INDCs - voluntary yet compulsory to achieve those ambitious climate change goals!

2015 was a remarkable year for sustainable development and climate goals. Countries around the world signed many global agreements relating to sustainability and climate change. There was of course the iconic international treaty on climate change known as the Paris Agreement and the 2030 Agenda and Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s), along with the ambitious Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction and the Addis Ababa Action Agenda of the Third International Conference on Financing for Development. Together they present an excellent and unprecedented opportunity for the world and its nations to address sustainable development issues, which can help them transform into climate-friendly economies. BUT how to reach these targets effectively and in time?

We all know climate change is real and we do believe (to some extent) that it is happening and affecting our lives and livelihood on a day-to-day basis. To combat these harmful impacts that are happening or those that could happen soon, transformative actions need to be done and they need to be done NOW. Most countries are showing unity in addressing climate change and some have started working towards it at a remarkable pace. This however comes with massive challenges - how do we understand these key global climate change agreements, how we implement them at the ground level, and how do we help countries adapt and transform their economies and become more resilient to climate change.

Whatever happens at the international level is remarkable and necessary, but it is what is adopted and implemented at the national/ground level that will help in achieving the overall global climate change targets/commitments. This is where the INDC (or the NDC[1] which comes into effect after the country formally joins the Paris Agreement) comes into play. Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC)[2] is a document that is communicated by countries outlining their climate pledges and actions which they plan to undertake at the national level. It reflects what their domestic climate actions will be like. It clearly articulates and tells the world about how they plan to contribute to the global climate goals, such as achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 or limiting the increase in global temperatures to below 2°C, in the short-term and long term. Through these documents, countries try and identify and include the needs of various sectors and stakeholders at different levels. Urgent and immediate needs are addressed and paired through national policies and priorities. For example, India announced its INDC in 2015 which laid specific emphasis on sustainable development, climate justice, and sustainable lifestyles, and listed several mitigation initiatives and adaptation strategies.[3] In its INDC, the Indian government recognized the importance of addressing climate change mitigation by committing to reduce the emissions intensity of its GDP by 33-35% by 2030 compared to 2005 levels.^[4] To achieve this target, numerous mitigation strategies are being adopted by the governmental authorities, including the creation of a sustainable and lower carbon-emitting transport network, promoting the use of renewable sources of power, constructing green highways, and so on.^[5] A separate blog analyzing India’s INDC will follow soon.

What is critical is that the preparation of these INDCs follows a transparent path. There should be means and methods in place to study and access the achievements and progress of the targets mentioned in the INDC. Each economic sector must be addressed. Timely and clear communication of goals and actions is essential up until the ground level, and the most important of all is that proper monitoring mechanisms must be set in place to access whether these targets are being met or not.

A well-designed INDC can therefore act as a bridge between national and international decision-making on climate change. They can play a significant role in realizing the goals set up in the global climate change agreements and serve as a tool that articulates the domestic climate change mitigation and adaptation needs. They are a perfect means for countries to demonstrate their intent to decarbonize and become resilient to climate change, and an effective answer to meet the global climate change targets and commitments. With the three pillars to sustainable development in place, namely right policies, investments, and technology, key innovations can be unleashed, and those ambitious targets can certainly be achieved.

… and do not forget to play your part. Protect the planet, there is just one. Use less plastic. Go green. Reuse and recycle. Eat local and seasonal produce. And always remember – ‘we do not inherit our environment and planet; we borrow it from our future generations!’

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[1] Nationally Determined Contributions

[2] The World Bank defines INDC as “Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) identify the post-2020 voluntary national climate targets, including mitigation and adaptation, which countries committed to and which will become a binding Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) when a country ratifies the Paris Agreement.” See World Bank, ‘Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs)’ at http://spappssecext.worldbank.org/sites/indc/Pages/INDCHomeMore.aspx. 

[3] https://www4.unfccc.int/sites/ndcstaging/PublishedDocuments/India%20First/INDIA%20INDC%20TO%20UNFCCC.pdf

[4] UNFCCC, ‘India’s Intended Nationally Determined Contribution: Working towards climate justice’ (2014) 14.

[5] ibid.