Global overview on inclusion of non-CO2 emissions in NDCs

Non-CO2 emissions account for approximately 25% of global greenhouse gas emissions, yet they are frequently overlooked in NDCs, which often lack gas-specific quantitative targets. While some countries like Côte d’Ivoire and Japan provide good practice examples of quantitative targets, major emitters including China, Russia, India, and Brazil generally only include non-CO2 gases as part of overall GHG targets. China, whose current NDC covers only CO2 despite non-CO2 gases making up 18% of its national emissions, has indicated it will include these gases in its updated NDC. The brief argues that the 2025 NDC update cycle is a critical opportunity for major emitters, particularly China, to adopt sector-specific targets and align with international initiatives like the Global Methane Pledge and the Kigali Amendment to maintain the 1.5°C warming limit.

• Non-CO2 emissions, comprising methane, nitrous oxide, and fluorinated gases, represent about 25% of current global greenhouse gas emissions, but they are generally given less priority than CO2 in NDCs.
• There is a significant lack of quantitative, gas-specific targets in NDCs as of November 2023: only 20% of NDCs have quantitative methane targets, 27% specify mitigation measures for hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), and quantitative nitrous oxide targets are largely absent.
• Among the countries with the largest projected non-CO2 emissions for 2030—China, the USA, Russia, India, and Brazil—only the USA has included specific targets or mentions for non-CO2 emissions in its NDC.
• China's current NDC excludes non-CO2 gases despite them constituting 18% of its total national GHG emissions; however, China has stated it will include these gases in its updated NDC and has already launched the 2023 Methane Emissions Control Action Plan.
• International initiatives have influenced NDC ambition, though G20 support varies: while there is high commitment to the Kigali Amendment (except Saudi Arabia), China, India, Russia, and Türkiye have not joined the Global Methane Pledge, and only Argentina, Indonesia, and Mexico have signed onto the Nitric Acid Climate Action Group.

APA

NewClimate Institute (2024). Global overview on inclusion of non-CO2 emissions in NDCs. http://www.newclimate.org/resources/publications/global-overview-on-inclusion-of-non-co2-emissions-in-ndcs

Chicago

NewClimate Institute. Global overview on inclusion of non-CO2 emissions in NDCs. 2024. http://www.newclimate.org/resources/publications/global-overview-on-inclusion-of-non-co2-emissions-in-ndcs.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=NewClimate Institute |title=Global overview on inclusion of non-CO2 emissions in NDCs |date=11 November 2024 |url=http://www.newclimate.org/resources/publications/global-overview-on-inclusion-of-non-co2-emissions-in-ndcs |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{newclimateinstitute2024global, author = {{NewClimate Institute}}, title = {{Global overview on inclusion of non-CO2 emissions in NDCs}}, institution = {NewClimate Institute}, year = {2024}, month = nov, url = {http://www.newclimate.org/resources/publications/global-overview-on-inclusion-of-non-co2-emissions-in-ndcs}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }