State of the Nationally Determined Contributions: Enhancing Adaptation Ambition

Abstract

Nationally determined contributions (NDCs) are a valuable instrument for countries to communicate adaptation priorities and bring international attention to adaptation needs. This paper discusses the adaptation components of the updated NDCs for the 2020-2021 submission cycle. Using a comprehensive qualitative assessment framework, it examines the updated NDCs and compares them to the first round of submissions. By understanding how the NDCs have changed, the paper contributes to a growing literature on adaptation ambition and assessment.

Stories Behind the Adaptation Commitments in the Nationally Determined Contributions of Cambodia, Rwanda, Colombia, and Fiji

“…Although the Paris Agreement provides guidance for an NDC's mitigation components to improve clarity, transparency, and understanding and broader guidelines for separate instruments that may be applied to NDCs, such as Decision 9/CMA.1 for adaptation communications, no standard framework exists for adaptation NDCs. With gaps in existing guidance and agreed indicators, assessing the quality and collective ambition of adaptation NDCs remains challenging (Dixit et al 2022).…”

“…To analyze the process the four countries followed, the authors developed simple criteria based on the framework in Dixit et al (2022) for assessing adaptation ambition in the content of adaptation NDCs. They then used these criteria to determine whether and how there was evidence for the following factors in the adaptation NDC development process:…”

“…The NDCs were initially designed to communicate national greenhouse gas emissions abatement. However, many parties-particularly developing countries with high vulnerability to climate change-are communicating information related to adaptation needs and priorities, as well as past adaptation work, in their updated NDCs (Dixit et al 2022).…”

“…Although the Paris Agreement provides guidance for an NDC's mitigation components to improve clarity, transparency, and understanding and broader guidelines for separate instruments that may be applied to NDCs, such as Decision 9/CMA.1 for adaptation communications, no standard framework exists for adaptation NDCs. With gaps in existing guidance and agreed indicators, assessing the quality and collective ambition of adaptation NDCs remains challenging (Dixit et al 2022).Understanding the process by which countries develop their adaptation NDCs is critical for ensuring that it is strengthened at each update cycle. Assessing the existing process enables country governments to identify practices for robust adaptation NDC development, better align with other adaptation plans, and access financing for implementation.…”

“…See Appendixes A and B for interview details.2. The authors used the analysis of NDCs and NAPs byDixit et al (2022) as a basis for the country case studies and used the same cutoff date of June 30, 2021, for document analysis of NDCs and NAPs. Cambodia submitted an official NAP document after this cutoff date, and its NAP submission was therefore not included in the case studies.3.…”