Raising the level of ambition towards a COP 21 outcome through Nationally Determined Mitigation Pledges

The paper examines the role of Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) in bridging the gap between political ambition and the goal of limiting global temperature rise to below 2°C. It describes INDCs as voluntary, bottom-up climate planning tools that allow countries to define their own mitigation and adaptation targets based on domestic capabilities. The author emphasizes that INDCs should be integrated with broader sustainable development goals, particularly for African nations, and calls for a 'virtuous cycle of rising ambition' supported by predictable international finance to ensure global emissions peak by 2030.

• Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) serve as voluntary, bottom-up climate planning instruments designed to catalyze near-term action and increase ambition for emission reduction targets in preparation for COP 21.
• The formulation of INDCs requires countries to conduct internal policy reviews to define project scopes, reference points, implementation timeframes, and GHG emission estimation methodologies, ideally aligning them with existing frameworks like LEDS, NAMAs, and NAPAs.
• National pledges vary significantly based on a country's resources and preparation; examples include Costa Rica aiming for net zero by 2021, the US targeting an 83% reduction by 2050 (from 2005 levels), China peaking emissions by 2030, and South Africa peaking by 2025.
• For African nations, the African Group of Negotiators (AGN) is encouraged to align INDCs with poverty strategies and emphasize the energy-food-water nexus, while seeking to implement commitments regardless of international negotiation outcomes.
• Current low-carbon energy developments and proposed INDCs are insufficient to ensure global emissions peak by 2030, necessitating more ambitious targets and sustainable international finance.

APA

South African Institute of International Affairs (2015). Raising the level of ambition towards a COP 21 outcome through Nationally Determined Mitigation Pledges. https://saiia.org.za/research/raising-the-level-of-ambition-towards-a-cop-21-outcome-through-nationally-determined-mitigation-pledges/

Chicago

South African Institute of International Affairs. Raising the level of ambition towards a COP 21 outcome through Nationally Determined Mitigation Pledges. 2015. https://saiia.org.za/research/raising-the-level-of-ambition-towards-a-cop-21-outcome-through-nationally-determined-mitigation-pledges/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=South African Institute of International Affairs |title=Raising the level of ambition towards a COP 21 outcome through Nationally Determined Mitigation Pledges |date=30 September 2015 |url=https://saiia.org.za/research/raising-the-level-of-ambition-towards-a-cop-21-outcome-through-nationally-determined-mitigation-pledges/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{southafricaninstituteofinternationalaffairs2015raising, author = {{South African Institute of International Affairs}}, title = {{Raising the level of ambition towards a COP 21 outcome through Nationally Determined Mitigation Pledges}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2015}, month = sep, url = {https://saiia.org.za/research/raising-the-level-of-ambition-towards-a-cop-21-outcome-through-nationally-determined-mitigation-pledges/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }