How do countries' nationally determined contributions (NDCs) address climate change?

Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) address climate change by outlining each country's commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) are a key component of the Paris Agreement, a global effort to combat climate change. Each country that is a party to the agreement is required to prepare, communicate and maintain successive NDCs that it intends to achieve. These NDCs represent each country's effort to reduce national emissions and adapt to the impacts of climate change.

The main aim of NDCs is to limit the increase in global average temperature to well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius. To achieve this, countries must significantly reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. The NDCs outline the steps each country will take to reduce its emissions and adapt to the effects of climate change.

NDCs are not only about emission reduction, but also about adaptation measures. This means that countries outline how they plan to build resilience to the impacts of climate change, such as increasing temperatures, rising sea levels, and extreme weather events. This could include measures such as building sea walls, developing drought-resistant crops, or improving infrastructure to withstand extreme weather.

The NDCs are intended to be ambitious and to represent a progression over time, reflecting the highest possible ambition that each country can achieve. They are also meant to be nationally determined, meaning that each country sets its own NDCs based on its national circumstances, capabilities, and priorities.

In addition to their national efforts, countries are also expected to support international cooperation to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement. This could include providing financial support to developing countries to help them implement their NDCs, or sharing technology and knowledge to help countries reduce their emissions and adapt to climate change.

In summary, NDCs are a crucial tool in the global effort to combat climate change. They outline each country's commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and adapting to the impacts of climate change, and they represent a collective effort to limit global warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius.