Stronger NDCs With Cities, States, and Regions

Climate change poses an unprecedented threat to societies and ecosystems worldwide. Without the rapid reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions across the globe and bold action to reduce climate impacts, the world will face devastating consequences to be felt for generations to come. Yet current climate commitments are not in line with pathways needed to achieve net zero emissions and meet the goals of the Paris Agreement. Countries can significantly enhance the ambition of their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) through a more collaborative and integrated approach with subnational governments to fully align with the Paris Agreement goals. This document supports national governments in the facilitation of input from subnational governments in the NDC development process. It has been written with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change’s 2025 NDC deadline in mind, but it will support countries beyond this milestone and can be considered a tool for designing all successive NDCs.

The document demonstrates how the climate action potential presented by subnational governments can not only encourage greater confidence among national governments to meet climate targets but also enhance the credibility of the NDCs themselves. Following this section, “Research Approach” describes the methodology informing this document. “Background” discusses the role of multilevel partnerships in achieving net zero GHG emissions and enhancing climate resilience. “Document Orientation” situates the reader with a legend and additional context to navigate this document. “Developing Stronger NDCs with Cities, States, and Regions” puts forward a series of eight recommendations for action across three stages that support national governments to strengthen their NDCs by collaborating with and integrating subnational content. Finally, “Conclusion” summarizes the key findings, recommendations, and implications of this research.