A worker checks a solar installation on a roof in Santiago de Chile.

    NDC Partnership

    In the Paris Agreement, the international community has committed to limit the rise in global temperatures to well below two, and preferably 1.5, degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.

    As part of the Paris Agreement, industrialised countries, developing countries and emerging economies alike made a commitment, for the first time, to submit Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). In them, countries set out their plans for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and adapting to climate change.

    The current NDCs are still not sufficiently ambitious to allow the Paris climate goals to be reached. Ambition is therefore to be raised over time, bringing the international community closer to achieving the goals. The parties to the Agreement have committed to submit new NDCs with a higher level of ambition every five years, starting in 2020. The next revised NDCs (NDCs 3.0) are to be submitted in 2025.

    To advance swift implementation of the NDCs in line with the development goals of the 2030 Agenda, the German Development Ministry (BMZ) joined together in 2016 with the Environment Ministry (BMUV) and international partners to establish the global NDC Partnership.


    The NDC Partnership at a glance

    Logo: NDC Partnership
    Still from the video "NDC Partnership"

    Video NDC Partnership: A brief overview

    The NDC Partnership has 227 members (as of July 2024). Of these, 129 are countries, 57 are international organisations or development banks, and 41 are associate members (such as research institutes, international partnerships and globally operating associations). The Partnership's Support Unit is hosted by three agencies based in Washington and Bonn, respectively: the World Resources Institute (WRI), the Secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS).

    The aim of the NDC Partnership is to align the goals of the Paris Agreement with the Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda and to work on implementing the NDCs in a coordinated way with the help of bilateral and multilateral donor programmes.

    When an emerging economy or developing country joins the NDC Partnership, it can submit a request for the support it requires to develop and implement its NDCs. Based upon these requests, the Partnership's development partners and implementing organisations offer a tailor-made package of expertise, technical assistance and financing. Non-state partners such as non-governmental organisations, research institutions and the private sector are also involved in this process.

    To facilitate NDC implementation, it is essential to translate climate goals into concrete policies, budget items and investment plans – for individual sectors such as energy and water, and also for the regional and municipal levels. The decisive aspect here is not only that investments made in line with the NDCs contribute to a country's climate-neutral and climate-resilient transformation, but also that they promote sustainable development for local communities.

    Over 95 member countries have so far used these options for support offered by the NDC Partnership. Other countries have also requested assistance.

    In addition, the NDC Partnership provides targeted support to member countries' efforts to update their Nationally Determined Contributions and Long-Term Strategies. The Partnership has assisted 63 countries in developing their second-generation NDCs from 2020. For the NDC 3.0 round of updates in 2025, the Partnership has issued a Global Call to offer assistance to members. Many members have asked for support.

    In order to facilitate mutual learning, the entire process is backed up by continuous exchange of knowledge and experience. The NDC 3.0 Navigator offers countries and other partners extensive information on how to make their goals more ambitious and how to implement and finance their updated NDCs.

    German activities

    Solar park Soroti in Uganda

    Solar park Soroti in Uganda

    Germany is a founding member of the NDC Partnership and is making a significant contribution to the Partnership's support for partner countries. With its seat on the Steering Committee, it provides strategic direction to the Partnership. The purpose of these efforts is to ensure that the Partnership can respond quickly and flexibly to member countries' needs in the areas of climate and development.

    BMZ-funded programmes such as the Climate Promise of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the World Bank's Climate Support Facility (CSF) respond in a targeted fashion to NDC Partnership members' requests for support. In parallel, the BMZ is funding further projects as contributions to the NDC Partnership that are being implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and the World Resources Institute (WRI).

    4th National Meeting of the Platform of Indigenous Peoples on Climate Change (PIPCC) from 9 to 11 August 2023, focusing on the development of the climate finance strategy and the national position for COP28.

    Peru: Cooperation in action Dialogue processes – a key climate policy instrument

    In order to facilitate a multi-stakeholder approach to climate policymaking, Peru fosters dialogue with a diverse range of interest groups and particularly encourages participation by Indigenous Peoples and regional stakeholders. The results of these dialogues provide input for the key decisions that inform Peru's climate strategy.

    King Talal Dam outflow in Jordan

    Jordan: Cooperation in action Analyses and policy reforms for evidence-led implementation of the NDCs

    Jordan is one of the most water-poor countries in the world. Climate change will further reduce water availability. Water scarcity means that the public drinking water supply and adequate water provision for agriculture are in jeopardy, which is particularly affecting vulnerable groups within society. According to the World Bank, around 16 per cent of Jordan's people live in poverty. Jordan is also hosting several million refugees, many of whom live in poor urban districts and temporary housing which are particularly exposed to climate shocks.

    BMZ videos

    Still from the video "NDC Navigator 3.0"

    NDC 3.0 Navigator

    The NDC 3.0 Navigator is an interactive knowledge tool that supports the submission of new Nationally Determined Contributions for 2035 to 2040. It is operated by the NDC Partnership and the UNFCCC Secretariat. The Navigator pools information on ambitious, socially just, inclusive NDCs – information that is technically precise and can be implemented with strong impact, and that also helps countries mobilise the necessary funding.

    Still from the video "NDC knowledge portal"

    NDC Partnership Knowledge Portal

    The NDC Partnership Knowledge Portal helps countries achieve their climate goals by giving them quick and easy access to data, instruments, guidance, good practices and funding opportunities.

    Still from the video "NDC Partnership Fiji"

    NDP Partnership in action: Fiji

    Fiji is one of the countries most severely affected by climate change. Through the Regional Pacific NDC Hub, the NDC Partnership is helping this small island in the Pacific to develop roadmaps for implementing and funding its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDCs).

    As at: 23/10/2024