Climate Justice Recommendations for Nationally Determined Contributions: Guidance for a Healthy and Equitable
Future for People and Planet
Scientists and governments agree that to avert the most severe consequences of the climate crisis, global temperatures must be kept below 1.5°C from pre-industrial levels. Through the Paris Climate Agreement, countries are required to submit Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), which embody each country’s efforts to reduce and mitigate national greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to the worsening impacts of the climate crisis. These NDCs showcase commitments by governments to ensure that global warming stays below the 1.5°C threshold. NDCs are submitted every five years to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Secretariat, with the next round of NDCs due in early 2025. This upcoming round represents a critical juncture, as the targets and objectives set will influence climate action and policy until 2035, marking the last opportunity to implement transformative actions needed to avoid exceeding the 1.5°C limit and climate catastrophe.
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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.
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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.”