The recommendations and guidance urge countries to adopt more ambitious and equitable Nationally Determined Contributions during the United Nations General Assembly

New York City, NY—As countries prepare to submit their next Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) in early 2025, the Women’s Earth and Climate Action Network (WECAN) is releasing a set of recommendations and guidance to support countries in strengthening their climate commitments and integrating climate justice principles to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement and avert the most severe consequences of the climate crisis.

Recognizing the urgent need for enhanced climate action, Climate Justice Recommendations for Nationally Determined Contributions: Guidance for a Healthy and Equitable Future for People and Planet details critical areas for improvement needed across NDCs, including catalyzing women’s leadership, upholding Indigenous rights, centering biodiversity, phasing out fossil fuels, and advancing a Just Transition. The recommendations aim to ensure that countries adopt ambitious and sustainable solutions rather than continuing business as usual or relying on unproven and ineffective “false solutions.”

Throughout the analysis, WECAN underscores the necessity for robust and equitable climate finance and for countries to engage with stakeholders.

The recommendations highlight the need for a climate justice approach in the NDC process:

“Civil society has been calling for a climate justice approach to the NDCs to ensure fairness and equity in climate action, which is essential for addressing the disproportionate impacts of climate change on communities most vulnerable to climate destruction. To achieve equitable outcomes, NDCs should include ambitious emission reduction targets, robust adaptation strategies, and holistic loss and damage plans. This involves promoting the participation of affected communities in the decision-making processes, integrating gender-responsive policies, upholding Indigenous People’s rights, and leveraging local knowledge and expertise. Governments must recognize and provide the finance required to meet global climate targets and tackle social inequalities, while supporting community-led solutions.”

Access the report at the link below:

https://www.wecaninternational.org/ndc-recommendations

The recommendations and guidance analysis will be publicly released during the in-person WECAN event in New York, Women on the Frontlines of the Climate Crisis: Ending the Era of Fossil Fuels and Implementing Solutions, on September 25 from 4:45 to 8:00 PM EDT. Learn more and register here.