Benin’s Nationally Determined Contributions and its Economy

This research paper examines the evolution and implementation of Benin's Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) between 2015 and 2021, focusing on the energy, agricultural, forestry, and waste sectors. It analyzes how these climate commitments align with national development priorities and suggests integrating monetary policy with climate goals to enhance sustainability and private sector investment.

• Benin's revised 2021 NDCs aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 20.15% between 2021 and 2030, with a projected total cost of $8.5 billion. The energy sector is expected to be the largest source of emissions at 63.62%, followed by agriculture at 24.04%.
• The energy sector NDCs aim for a 12.5% reduction in GHG emissions by 2030, costing approximately $5.4 billion. Key measures include increasing solar-generated energy, promoting energy-efficient technologies in transport and residential sectors, and expanding electricity access to replace kerosene lighting.
• In the agricultural sector, the 2021 NDCs target a 54% reduction in GHG emissions by 2030 at an estimated cost of $1.5 billion. The vast majority of this reduction (99.4%) is expected to result from improved farming techniques and soil fertility maintenance.
• The forestry sector NDCs aim to reduce GHG emissions by 40.64 megatons of CO2 and triple the CO2 absorption capacity of forests by 2030, with an expected cost of $1.5 billion. This is to be achieved by reducing deforestation and developing agroforestry, specifically rehabilitating cashew and palm oil plantations.
• The 2021 revised NDCs added waste management as a new sector, with a goal to promote the environmental management of household waste. This involves establishing an energy recovery facility at the Ouèssè household waste deposit, costing approximately $20 million to reduce GHG emissions by 1.2%.
• Benin's climate commitments are well-aligned with its National Development Plan (2018–2025), particularly regarding food security and electricity access. However, the government's immediate policy response to the COVID-19 pandemic showed little overlap with the NDCs.
• The total estimated cost for implementing the NDCs is $10.5 billion, with approximately half funded by the Beninese government (including $5.6 billion in unconditional funds) and the other half by international organisations through official development assistance.
• The author recommends integrating monetary policy with the NDCs by directing credit from the National Fund for Agricultural Development and other financial institutions toward projects that align with climate goals in the agricultural and forestry sectors.

APA

Heffernan, I. (n.d.). Benin’s Nationally Determined Contributions and its Economy. South African Institute of International Affairs. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/SAIIA_CoMPRA_PI_20_BeninNDCs.pdf

Chicago

Heffernan, Ian. Benin’s Nationally Determined Contributions and its Economy. South African Institute of International Affairs, n.d. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/SAIIA_CoMPRA_PI_20_BeninNDCs.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Heffernan |first1=Ian |title=Benin’s Nationally Determined Contributions and its Economy |publisher=South African Institute of International Affairs |url=https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/SAIIA_CoMPRA_PI_20_BeninNDCs.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{heffernanndbenins, author = {Heffernan, Ian}, title = {{Benin’s Nationally Determined Contributions and its Economy}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, url = {https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/SAIIA_CoMPRA_PI_20_BeninNDCs.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }