By Lucas Guaraldo*
With less than seven weeks to go until the start of the United Nations Climate Conference, COP30, in Belém, countries still in debt with climate targets have started to present their new NDCs (Nationally Determined Contributions) with proposed actions to reduce emissions of polluting gases into the atmosphere and to tackle climate change. This was during the Climate Summit, an event organized as part of the United Nations General Assembly, on Wednesday (25) in New York. Of the almost 200 UN signatory countries, less than 50 have formalized the NDCs so far.
China, the largest emitter, was the highlight and announced its commitment to reduce its emissions by up to 10% before 2035. The new NDC represents a step forward in the fight against climate change and confirms China’s ambition to invest in a more sustainable future.
“The increased ambition of countries to combat climate change is expressed in their NDCs. Today, after much anticipation, China presents its new NDC here at New York Climate Week, joining Brazil and 48 other countries. The success of Belém will depend on everyone’s commitments. I hope that China will serve as an example and encourage other countries to expand their ambitions in the NDCs,” said André Guimarães, executive director of IPAM (Amazon Environmental Research Institute) and special civil society envoy to COP30.
As well as reducing net emissions from their peak, the Chinese government has also pledged to expand the use of renewable energy to 30% of national demand, install 3,600 GW of solar and wind power, expand the carbon market for the most polluting sectors and invest in the country’s climate adaptation.
China’s forests have been recovering since 2000, from 154 million hectares to 236 million hectares in the last national inventory in 2022. The southwestern region of the country, home to mega-cities such as Chengdu and Chongqing, both with more than 20 million inhabitants, has seen the fastest growth in the country, with 200,000 hectares recovered every year.
Europe and Oceania
At the same event, European Union countries indicated that their next NDC will bring about a 66% to 72% reduction in the bloc’s total emissions, which in 2023 were approximately 2.9 billion tons of CO₂. The formal submission will take place before COP30 in Belem, which begins on November 10.
Also at the Climate Summit, representatives from Australia reaffirmed their commitment to building a sustainable economy for the next generation and announced the goal of reducing their emissions by up to 70% compared to the peak in 2005, when the country recorded 465.2 million tons of CO₂.
Palau, in Oceania, took advantage of the event to demand swift action from the planet’s biggest emitters, stressing that “demonstrating commitment is not optional”. One of the smallest countries in the world, the island nation suffers from rising sea levels and major storms.
More ambition
Chile was another country to commit to zero emissions by 2070. The Marshall Islands is advocating that the G20 countries, the world’s 20 largest economies, also have climate ambitions for the coming years. Kenya wants commitments on education to close the gap between the poor and the rich. Pakistan reported that it is still recovering from the floods that affected 5 million people and, despite this, has committed to reducing emissions in transportation and restoring mangroves, for example.
Host of COP30, Brazil plans to reduce net greenhouse gas emissions by between 59% and 67% by 2035, compared to 2005 levels.
IPAM journalist, lucas.itaborahy@ipam.org.br*