Enhancing Nationally Determined Contributions across the SADC Region

This policy brief by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) provides guidance and lessons for Southern African Development Community (SADC) member states on enhancing their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). It emphasizes the need for inclusive stakeholder engagement, alignment with long-term development goals, and the use of quantifiable targets and evidence-based analysis to increase climate ambition and ensure effective implementation.

• Inclusive stakeholder engagement is critical for ensuring policy buy-in and ownership, particularly among marginalized groups such as women and youth. South Africa exemplified this through a three-month public engagement process involving a road show across nine provinces and consultations with youth advocates and NGOs.
• Effective NDC development requires internal government alignment and strong collaboration with finance and planning ministries to link climate actions with economic growth and public welfare. Examples include Uganda's Ministry of Finance, Planning, and Economic Development and Mali's Ministry of Finance and Planning, both of which are deeply engaged in NDC planning.
• NDCs should be aligned with national long-term strategies and sustainable development goals to support a just transition. For instance, Rwanda aligns its NDC with its Green Growth and Climate Resilience Strategy 2050, and South Africa aligns its NDC with its Low Emission Development Strategy 2050.
• Quantifiable targets and detailed implementation roadmaps are essential for ambition. Rwanda's updated NDC provides sector-specific targets for energy, transport, buildings, agriculture, and waste management, and includes a detailed implementation matrix and a monitoring, reporting and validation (MRV) framework.
• The use of anticipatory tools, such as scenario building and computer modelling, can catalyze transformative change. Costa Rica utilized a participatory scenario development exercise involving over 350 stakeholders, including indigenous people and the LGBTQ community, to test climate plans and imagine future outcomes.
• There is a significant need for detailed financial requirements and support mechanisms in NDCs. Rwanda's NDC estimates a total cost of $11 billion for measures to 2030, with approximately 60% being conditional on international support and 40% being unconditional.

APA

South African Institute of International Affairs (2021). Enhancing Nationally Determined Contributions across the SADC Region. https://saiia.org.za/research/enhancing-nationally-determined-contributions-across-the-sadc-region/

Chicago

South African Institute of International Affairs. Enhancing Nationally Determined Contributions across the SADC Region. 2021. https://saiia.org.za/research/enhancing-nationally-determined-contributions-across-the-sadc-region/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=South African Institute of International Affairs |title=Enhancing Nationally Determined Contributions across the SADC Region |date=2 December 2021 |url=https://saiia.org.za/research/enhancing-nationally-determined-contributions-across-the-sadc-region/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{southafricaninstituteofinternationalaffairs2021enhancing, author = {{South African Institute of International Affairs}}, title = {{Enhancing Nationally Determined Contributions across the SADC Region}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2021}, month = dec, url = {https://saiia.org.za/research/enhancing-nationally-determined-contributions-across-the-sadc-region/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }