95 per cent countries missed a UN deadline to submit new climate pledges for 2035. An analysis by Carbon Brief showed that only 13 of the 195 countries that had signed the landmark Paris Agreement have published their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), by the February 10 deadline.
The countries that have missed the deadline represent 83 per cent of global emissions and nearly 80 per cent of the world’s economy.
What are Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs)?
In 2015, the Paris Agreement was adopted by almost every nation with an aim to work together to keeping temperatures “well-below” 2°C above pre-industrial levels, with an ambition of keeping them at 1.5°C, by the end of the century.
As part of the agreement, the countries had committed to submitting new plans that would describe what they will do to cut emissions and adapt to climate change every five years. These are known as Nationally Determined Goals (NDCs).
Apart from this, the countries had also agreed to monitor and assess their progress towards meeting these goals in a five-yearly “global stocktake”, and then increase their efforts as required. This step was essential because it was clearly evident that the countries will need to do a lot to be able to meet these goals.
The first two rounds of NDCs took place in 2015 and 2020-21. February 10 2025 was the deadline for the third round of NDCs, which was confirmed as part of a “global stocktake” of climate action conducted in 2023. The deadline is nine months ahead of the start of COP30.
Performance of Countries in Climate Action
Only two of the group of seven (G7) nations – the US and the UK – have come forward with new climate plans. The US submitted its NDC before the inauguration of President Donald Trump, who has begun the process of delivering his campaign promise to withdraw the nation from the Paris Agreement.
Apart from these countries, the other nations that have met the deadline include Brazil, the United Arab Emirates, New Zealand, Switzerland, Uruguay, Andorra, Ecuador and Saint Lucia, the Marshall Islands, Singapore and Zimbabwe.
Analysis by climate research group Climate Action Tracker has found that the new 2035 NDCs of Brazil, the UAE, the US and Switzerland are “not compatible” with a pathway for limiting global warming to 1.5°C.
It also found that the UK’s new NDC is “1.5°C compatible”, but noted that the nation would need to increase its spending on helping other countries tackle their emissions in order to do its “fair share” towards reaching the Paris goals.
The group has not yet analysed New Zealand’s NDC, but a climate expert within the country described it as “shockingly unambitious”.
Major polluters missing
Many of the world’s largest emitters have not met the deadline citing technical issues, economic pressures and political uncertainty.
The EU officials have said that the bloc’s lengthy process for approving new legislation made it “basically impossible” to meet the deadline.
China has not confirmed when it will release its climate plan.
While Indian officials have stated that they are in “no hurry” to release the nation’s NDC and might submit it in the “second half of this year”, according to the Indian Express.
Canada, Japan and Indonesia have all released draft versions of their 2035 climate plans, but have not yet submitted them to the UN.
Russia has not made any public comments about when it will release its new NDC. Its last major climate update was in 2021, when it pledged to reach net-zero emissions by 2060.
Australia has indicated it will delay the release of its NDC until after the country’s election in May.
