can help guide domestic policymaking across the whole of government, signal the direction of travel to public and private sector investors and enable more effective implementation.

While most NDCs currently commit to reducing economy-wide GHG emissions, fewer feature sector-specific goals. But establishing ambitious, timebound targets for the energy system (which includes energy supply and end use sectors like transport), as well as for food, agriculture and land, will be particularly important, as these sectors collectively emit about 90% of GHGs globally.

A just transition to zero-carbon energy

NDCs should commit to phasing down fossil fuels rapidly this decade, while also scaling up zero-carbon power; electrifying buildings, industry and transport; shifting to low- and zero-carbon fuels in harder-to-abate industries like steel and cement; and improving energy efficiency.

Fortunately, countries aren’t starting from scratch. The Global Stocktake, as well as multilateral commitments like the Global Renewables and Energy Efficiency Pledge, provide building blocks for national target-setting. At COP28, for example, countries agreed to transition away from fossil fuels, triple renewable energy capacity by 2030 and advance efforts to achieve net-zero energy systems by mid-century. These political commitments represent significant progress. NDCs should reaffirm them.

But to limit warming to 1.5 degrees C, countries will also need to go further. One study, for example, finds that zero-carbon power sources like wind and solar must account for at least 88% of electricity generation by 2030, while coal and unabated fossil gas should decline to no more than 4% and 7% of power generation by the end of this decade, respectively. Similarly, decarbonising transport will require bringing jobs, services and goods closer to where people live to avoid motorised travel; doubling public transit infrastructure across urban areas; and increasing the share of electric vehicles in the passenger car fleet to at least 20% this decade.

Countries do not need to progress at the same pace or reach the same target to achieve these global benchmarks. While developed countries have a responsibility to go furthest, fastest, other major emitters also need to decarbonise rapidly to keep the 1.5-degree C limit within reach, though some may require finance and other support to do so. Still, these benchmarks provide a rough approximation of where nations need to be in the near term.

Finally, NDCs should lay the groundwork for a just and equitable energy transition by committing to extend affordable, reliable electricity access to those currently living without it, provide safe and accessible mobility for all, and support those negatively impacted by the shift to zero-carbon energy, such as fossil fuel workers.

A shift to resilient food systems that feed a growing population, help halt deforestation and reduce emissions

Today’s farmers face an enormously difficult task of boosting agricultural productivity to improve food security in the face of intensifying climate change impacts, while also shifting to practices that enhance soil health, safeguard water and mitigate climate change. Agriculture, forestry and other land uses, for example, account for nearly one-fifth of annual GHG emissions globally; when combined with emissions across food supply chains, this share jumps to roughly a third.

Recent years have seen this sector rise up the political agenda, with an increasing number of countries referencing it in their current NDCs, the inclusion of ecosystem conservation within the Global Stocktake and the Global Goal on Adaptation’s target to attain climate-resilient food systems. Complementary commitments like the Glasgow Leaders’ Declaration on Forests and Land Use and the Emirates Declaration on Sustainable Agriculture, Resilient Food Systems and Climate Action have also received widespread support from countries.

Though these developments are welcome news, NDCs must go further to deliver the Paris Agreement’s goals, including to protect vulnerable farmers, particularly smallholders, from intensifying impacts and to lower food systems’ emissions.

On the demand-side, all countries should set targets to halve food loss and waste by 2030, while those in high-consuming regions (the Americas, Europe and Oceania) should aim to lower per capita consumption of emissions-intensive beef, lamb and goat to two servings per week or less by the end of this decade. Supply-side, 1.5-degree C benchmarks call for reducing global GHG emissions from agricultural production by 22% this decade, while also sustainably boosting crop yields by 18% and building resilience. Pairing these food and agriculture goals with those focused on halting and reversing ecosystem loss, particularly for forests, peatlands, mangroves and grasslands, is also urgently needed to help conserve the world’s carbon sinks and stores.

Critically, efforts to achieve these targets must be pursued in tandem. Failure to do so risks unintended consequences, such as farms expanding into forests and accelerating biodiversity losses, tree-planting across productive croplands that harms farmers’ livelihoods and threatens food security, or adoption of agricultural practices that increase yields but heighten vulnerability to climate change by degrading soil or overdrawing groundwater.

3) Build resilience to increasingly dangerous and irreversible impacts.

With escalating climate impacts like heatwaves, severe storms and wildfires, as well as longer-term, slow onset effects like sea level rise and desertification, it’s increasingly crucial for countries to step up their efforts to adapt and build resilience. Despite their focus on mitigation, NDCs – along with other tools like national adaptation plans (NAPs) – play a vital role in elevating the political profile of adaptation and facilitating much-needed shifts in policies and finance.

This next generation of NDCs follows adoption of the first Global Goal on Adaptation, which outlines sectoral adaptation targets. Countries can refer to these global priorities when identifying national and local priorities, such as attaining climate-resilient food and agricultural production and distribution; building resilience to climate change-related health impacts; and reducing climate impacts on ecosystems and biodiversity, among others.

This requires conducting periodic vulnerability assessments, undertaking cost-benefit analyses (using the “triple dividend” approach), and consulting mayors and local communities to prioritise opportunities for enhancing adaptation and strengthening actions to keep pace with intensifying climate impacts. Once implementation begins, progress should be tracked through the development of monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL) systems.

The NDC process also offers countries the opportunity to engage the most vulnerable communities and Indigenous Peoples in developing national adaptation measures. Inclusive stakeholder participation helps ensure that investments in adaptation and climate-resilient development meet local needs. The principles for locally led adaptation can help guide implementation.

Finally, NDCs offer countries a chance to prioritise loss and damage, and thereby raise awareness of areas in which the limits to adaptation are likely to be exceeded. This can include providing specific information on financial costs and technical and capacity needs to respond to the most severe impacts of climate change, as well as national efforts related to disaster-risk reduction, humanitarian assistance, rehabilitation, migration and slow-onset events, such as loss of biodiversity and erosion of cultural heritage.

4) Spur investment and strengthen governance to turn targets into practice.

It is critical that NDCs not only make commitments, but also lay the groundwork for implementing them. This includes a vision for how government ministries, subnational governments, the private sector and civil society, as well as others, will work together to turn ambition into reality, including through policies, institutions and finance.

To start with, implementing NDCs will require a whole-of-government effort. The profile, legitimacy and associated international scrutiny of the NDC process can shift the political calculus, creating opportunities to strengthen climate governance accordingly. For example, as they develop their NDCs, countries can pass laws or foster coordination across the entire government – from the head of state and all-important economic ministries to line ministries and regulatory bodies.

The process can also help facilitate consensus-building and integrate climate issues into mainstream planning, policy, finance and legislative decisions. The NDC document itself can describe allocation of responsibility for implementation to certain ministries and note whether the country is establishing or strengthening national climate bodies that can drive forward integration and accountability. Leveraging these opportunities may prove critical to establishing the legal and institutional infrastructure necessary to implement ambitious goals.

The NDC process is also an opportunity to actors such as cities, states, regions and local communities. This can achieve several goals: ensuring alignment between local and national climate goals; strengthening subnational implementation via policies and budgets; and increasing countries’ overall ambition.

Implementation of NDCs will also depend on investment and finance. Ambitious targets and policy objectives in a country’s NDC can send strong signals to investors and finance providers that the government is committed to the climate agenda. This signal is even stronger if NDC targets, policies and institutional measures are integrated into core national and sectoral plans. This can help to mobilise the finance and investment to carry out national commitments.

But the NDCs’ targets and measures, even if strengthened through integration into core national and sectoral planning, cannot stand alone if they are to succeed. They’ll need to be buttressed by credible strategies to mobilise investment and financing. Such strategies would build on but go beyond the estimates some developing countries made in previous NDCs of the cost of their proposed actions. They can also delineate the actions countries could finance domestically and those which would be conditional on international finance.

Strategies can also identify a pipeline of bankable projects. Clear finance strategies will not only strengthen the viability and credibility of countries’ NDC targets, but also help turn commitments into action.

NDC investment strategies can also provide a rallying point that enables developing country governments to bring together public financing partners (e.g. Multilateral Development Banks, Development Finance Institutions, Climate Funds, donors, philanthropists) and the private sector to coordinate how they will support countries’ targets. Such coordination processes – which should be driven by a country’s own objectives and internal alignment could enable the co-creation of project pipelines, structure investment programmes, and help identify policies that encourage greater investment.

5) Put people at the centre, ensuring climate action creates jobs, improves health and more.

Given the widespread ramifications of climate change and the many potential benefits of tackling it, NDCs will need to draw clear linkages to a wide range of issues that are critical for peoples’ lives – from employment to health to local economies and beyond. Doing so is essential to maximise the economic, development and social opportunities from well-planned climate policies, as well as for managing challenges like loss of livelihoods for workers in the fossil fuel industry or certain types of land use. Taking these issues into account is also critical for building public and political support for greater climate action.

Some NDCs have already highlighted connections between the actions they lay out and the Sustainable Development Goals, while others refer to “just transitions,” decent work and gender rights. Yet most current NDCs only skim the surface on these issues.

While NDCs cannot provide fully granular policies across all issues, what they can do is outline clear plans for a just transition, including working directly with communities, workers and other affected groups to develop strategies for an inclusive zero-carbon and resilient transition.

NDCs can also outline ways in which countries will support communities that might be negatively affected by zero-carbon, resilient development. These approaches could include employment creation and worker retraining, support for community development and economic diversification, social safety nets and more.  NDCs can also provide quantitative goals on objectives such as access to high-quality green jobs, health improvements through pollutant reduction, and equitable access to renewable energy and sustainable transport.

What’s Next?

By 2035, the world needs to be on a radically different pathway if we have any hope of overcoming the climate crisis. The NDCs that countries submit by next year will show in black and white which countries are committed to slash emissions and accelerate adaptation quickly enough to get there.

Our five-point plan offers a blueprint for success: setting ambitious emissions-reduction targets aligned with the 1.5 degrees C limit, accelerating sectoral transformations, building resilience across all systems, catalysing multi-stakeholder action and investment, and putting people at the centre of climate action. By embracing these principles as they craft next-generation NDCs, countries can not only help avoid the devastating impacts of climate change, but also unlock opportunities for sustainable development, job creation and better public health.

By Jamal Srouji, Taryn Fransen, Sophie Boehm, David Waskow, Rebecca Carter and Gaia Larsen, World Resources Institute (WRI)

Originally published here https://www.wri.org/insights/next-ndcs-5-point-plan?apcid=0065e0b07f09392dce581a03&utm_campaign=cli-ndc-new-sector-page-la&utm_content=cli-ndc-new-sector-page-la&utm_medium=email&utm_source=ortto on April 25, 2024

Africa faces mounting climate challenges as global emissions gap persists, UNEP report finds

Michael Simire
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Africa faces mounting climate challenges as global emissions gap persists, UNEP report finds

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has released the “Emissions Gap Report 2024”, presenting stark warnings and critical insights into the global progress, or lack thereof, in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The report highlights an urgent need for more ambitious climate action to meet the Paris Agreement goal of limiting global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.

Ali Mohamed
Ali Mohamed, Chair, African Group of Negotiators (AGN)

As the world looks ahead to COP29, African nations face unique climate challenges, with the region disproportionately affected by climate change despite contributing only about 4% of global emissions. The 2024 report calls for both immediate and transformative measures globally, including in Africa, to avoid the devastating effects of climate change on food security, water availability, and economic stability.

Key Highlights of the Emissions Gap Report 2024

1. Current Emissions Trajectory: The report finds that despite some progress, the world is still on a trajectory to reach 2.7°C of warming by the end of the Century, far exceeding the Paris Agreement targets. Global emissions need to be cut by 45% by 2030 to keep the 1.5°C target within reach.

2. Fossil Fuel Dependency: The ongoing reliance on fossil fuels remains a significant barrier. While renewables are expanding, coal, oil, and gas continue to dominate the global energy mix, especially in regions with fast- growing energy demand. The report stresses the need for rapid and just decarbonisation of the energy sector and a shift towards renewable energy, particularly in Africa, where energy access is a pressing development issue.

3. Finance and Technology for Africa: Africa is cited as a region where significant climate finance and technology transfer are crucial. Despite the
$100 billion annual climate finance commitment made by developed nations, actual flows to Africa have lagged. The report emphasises the urgent need for scaled up finance and investments in adaptation and mitigation technologies across the continent to build climate resilience.

4. Sectoral Transformations: To bridge the emissions gap, the report calls for radical transformations across key sectors:

i. Energy: The energy transition is critical. Africa’s abundant renewable resources, such as solar and wind, present a unique opportunity for clean energy leadership.
ii. Agriculture and Land Use: With agriculture forming the backbone of many African economies, sustainable practices and investments in climate-smart agriculture are necessary to protect food security while reducing emissions.
iii. Urbanisation: The rapid urban growth in Africa presents both challenges and opportunities. Sustainable urban planning and infrastructure development can mitigate emissions while fostering economic growth.

5. Adapting to a Warmer Future: The report highlights that climate adaptation remains a priority for Africa, where extreme weather events – droughts, floods, and heatwaves – are becoming more frequent and severe. Strengthening local and national capacities for adaptation is vital, alongside enhancing climate resilience in sectors such as health, water management, and infrastructure.

African Leadership in Climate Action

The Nairobi Declaration, adopted at the inaugural Africa Climate Summit in 2023, noted that, despite the global challenges, African nations are making significant strides in climate leadership. This year at COP29 (‘the Finance COP’), Africa is calling for an ambitious, accessible and predictable climate finance goal and enhanced international cooperation to drive impactful climate action and support full implementation of Africa’s NDCs, NAPs, Loss and Damage and Just Transitions.

Call to Action from Amb Ali Mohamed

As the world prepares for COP29, the Emissions Gap Report 2024 serves as a clarion call for all nations to raise their climate ambitions.

Amb Ali Mohamed, the Kenya Special Envoy for Climate Change and Chair of the African Group of Negotiators (AGN), underscores the importance of global solidarity and climate justice, especially for vulnerable regions like Africa that are bearing the brunt of climate impacts.

He urges that, with stronger financial commitments, technological innovation, and bold political leadership, there is still a chance to bridge the emissions gap and secure a sustainable future for Africa and the world.

Scientific group raises health concern over GMO foods in Nigeria

Michael Simire
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Scientific group raises health concern over GMO foods in Nigeria

A scientific group, the Living Science Foundation (LSF), has raised concern over the potential adverse health effects of Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) foods in the country.

GMOs
GMOs

The group raised the observation in a statement issued on Thursday, October 24, 2024, at the ongoing 9th annual National Conference on Environmental and Health, in Ile-Ife, Osun State.

The statement was jointly signed by Prof. Joshua Ojo, the president of the group and Dr Adebiyi Oginni, chairman of the organising committee of the conference.

The statement said that the deployment of GMO foods such as maize, cassava, sweet potatoes, in the markets could result in a serious health implication for consumers.

It said that a well-established adverse health effects of chronic ingestion of GMOs included cancers, organ damage, allergic reactions, antibiotic resistance and reductions in nutritional content.

“At the beginning of the year, on January 11, approval was given for the cultivation of GMO TELA Maize in Nigeriaand on the heels of this were the announcements that GMO cassava and potatoes are also on their way.

“Transgenic rice and sorghum are also known to be lurking somewhere in the pipeline and since 2019, Nigerians have been officially eating the world’s first genetically modified beans (Bt Cowpeas).

“The frightening implication of all these, is that virtually all the basic staples in Nigeria are being bioengineered and released for commercial cultivation.

“The germlines for the GMOs being released are proprietary products, designed and developed by multinational monopolies with history of aggressive and ruthless commercial operations.

“There are very good reasons to doubt the thoroughness of the approval processes for these products in Nigeria,” it said.

It said for instance, the Germany-based Testbiotech e.V., Institute for Independent Impact Assessment of Biotechnology, published an extensive peer-reviewed report on the products.

According to the statement, the company documented the utter incredible shoddiness characterising the risk assessment exercise used to greenlight GM cowpea (beans) in Nigeria.

It said the report had been largely ignored by concerned authorities in the country.

“Worse, even the basic legal and reasonable requirement that GMO food products be appropriately labelled (Section 23(2) h of the NBMA Act 2015)10 is flouted with outright impunity,” it said.

It called on the Nigeria Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) and the National Agency for Foods and Drugs Administration and Control, NAFDAC) to conduct appropriate chronic toxicity testings.

According to the statement, the tests will transparently ascertain the safety of GM food products before their deployment for public consumption in the country.

It, however, applauded the discovery and production of Malaria Vaccine, but warned against the incorporation of it into Routine Childhood Immunisation in the country.

It said that it was not an appropriate public health response and would be a colossal waste of the country’s meager resources.

“The huge amount to be deployed to this can be used to carry out better and sound public health interventions like biological control of the vector and environmental sanitation,” the statement said.

By Olajide Idowu

Endangered species: Nigeria needs decisive legislative action to halt poaching – Speaker Abbas

Michael Simire
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Endangered species: Nigeria needs decisive legislative action to halt poaching – Speaker Abbas

Speaker of House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, says Nigeria requires a decisive legislation to stem poaching in the country.

Tajudeen Abass
Speaker of the House, Rep. Tajudeen Abbas

Abbas said this while declaring open a day public hearing on the Endangered Species Conservation and Protection Bill in Abuja on Thursday, October 24, 2024.

The hearing was organised by the House Committee on Treaties, Protocols and Agreements.

Abass noted that, between 2016 and 2019, more than half of pangolin scales seized globally came from Nigeria.

According to him, in January 2019, Hong Kong Customs seized $8 million worth of elephant tusks and pangolin scales from a shipping container from Nigeria.

The lawmaker said that Nigeria had become the world’s most significant transit point for illegal ivory and pangolin scales smuggled from Africa to Asia.

Quoting conservationists, he said that Nigeria currently has less than 500 elephants, 100 Cross River gorillas and about 50 lions left.

He said pangolins were presently endangered or on the brink of extinction.

The speaker said that the same situation was applicable to crocodiles and antelope species, rats and duikers, which are widely available in ‘bush meat’ markets across the country.

He said that the decline was due to habitat loss, poaching, illegal wildlife trade, and climate change, all of which, he said, had added another layer of complexity to the challenges faced by these already vulnerable species.

According to him, the loss of biodiversity weakens the country’s ecosystem resilience, thus making it more susceptible to environmental disturbances.

“The rate at which species across Nigeria are facing extinction is a stark reminder of the urgent need for a decisive legislative action to halt this negative trend.

“This bill, therefore, is not merely a legislative exercise; it is a critical step towards fulfilling our moral obligation to protect the environment and preserve the legacy of these invaluable species for future generations.

“It seeks to establish a robust legal framework that will address the multi-faceted challenges threatening our endangered animals and plants, such as illegal wildlife trade by imposing stringent penalties on those involved in the trafficking of the endangered species.

“It seeks to promote sustainable wildlife management through the establishment of conservation areas and the implementation of community-based conservation initiatives. amongst others.

“We, therefore, encourage you to share your insights, experiences, and recommendations, whether they are in support of the bill or proposing amendments that can further enhance its effectiveness,” he said.

The speaker called for actions to protect the environment as it would open up great opportunity of turning wildlife and environment into economic use.

He said that investment in the sector would, in turn, create jobs, generate revenue, and promote sustainable development that would benefit local communities and the country at large.

Abbas noted that Nigeria had also committed to regulating wildlife trade, conserving migratory species, and protecting ecosystems through the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

According to him, Nigeria is also a signatory to the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS), and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)

Earlier in his remarks, Chairman of the committee, Rep. Rebiu Yusuf, described the bill as a critical step in the collective efforts to safeguard Nigeria’s biodiversity.

Yusif said that it was to protect endangered species and ensure the sustainable management of Nigeria’s precious natural resources, while also fulfilling its international commitments.

He said that the bill sought to establish strict legal protection for species listed under the CITES Appendices as well as endangered and migratory species identified under the CMS.

“It criminalises illegal trade, poaching, and trafficking of protected species, with penalties designed to serve as effective deterrents.

“It also promotes the sustainable use of natural resources in line with the principles of CBD.

“It encourages local communities to participate in conservation efforts through community-based natural resource management programmes and ensures that benefits from the use of biodiversity are shared equitably,” he said.

The chairman also said that the bill, when passed into law, would strengthen the management of national parks, game reserves, and protected areas, which serve as vital refuges for wildlife.

“It includes provisions for the restoration of degraded habitats and the expansion of protected areas to support both resident and migratory species.

“The bill provides for the establishment of enforcement bodies with the mandate to ensure compliance with wildlife conservation laws.

“It enhances the powers of customs officials, wildlife officers, and other relevant authorities to combat illegal trade and trafficking.

“It recognises the need to raise public awareness about the importance of wildlife conservation,” he said.

By EricJames Ochigbo

NNPC helicopter crash: Tinubu commiserates with victims, three bodies recovered

Michael Simire
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NNPC helicopter crash: Tinubu commiserates with victims, three bodies recovered

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd. says three bodies have been recovered in the ongoing rescue operations of the helicopter that crashed into the Atlantic Ocean, near Port-Harcourt on Thursday, October 24, 2024.

Mele Kyari
NNPC Group Managing Director, Mele Kyari

Mr. Olufemi Soneye, Chief Corporate Communications Officer, NNPC Ltd. disclosed this in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja

Soneye said the helicopter, operated by East Winds Aviation, took off from Port Harcourt NAF Base en route the FPSO – NUIMS ANTAN, with eight persons on board (six passengers and two crew members), name withheld.

According to the NNPCL spokesperson, the helicopter was engaged to transport personnel to its Floating, Production, Storage, and Offloading (FPSO) facility, NUIMS ANTAN, when it tragically lost contact.

“The helicopter, a Sikorsky SK76 operated by East Wind Aviation, was en route from the Port Harcourt Military Base to the NUIMANTAN oil rig when it crashed into the Atlantic Ocean near Bonny Finima.

“The flight had eight people on board — six passengers and two crew members — when contact was lost at 11:22 am,” he said.

Soneye added that teams from the Nigerian Search and Rescue Unit, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), and the National Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) were actively participating in the rescue efforts.

He added that neighbouring aerodromes had been alerted to assist in the ongoing operations.

‘Although no Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT) signal was detected, authorities are using manual methods to track the accident site. Low-flying aircraft and military units are being deployed in the search for survivors,” he said

Soneye said the NNPCL would continue to do everything possible to support the ongoing search and rescue operation.

“We shall continue to monitor the situation and provide regular updates as the events unfold.

“Our prayers are with the passengers, crew and their respective families at this very difficult time.

“We will continue to do everything possible to support the ongoing search and rescue operation,” he said.

Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu has directed an intensification of search and rescue for passengers of the ill-fated helicopter that crashed into the Atlantic near Bonny Finima on Thursday in Port-Harcourt.

The helicopter, operated by East Winds Aviation and registered as 5NBQG, was hired by NNPC Ltd. to ferry some contract staff to the NNPC facility FPSO—NUIMS ANTAN.

Tinubu urged military officers involved in various operations in the zone to join the rescue mission and provide all necessary support to the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB), the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, and other relevant agencies.

He condoled with the Board and staff of NNPC Ltd. and the families of those confirmed dead in the accident, Mr Bayo Onanuga, his Special Adviser, Information and Strategy, said in a statement.

Tinubu prayed that the Almighty God would grant eternal rest to the three departed souls and comfort their families.

Climate change threatens Nigeria’s food security – Stakeholders

Michael Simire
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Climate change threatens Nigeria’s food security – Stakeholders

Stakeholders in the health and climate space have said that lack of actionable plans to strengthen the food security chain amid the climate change crisis, may lead to dire consequences.

Dr Dolapo Fasawe
Dr Dolapo Fasawe, Mandate Secretary, Health Services and Environment Secretariat of the Federal Capital Territory

They said this during a panel session on “Addressing Climate Impacts on Nutrition and Food Security” at the 10th edition of Future of Health Conference on Thursday, October 24, 2024, in Abuja.

The conference, organised by Nigeria Health Watch, is themed, “From Evidence to Action: Building resilience at The Climate-Health Nexus”.

Dr Dolapo Fasawe, Mandate Secretary, Health Services and Environment Secretariat of the Federal Capital Territory, said that climate change undoubtedly had adverse effects on all aspects of food security, including availability, access, utilisation and stability.

She said that for food security objectives to be realised, all four highlighted dimensions must be fulfilled simultaneously.

“On the contrary, Nigeria is unable to fulfil these dimensions, leading to food insecurity.”

Citing a 2023 Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) report on “Climate Action and Nutrition – Pathways to Impact”, Fasawe said that climate change also impacted the nutritional quality of available foods.

She said increased atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) levels have been shown to reduce the concentrations of essential nutrients such as iron, protein, and zinc in staple crops like rice, maize, wheat, and potatoes.

“Reduced levels of these micronutrients in food crops will drive micronutrient deficiencies and poor nutrition outcomes, particularly among low-income communities and women and children as the most vulnerable.”

She, however, called for the adoption of climate-smart agricultural practices, including investment in research and development of climate-adapted crops and technologies.

She also called for diversification of diets to promote dietary choices that enhanced nutrition, reduced reliance on mono-cropping systems and support agrobiodiversity.

“Implementing strategies to reduce post-harvest losses and improve food distribution systems will minimise environmental harm, address food loss and waste, and ultimately enhance food security.”

On his part, Mr. Samuel Onuigbo, the Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Climate Change at the eight assembly, said that the Climate Change Act talked about the importance of agriculture, the environment, mines and water resources.

This, he said, was to ensure that Nigeria employed a holistic approach to the issue.

According to him, the holistic approach will help to tackle issues of nutrition and food security.

“This is because if you don’t deal with the impacts of climate change, you will not know that it has affected food, water, and the environment.

“So together, these things are structured in such a way that everyone is involved, and all hands must be on deck for us to secure food security.”

The Country Director, Care International, Dr Hussaini Abdu, said that one major way to respond to climate change was to ensure that high levels of investments and mobilisation on the issue were carried out.

Abdu noted that there was need for a more coordinated response to the situation, with the private sector as a key player.

By Folasade Akpan

Unpacking climate impacts, energy transition at Africa Climate Academy

Michael Simire
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Unpacking climate impacts, energy transition at Africa Climate Academy

Africa faces knowledge gaps that hinder engagements in the global energy transition, even as countries set ambitious net-zero targets and major oil companies shift toward cleaner energy.

Africa Climate Academy
A session at the Africa Climate Academy

The Africa Centre for Energy Policy (ACEP), a policy think tank, believes the continent needs fresh perspectives on the risks of oil dependence and the opportunities of the energy transition for inclusive growth and development.

“It is time for us to think how we can be part of the economic transformation from renewable energy, despite the challenges with climate change,” said Benjamin Boakye, ACEP Executive Director.

He was addressing the inaugural cohort of the Africa Climate Academy, an educational platform designed to reshape perceptions, build knowledge, foster collaboration, and empower advocacy for a sustainable future.

The Academy brought together policymakers, media professionals, civil society leaders, and academics to acquire the knowledge and tools to address Africa’s climate and energy challenges and drive sustainable action.

The primary goal of the energy transition is to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, but a just transition will need Africa to be at the forefront of implementation.

Voices for Africa to go for nuclear energy have been strong, emphasising that it’s cheaper and the option for industrialisation.

Benjamin Boakye, however, believes “the argument that we cannot industrialise with renewable energy is being challenged due to improving technology to ease access to solar, among others”.

Failure of the Paris Agreement

Climate change is affecting every inhabited region across the globe, with human influence contributing to many observed changes in weather and climate extremes.

Human-induced climate change has contributed to increases in agricultural and ecological droughts in some regions due to evapotranspiration increases.

Prof. Nana Ama Browne Klutse, Head of the Department of Physics at the University of Ghana and Vice Chair of IPCC Working Group I, during a session, unpacked the evidence from the IPCC about the reality of climate change.

“The impact of climate change is affecting our environment and has the potential to destroy our very existence. It is affecting our habitat, the air we breathe, water we drink, the food we eat,” she said.

Global temperatures have already risen 1.36°C as of 2023 and will probably rise a further 3°, or even up to 4.5-5° by 2100.

Regional temperatures are rising; cold days, nights and frost have become rarer; hot days, nights and heatwaves are more frequent; extreme rainfall and flooding events are more frequent; extreme droughts and massive wildfires are more common; and in rural communities, forests and farmland are impacted, making crops and food scarce and expensive for all.

According to Prof, Klutse, there is a failure of the 2015 Paris Agreement on Climate Change and international commitments to emission reductions.

Assessments of current Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) suggest that these reductions, even if fully implemented, are unlikely to limit global temperature increases to below 2°C above pre-industrial levels.

“We’re slowly being boiled in a pot, but we’re not being ambitious in solutions to climate change,” observed the scientist. “We should not go beyond the tipping point. We need to ambitiously remove fossil fuels to control carbon dioxide emissions”.

Collection Action

Some extreme weather events observed over the past decade would have been extremely unlikely to occur without human influence on the climate system.

Dr. Daniel Tutu Benefoh, Acting Director of the Climate Change Unit at Ghana’s Environmental Protection Agency, Ghana, noted that the resource rich part of Africa has the most climate vulnerable people, hence it is important that climate change is carried to the belly of development and keep the conversation there.

He facilitated a session on Integrating Climate Change into Planning Frameworks, covering strategies for mainstreaming climate considerations, fostering inclusivity, monitoring progress, and overcoming implementation challenges.

The Africa Climate Academy is designed to transform the continent’s approach to climate action and shape the future of energy in Africa.

Dr Charles Gyamfi Ofori, Policy Lead, Climate Change and Energy Transition at ACEP, emphasised that the energy transition is real and presents several opportunities.

But he says, “we have to be intentional in assessing the benefits,” adding that “continued investment, R&D and policy support is relevant for Africa”.

By Kofi Adu Domfeh

Developing countries face ‘vicious circle’ of climate change, debt – Report

Michael Simire
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Developing countries face ‘vicious circle’ of climate change, debt – Report

A new report commissioned by the governments of Colombia, Kenya, France and Germany lays bare the devastating effect of debt burdens for many vulnerable low-income countries.

Debt and Climate Change
Debt and climate change

The Expert Review on Debt, Nature and Climate reveals the extent to which unsustainable debt burdens, loss of in nature, and escalating climate change are compounding one another in a hugely destructive “triple crisis”.

Countries most exposed to climate change and nature loss are increasingly having to borrow to fund disaster response and recovery and climate adaptation. But environmental shocks and stresses then constrain economic growth and public revenues, reducing their ability to service debt, and raising the interest rates they face.

This then further damages a country’s ability to invest in climate- and nature-positive development, and this vicious circle means there is no addressing the climate crisis without addressing the debt crisis.

A “virtuous circle” of environmentally sustainable and inclusive growth is possible, the report argues, but only if strong domestic policy is matched by international financial support.

The report shows how the COVID-19 pandemic, fuel and food price inflation, a strengthening US dollar and soaring interest rates have left many countries at high risk of “debt distress” – being unable to pay their debts – at the same time as extreme weather events have become more frequent and severe.

The report shows how the “Debt Sustainability Frameworks” used by the World Bank and IMF to assess the affordability of sovereign debt fail properly to consider the links between debt, climate and nature loss. It makes a series of recommendations for their reform.

The Expert Review was established to catalyse a response to the triple crisis. This interim report provides a diagnosis of the scale of the issues in the hope of establishing greater international collaboration towards solutions. The final report, to be published in Spring 2025, will provide a series of recommendations on how debt can be made more sustainable, both fiscally and environmentally.

Vera Songwe, former UN Under-Secretary General and Expert Review Co-Chair, said: “Many low- and middle-income countries are facing a ‘triple crisis’ not of their own making, with high global interest rates compounding increasingly severe climate impacts and nature loss. Unless the international community collectively takes measures to address this, countries are not going to be able to pursue the climate-resilient, low-carbon and nature-positive growth which they need – and of which they are capable.”

Moritz Kraemer, former Global Chief Ratings Officer of S&P Global and Expert Review Co-Chair, said: “The increasing economic impact of climate change and nature loss make it critical for the IMF and the World Bank to revise the way they assess the sustainability of countries’ debt. We hope that our report will help them do this.”

Ali Mohamed, Special Envoy for Climate Change, Executive office of the President of Kenya & Chair of African Group of Climate Negotiators, said: “This interim report highlights the inescapable reality that we cannot address the climate crisis without tackling the growing burden of debt. Vulnerable nations are caught in a cycle of borrowing to recover from climate disasters, further straining their economies.

“It’s time for the global community to come together, not just to restructure debt, but to recognise that investments in nature and climate resilience are fundamental to long-term economic stability. Our goal is to turn this vicious cycle into a virtuous one, where sustainable investments lead to prosperity and resilience, rather than debt distress.”

UNEP Emissions Gap Report: Humanity teetering on planetary tightrope, warns Guterres

Michael Simire
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UNEP Emissions Gap Report: Humanity teetering on planetary tightrope, warns Guterres

The United Nations Environment Programme’s (UNEP) Emissions Gap Report 2024 has delivered a stark reminder that the world is still far from meeting its climate commitments.

António Guterres
UN Secretary-General, António Guterres

The report, released on Thursday, October 24, highlights the widening gap between climate rhetoric and reality as greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reach 57.1 gigatons of CO2 equivalent (GtCO₂) in 2023 – a record high that undermines the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5°C.

Addressing a press conference while releasing the report, titled “No More Hot Air …please,” United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, issued a warning to the world. With current greenhouse gas emissions at record highs, Guterres said that humanity is “teetering on a planetary tightrope,” with catastrophic consequences looming unless countries act decisively to close the emissions gap.

“Either leaders bridge the emissions gap, or we plunge headlong into climate disaster – with the poorest and most vulnerable suffering the most,” Guterres said during a video address from the report’s launch event in Nairobi.

According to the Emissions Gap Report 2024, global greenhouse gas emissions rose 1.3 percent in 2023 to their highest levels in history. At the current pace, the world is on track for a 3.1°C temperature rise by the end of the century – well above the limits set by the Paris Agreement.

Guterres emphasised that limiting global warming to 1.5°C remains technically feasible, but only if emissions fall by 9 percent annually until 2030. Without swift intervention, the UN chief warned of more frequent and extreme weather events.

“Record emissions mean record sea temperatures, supercharging monster hurricanes; record heat is turning forests into tinderboxes and cities into saunas; record rains are resulting in biblical floods,” he said.

Guterres termed the COP29 summit in Baku, Azerbaijan, as a pivotal moment for global climate policy. The Secretary-General outlined two major areas where urgent progress is essential. One, he said, is National Climate Action Plans (NDCs).

“COP29 starts the clock for countries to deliver new national climate action plans – NDCs – by next year,” Guterres said.

Governments are expected to align these plans with the 1.5°C target by driving down emissions across all sectors and phasing out fossil fuels swiftly and equitably.

Guterres urged countries to commit to reversing deforestation and accelerating the deployment of renewable energy. Another area, according to the Secretary General, that merits immediate concern is climate finance.

Guterres said that the success of the clean energy transition depends heavily on financial support for developing countries, which are already struggling with climate-induced disasters.

“COP29 must agree to a new finance goal that unlocks the trillions of dollars they need and provides confidence it will be delivered,” he said.

The Secretary-General urged significant increases in concessional public financing, along with cutting-edge techniques like levies on fossil fuel extraction. He also urged reforms in multilateral development banks to enhance their role in climate financing.

The Secretary-General emphasised that climate action is not just a matter of environmental responsibility but also of economic foresight. He stressed that the cost of inaction far exceeds the cost of action.

As the largest emitters, G20 nations, responsible for 80 percent of global emissions, must take the lead in closing the emissions gap. Guterres challenged the wealthiest countries to act first. “I urge first-movers to come forward. We need leadership now more than ever,” he said.

Guterres echoed the UNEP report’s urgent message that “people and the planet cannot afford more hot air.” The time for empty promises has passed, and concrete steps are required to meet the climate goals. “Today’s Emissions Gap report is clear: we’re playing with fire, but there can be no more playing for time. We’re out of time,” he said.

The latest Emissions Gap Report 2024 by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has sounded a dire alarm on the disconnect between political commitments and the reality of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

In stark language, the report urges governments to close the widening gap between rhetoric and action.

“The transformation to net-zero economies must happen, and the sooner this global transformation begins, the better. Every fraction of a degree avoided counts in terms of lives saved, economies protected, damages avoided, biodiversity conserved, and the ability to rapidly bring down any temperature overshoot,” reads the report.

UNEP warned that the current trajectory leaves the world on a path toward 2.6°C warming this century, far beyond the Paris Agreement targets. The report calls for a “quantum leap” in ambition and urgent action from governments, particularly ahead of the next round of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) due in early 2025.

Here are some highlights:

G20 Nations Hold the Key to Global Emission Reductions

The report has highlighted that G20 countries, responsible for 77 percent of global emissions, must take the lead in closing the emissions gap. While these countries have set net-zero goals, their current policies fall short of aligning with the necessary emission reductions. Without significant improvements, the G20 is projected to miss its NDC targets for 2030 by at least 1 GtCO₂e.

Required Cuts: 42 percent Reduction by 2030 for 1.5°C Target

To achieve the 1.5°C pathway, global emissions must decrease by 42 percent by 2030 compared to 2019 levels – equivalent to an annual reduction of 7.5 percent. The report highlights the severe consequences of delayed action, warning that any further postponement would necessitate doubling the rate of emissions cuts after 2030.

Sectoral Solutions: Renewables and Reforestation Offer Hope

The report has identified solar and wind energy as key contributors to bridging the emissions gap. Together, these technologies could deliver 27 percent of the total emission reduction potential by 2030. Forest-related measures, including reforestation and reducing deforestation, offer another 20% potential. However, achieving these targets requires massive increases in investment – at least six times the current levels – and rapid deployment of policies across sectors.

NDCs and Climate Finance: Critical Areas for Focus

It has also stressed the importance of the upcoming NDC submissions.  According to the report, these commitments, due before February 2025, must reflect higher ambitions, concrete plans, and robust financial backing to make meaningful progress toward net-zero emissions. Developing countries, in particular, require international support and reformed financial systems to meet their climate goals.

Urgency and Cooperation are Paramount

UNEP has underlined the need for a whole-of-government approach and stronger public-private partnerships to accelerate progress. “We are running out of time,” the report warns. “The transformation to net-zero economies is inevitable, and the sooner we act, the more lives, ecosystems, and economies we can save.”

The report has identified the COP29 summit in Baku, Azerbaijan, as a crucial time for nations to align their policies with 1.5°C pathways. Without immediate, ambitious actions, UNEP cautions that 2°C – once the backup target – could soon become unreachable.

“With the clock ticking down to 2030 and 2035, the message is unequivocal: ambition without action is meaningless. Governments must move from pledges to policies and ensure that commitments are backed by robust implementation plans,” says the report.

UNEP report urges nations to close emissions gap in new NDCs, deliver immediate action

Michael Simire
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UNEP report urges nations to close emissions gap in new NDCs, deliver immediate action

Nations must collectively commit to cutting 42 per cent off annual greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and 57 per cent by 2035 in the next round of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) – and back this up with rapid action – or the Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C goal will be gone within a few years, according to a new UN Environment Programme (UNEP) report.

Inger Andersen
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Executive Director, Inger Andersen. Photo credit: Eric Bridiers

Updated NDCs are to be submitted early next year ahead of the COP30 climate talks in Brazil. UNEP’s “Emissions Gap Report 2024: No more hot air … please!” finds that a failure to increase ambition in these new NDCs and start delivering immediately would put the world on course for a temperature increase of 2.6-3.1°C over the course of this century. This would bring debilitating impacts to people, planet and economies.

The 2.6°C scenario is based on the full implementation of current unconditional and conditional NDCs. Implementing only current unconditional NDCs would lead to 2.8°C of warming. Continuing with current policies only would lead to 3.1°C of warming. Under these scenarios – which all operate on a probability of over 66 per cent – temperatures would continue to rise into the next century. Adding additional net-zero pledges to full implementation of unconditional and conditional NDCs could limit global warming to 1.9°C, but there is currently low confidence in the implementation of these net-zero pledges.

“The emissions gap is not an abstract notion,” said António Guterres, UN Secretary-General, in a video message on the report. “There is a direct link between increasing emissions and increasingly frequent and intense climate disasters. Around the world, people are paying a terrible price. Record emissions mean record sea temperatures supercharging monster hurricanes; record heat is turning forests into tinder boxes and cities into saunas; record rains are resulting in biblical floods.

“Today’s Emissions Gap report is clear: we’re playing with fire; but there can be no more playing for time. We’re out of time. Closing the emissions gap means closing the ambition gap, the implementation gap, and the finance gap. Starting at COP29.”

The report also looks at what it would take to get on track to limiting global warming to below 2°C. For this pathway, emissions must fall 28 per cent by 2030 and 37 per cent from 2019 levels by 2035 – the new milestone year to be included in the next NDCs.

“Climate crunch time is here. We need global mobilisation on a scale and pace never seen before – starting right now, before the next round of climate pledges – or the 1.5°C goal will soon be dead and well below 2°C will take its place in the intensive care unit,” said Inger Andersen, Executive Director of UNEP. “I urge every nation: no more hot air, please. Use the upcoming COP29 talks in Baku, Azerbaijan, to increase action now, set the stage for stronger NDCs, and then go all-out to get on a 1.5°C pathway.

“Even if the world overshoots 1.5°C – and the chances of this happening are increasing every day – we must keep striving for a net-zero, sustainable and prosperous world. Every fraction of a degree avoided counts in terms of lives saved, economies protected, damages avoided, biodiversity conserved and the ability to rapidly bring down any temperature overshoot.”

The consequences of delayed action are also highlighted by the report. The cuts required are relative to 2019 levels, but greenhouse gas emissions have since grown to a record high of 57.1 gigatons of carbon dioxide equivalent in 2023. While this makes a marginal difference to the overall cuts required from 2019-2030, the delay in action means that 7.5 per cent must be shaved off emissions every year until 2035 for 1.5°C, and 4 per cent for 2°C. The size of the annual cuts required will increase with every year’s delay.

1.5°C still technically possible, but massive effort needed

The report shows that there is technical potential for emissions cuts in 2030 up to 31 gigatons of CO2 equivalent – which is around 52 per cent of emissions in 2023 – and 41 gigatons in 2035. This would bridge the gap to 1.5°C in both years, at a cost below US$200 per ton of CO2 equivalent.

Increased deployment of solar photovoltaic technologies and wind energy could deliver 27 per cent of the total reduction potential in 2030 and 38 per cent in 2035. Action on forests could deliver around 20 per cent of the potential in both years. Other strong options include efficiency measures, electrification and fuel switching in the buildings, transport and industry sectors.

This potential illustrates it is possible to meet the COP28 targets of tripling renewable energy capacity by 2030, doubling the global average annual rate of energy efficiency improvements by 2030, transitioning away from fossil fuels, and conserving, protecting and restoring nature and ecosystems.

However, delivering on even some of this potential will require unprecedented international mobilisation and a whole-of-government approach, focusing on measures that maximise socioeconomic and environmental co-benefits and minimise trade-offs.

A minimum six-fold increase in mitigation investment is needed for net-zero – backed by reform of the global financial architecture, strong private sector action and international cooperation. This is affordable: the estimated incremental investment for net-zero is US$0.9-2.1 trillion per year from 2021 to 2050 – investments that would bring returns in avoided costs from climate change, air pollution, damage to nature and human health impacts. For context, the global economy and financial markets are worth US$110 trillion per year.

The G20 members, responsible for the bulk of total emissions, must do the heavy lifting. However, this group is still off track to meet even current NDCs. The largest-emitting members will need to take the lead by dramatically increasing action and ambition now and in the new pledges.

G20 members, minus the African Union, accounted for 77 per cent of emissions in 2023. The addition of the African Union as a permanent G20 member, which more than doubles the number of countries represented from 44 to 99, brings the share up by only 5 per cent to 82 per cent – highlighting the need for differentiated responsibilities between nations. Stronger international support and enhanced climate finance will be essential to ensure that climate and development goals can be realized fairly across G20 members and globally.

Good NDC design crucial

The report also lays out how to ensure the updated NDCs are well-designed, specific and transparent so they can meet any new targets put in place. NDCs must include all gases listed in the Kyoto Protocol, cover all sectors, set specific targets, be explicit about conditional and unconditional elements and provide transparency around how the submission reflects a fair share of effort and the highest possible ambition.

They must also detail how national sustainable development goals can be achieved at the same time as efforts to reduce emissions, and include detailed implementation plans with mechanisms for review and accountability. For emerging market and developing economies, NDCs should include details on the international support and finance they need.

In a reaction to the development, Andreas Sieber, Associate Director of Policy and Campaigns, 350.org, says: “The emissions gap report is yet another clear warning about what needs to be done and fast. Last year at COP28, nations agreed to transition away from fossil fuels. The report makes it crystal clear that governments must translate this decision into action in their national climate pledges if they are serious about the just energy transition.

“When we talk about climate pledges, we are talking about more than just arbitrary, empty words. We’re talking about how plans to move away from dirty fossil fuels and transition to renewable energy fairly can create opportunities for communities around the world to thrive.”

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