NDC Update report

Based on a survey of 98 policy makers and experts from 83 countries, the report finds that while fundamental drivers for a low-carbon transition remain, the COVID-19 pandemic has delayed NDC and LTS processes. It warns that many countries do not currently plan to significantly increase their ambition in the current update cycle and that short-term economic relief may lead to the bailing out of polluting industries without climate conditions. The report urges countries to act before the 2025 update cycle to avoid the scale of the task becoming unreachable.

• There is significant uncertainty regarding whether the current NDC update cycle will result in a meaningful increase in climate ambition, with the report noting that many countries currently lack plans to do so.
• The development of Long-term Low Greenhouse Gas Emission Development Strategies (LTSs) has been broadly underestimated, leading to severe delays in many countries and a missed opportunity to inform the ambition levels of updated NDCs.
• The COVID-19 pandemic creates a tension between the potential for green stimulus and the risk of prioritizing short-term spending, which may include bailing out polluting sectors like mining and aviation without requiring climate-related conditions.
• Developing countries face distinct risks from the pandemic that are not currently accounted for in NDC projections, including increased debt, reduced liquidity, and fragile supply chains.

APA

NewClimate Institute (2020). NDC Update report. http://www.newclimate.org/resources/publications/ndc-update-report-december-2020-come-together

Chicago

NewClimate Institute. NDC Update report. 2020. http://www.newclimate.org/resources/publications/ndc-update-report-december-2020-come-together.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=NewClimate Institute |title=NDC Update report |date=7 December 2020 |url=http://www.newclimate.org/resources/publications/ndc-update-report-december-2020-come-together |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{newclimateinstitute2020ndc, author = {{NewClimate Institute}}, title = {{NDC Update report}}, institution = {NewClimate Institute}, year = {2020}, month = dec, url = {http://www.newclimate.org/resources/publications/ndc-update-report-december-2020-come-together}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }