Enhancing NDCs: Opportunities in the Power Sector

This guidance from the World Resources Institute outlines strategies for countries to enhance their 2020 Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to decarbonize the power sector by 2050, emphasizing that increasing renewable energy targets alone is insufficient.

• To limit global warming to 1.5 or 2°C, the power sector must be virtually decarbonized by 2050, but current trends are insufficient. As of 2018, coal was the primary source of electricity generation, accounting for 38% of global power and 30% of global carbon dioxide emissions, while renewable energy provided 25%.
• Increasing ambition in the power sector for the 2020 NDCs requires moving beyond simple renewable energy targets. Mitigation potential now depends on four foundational strategies: institutional changes, addressing existing coal assets, tapping synergies between end-use and power sectors, and enhancing grid flexibility.
• The guidance provides a framework for policymakers to identify gaps in their initial NDCs and integrate power sector greenhouse gas mitigation into either separate sector targets/policies or broader economy-wide targets.

APA

World Resources Institute (n.d.). Enhancing NDCs: Opportunities in the Power Sector. https://www.wri.org/research/enhancing-ndcs-opportunities-power-sector

Chicago

World Resources Institute. Enhancing NDCs: Opportunities in the Power Sector. n.d. https://www.wri.org/research/enhancing-ndcs-opportunities-power-sector.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Resources Institute |title=Enhancing NDCs: Opportunities in the Power Sector |url=https://www.wri.org/research/enhancing-ndcs-opportunities-power-sector |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldresourcesinstitutendenhancing, author = {{World Resources Institute}}, title = {{Enhancing NDCs: Opportunities in the Power Sector}}, institution = {World Resources Institute}, url = {https://www.wri.org/research/enhancing-ndcs-opportunities-power-sector}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }