NDC Update Report: The Long and Steep Climb Towards a 1.5°C World

This report by the NewClimate Institute analyzes the progress of Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) implementation in emerging and developing countries. Based on expert surveys, it highlights a discrepancy between the optimism of national-level negotiators and the reservations of sector-level experts regarding policy alignment, funding, and technical capabilities. The report advocates for a new diagnostic tool to assess a sector's 'fitness' for decarbonization and suggests an 'enhanced benefits approach' to build political will by linking climate mitigation to broader development goals.

• There is a notable gap in confidence regarding NDC implementation between national and sector experts. While national experts are generally optimistic, sector experts are more critical, particularly concerning the alignment of policies and strategies, which a majority of sector experts view as a likely major challenge.
• Sector-level experts report greater difficulties than national-level experts regarding access to finance (63% vs 48%) and government capability. Only 38% of sector experts agree that the government possesses the necessary skills and capabilities to implement effective NDC policies.
• Financial and technical support for NDC implementation is often viewed as inadequate or poorly aligned with needs. Only 17% of respondents believe international funds are effectively tailored to country needs, and 67% consider the technical support received to be inadequate.
• The report identifies a lack of data on the likelihood of countries achieving their targets and proposes a new diagnostic framework to assess 'fitness' for NDC achievement. This framework focuses on the interplay of actors, policies, institutions, evidence, and ideas.
• To increase political will for sector transitions, the report suggests an 'enhanced benefits approach' that links low-carbon pathways to broader development objectives such as energy security, employment, reduced air pollution, and economic growth.

APA

NewClimate Institute (2017). NDC Update Report: The Long and Steep Climb Towards a 1.5°C World. http://www.newclimate.org/resources/publications/ndc-update-report-the-long-and-steep-climb-towards-a-15-degc-world-nov-2017

Chicago

NewClimate Institute. NDC Update Report: The Long and Steep Climb Towards a 1.5°C World. 2017. http://www.newclimate.org/resources/publications/ndc-update-report-the-long-and-steep-climb-towards-a-15-degc-world-nov-2017.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=NewClimate Institute |title=NDC Update Report: The Long and Steep Climb Towards a 1.5°C World |date=13 November 2017 |url=http://www.newclimate.org/resources/publications/ndc-update-report-the-long-and-steep-climb-towards-a-15-degc-world-nov-2017 |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{newclimateinstitute2017ndc, author = {{NewClimate Institute}}, title = {{NDC Update Report: The Long and Steep Climb Towards a 1.5°C World}}, institution = {NewClimate Institute}, year = {2017}, month = nov, url = {http://www.newclimate.org/resources/publications/ndc-update-report-the-long-and-steep-climb-towards-a-15-degc-world-nov-2017}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }