Since 2015, the UNFCCC secretariat and UNDP organize NDC Regional Dialogues to raise awareness and understanding of the challenges in planning and implementing the National Determined Contributions (NDCs). The NDC Regional Dialogue convenes countries from the same region to share their approaches and experiences with NDC planning and implementation activities. These dialogues are also an opportunity to bring together governments from the regions with donors and support institutions.
Up until now, a total of 16 NDC Regional Dialogues have been held since 2015 in most regions of the world, including Latin America, Africa, Pacific, and Eurasia, reaching over 1500 participants from more than 150 governments. For 2016-2018, the objectives of the dialogues are:
- Exchange national experiences and views related to NDC implementation planning, including linkages to Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) and other planning processes, as well as opportunities to advance gender equality;
- Identify opportunities for translating NDCs into concrete actions (in particular in the energy sector) to contribute to NDC goals;
- Discuss finance considerations, including private-sector engagement, in the context of NDC implementation;
- Discuss future steps on NDCs in the context of the Talanoa Dialogue, raising ambition, and long-term development strategies.
The next regional NDC dialogue will take place in the first week of October in Bangkok, Thailand for the Asia region and the second week of October in Castries, St. Lucia for the Caribbean region.
During the latest round of dialogues, it became clear that governments around the world are facing similar challenges as regards NDC implementation under the Paris Agreement. For example, many countries are currently looking into how to best determining institutional arrangements and coordination mechanisms, increasing stakeholder ownership and building capacity, as well as planning for implementation. With regards to funding the NDC implementation activities, government are working on costing out actions and developing funding strategies, including accessing finance sources and support for action. It appears that there is a clear need for related capacity building support for MRV systems and linking NDC implementation with National Communications (NCs), Biennial Update Reports (BURs), Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) reporting efforts.
About NDCs
NDCs are at the heart of the Paris Agreement and the achievement of these long-term goals. NDCs embody efforts by each country 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 successive NDCs that it intends to achieve. Parties shall pursue domestic mitigation measures, with the aim of achieving the objectives of such contributions.
NDCs are then recorded in the NDC registry which is publicly available and maintained by the secretariat. Modalities and procedures for the operation and use of this public registry are currently being negotiated under the Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI), agenda item 6. Until the modalities and procedures of the public NDC registry are finalized, communicated NDCs are registered and available in the interim NDC registry.
Up to this date, there are 172 Parties that have submitted their first NDCs out of 178 Parties that have ratified the Paris Agreement. Under the provisions of the Paris Agreement, Parties will be expected to submit an updated NDC every five years, which will represent a progression beyond the country’s then current NDC to reflect its highest possible ambition.
For more information about NDC Regional Dialogues and other NDC related events, please click here.
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