Global NDC Conference 2025

Powering the global climate dialogue

From 11-13 June 2025, over 300 practitioners and policymakers from more than 50 countries came together in Berlin at the Global NDC Conference. The goal was simple: to continue and deepen the global dialogue on Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), in a year in which the next round of NDC submissions is due.

Graphic poster titled “Ambition – What makes a good NDC?” illustrated with icons and keywords.

Financed by the IKI, supported by the German Federal Government, and co-organized since 2017 by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, NDC Partnership and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the conference plays a crucial role in connecting the dots between national ambition, implementation capacity, and financing mechanisms – all critical components of the global NDC cycle. It serves as a forum for exchanging on policy innovations, highlighting real-world case studies, and building multi-stakeholder collaboration.

Funding priority

Ambitious development of NDCs and long-term strategies

NDC Partnership

The German Government has provided financial and political support to the NDC Partnership since its formation. To date, it has provided €700 million, making it the NDC Partnerships' largest sponsor. Around EUR 550 million of this total sum was provided via the IKI.

Topic page NDC Partnership

Day 1: From ambition to implementation

The first day of the conference focused on ramping up ambition, accelerating NDC implementation, and turning policy into action. It offered participants a wide range of learning and knowledge exchange opportunities. Sessions explored participatory ways to successfully translate mitigation and adaptation goals into high-impact national and sectoral implementation plans, long-term strategies, and measurable outcomes, while ensuring alignment, inclusion, and transparency.

A speaker wearing glasses stands at a podium, speaking into a microphone against a blue conference backdrop.

We all need to do more, on the way of transforming our economies and societies towards climate neutrality.

Jochen Flasbarth, State Secretary at the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Climate Protection, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMUKN), Germany

Day 2: Finance and other challenges

Plenary Panel on "How can we secure more investment for NDC implementation from a broad funder and investor landscape, whilst ensuring efficiency and efficacy of spending?"

The second day addressed the role of finance as a crucial enabler for NDC implementation. With the launch of the joint OECD-UNDP report “Investing in climate for growth and development: The case for enhanced NDCs”, it became clear that climate ambition can strengthen economic development, while results depend on NDCs that are implementable and investable. In two rounds of interactive sessions, international finance experts from public and private institutions, NDC implementation experts, and scientific advisors gave valuable insights and sparked collective discussions and knowledge exchange among the participants.

Mitigation Action Facility

The Mitigation Action Facility – a multi-donor climate finance programme – provides technical assistance and funding to help implement ambitious mitigation actions. One of its core donors is the German Federal Government, which channels support via the International Climate Initiative (IKI).

Topic page Mitigation Action Facility

Day 3: Breakthrough solutions and concrete next steps

The image shows a group working session in a conference room. Several participants are seated around a table, engaged in conversation. In the center of the room, a man is speaking while pointing at a slide or display. In the background, there is a large depiction of the "Little Mermaid" statue set against a cloudy sky. The room has bright, modern furniture and a relaxed atmosphere. — Solution Labs

The final day of the conference turned to the practical side of NDC implementation. Thanks to interactive ‘solutions labs’ and ‘case clinic’ formats, participants left the conference carrying a toolkit of proven approaches and new ideas for engagement, clarity on next steps in the NDC process, and an expanded network of motivated peers.

A man speaks into a microphone on stage, with a Global NDC Conference 2025 banner in the background.

The biggest success story for me was seeing so many people from different countries coming together and working together.

Philipp Behrens, Head of Division, Intenational Climate Initiative (IKI)

Empowering communities to act

A woman works on a graphic. A large graphic wall next to her displays visual notes and concepts from the conference. — Conference outcomes as a graphic recording

For the first time, the conference also hosted a roundtable on NDCs and parliamentary engagement, in collaboration with GLOBE Legislators. Parliamentarians from several countries and climate policy experts exchanged examples on the crucial role of parliaments in raising ambition, securing finance, accelerating action, ensuring oversight of implementation, as well as securing a public mandate for ambitious climate action.

For a decade now, the world has been preparing NDCs. These are our commitments to turn away from carbon-intensive activities towards low emission production.

Dessima Williams, President of Senate, Grenada

A diverse group of young adults poses for a group photo on a balcony during the Global NDC Conference 2025. They are wearing conference badges and stand in front of a modern building with glass walls. — Youth delegation

Another highlight this year were the nine young changemakers from around the world and eight Indigenous Peoples from three socio-cultural regions who attended the conference, sharing their views on NDC review and implementation processes. Particularly these two groups are indispensable partners in achieving the climate goals of the Paris Agreement. On the one hand, youth are already shaping solutions in their communities, leading innovations, and driving accountability on climate commitments. On the other hand, Indigenous Peoples possess practical solutions grounded in centuries of ecological stewardship and spiritual connection to nature.

For youth and Indigenous Peoples, climate action is not a political choice, it is a necessity for survival.

Camila Romero, Coordinator at International Indigenous Youth Forum on Climate Change / Centro Indígena de Acción Integral, Chile

The IKI community at the Global NDC Conference 2025

Among the diversity of participants, several IKI projects and IKI-financed initiatives contributed to the different sessions and formats. To mention a few, the 14 IKI interface projects attended the conference, bringing the perspectives of IKI-project implementation in priority countries. As part of parallel sessions, the Transformative Climate Finance project led a session on catalytic finance and unlocking climate investments; and the SCALA project participated in a parallel session on alignment between National Adaptation Plans and NDCs.

A large banner of the International Climate Initiative (IKI), featuring sustainability-themed illustrations, is displayed in a conference space. A person stands in shadow next to it, working on a laptop at a high table. — The Global NDC Conference 2025 was funded by the International Climate Initiative (IKI).

Within the solutions labs, the BioClime project led a session focused on the synergies between nature and climate, while the Urban-Act project contributed to one on multi-level climate action, and the SPAR6C project to one on Article 6. The Mitigation Action Facility joined a session on developing bankable projects and hosted strategic meetings simultaneously to the conference. The Climate Club's Global Matchmaking Platform convened a funders dialogue on industry decarbonisation.

Ahead of the Bonn Climate Change Conference (Subsidiary Bodies), and with some months to go before COP30, the Global NDC Conference 2025 amplified calls for ambition, equity, and finance-driven implementation. It demonstrated that cohesive climate action and collaboration can drive real-world climate progress.

08/ 2025
Global NDC Conference Report 2025: Moving from ambition to implementation
English (PDF, 5 MB)

Learn more about the Global NDC Conference

Impressions from the Global NDC Conference 2025

Dessima Williams, President of the Senate, Grenada

The International Climate Initiative is supporting the organisation of the conference in Berlin.

Overview of a plenary session with numerous participants in a conference hall. — Plenary panel on the topic "What makes a good NDC?"

Two men and a woman seated on stage during a panel discussion. — Plenary panel on the topic "What makes a good NDC?"

Audience watches a panel discussion, with one person taking a photo on a smartphone. — Plenary panel on the topic "What makes a good NDC?"

Sara Omi, of the Emberá People, Panama, President of the Coordination of Territorial Women Leaders of the Mesoamerican Alliance of Peoples and Forests

Participants in a smaller session seated at a table in discussion. — Parallel sessions on ambition and implementation

Participants raise their hands during an interactive session. — Parallel sessions on ambition and implementation

Group of participants working together with laptops and notes. — Parallel sessions on ambition and implementation

Person writing with a marker on a whiteboard labeled “Implementation & Parallel Sessions.” — Parallel sessions on ambition and implementation

Several people engaged in discussion around a table during a conference session. — Parallel sessions on ambition and implementation

Two participants sit side by side and converse during a session. — Parallel sessions on ambition and implementation

Large group photo of conference participants outdoors, captured from an elevated angle. — Participants group photo

Participants write on facilitation cards during a parallel working session. — Parallel sessions on finance of NDCs

Several participants sit together at a table, engaged in focused discussion. — Parallel sessions on finance of NDCs

Discussion round in a conference room with several people using notes and laptops. — Philipp Behrens, Head of Division, International Climate Initiative (IKI), in a session.

Plenary Panel on "How can we secure more investment for NDC implementation from a broad funder and investor landscape, whilst ensuring efficiency and efficacy of spending?"

Participants of the Global NDC Conference 2025

Attendees register at a front desk for the Global NDC Conference, organized alphabetically. A lush vertical plant wall with a glowing sign reading “Scandic Terrace Bar Open” forms the background. On the left stands a roll-up banner of the International Climate Initiative (IKI). — Registration

A person writes “HIGH TRANSACTION” on a green index card using a blue marker. Other labeled cards, an open notebook, a drink, and various writing tools are spread across the table. — Parallel sessions on finance of NDCs

A woman wearing a white headscarf and a purple blazer is talking to another woman at a conference. Other participants are visible in the bright hallway behind them. — Network event

People are sitting outdoors on a boat in the sunshine, chatting in small groups. Historic buildings and a railway station are visible in the background. — Dinner Cruise

A group of young people sits around a conference table in a modern office. One person is speaking with expressive hand gestures while the others listen attentively. The table holds drinks, pastries, and notebooks. — Solutions Labs

We want to make COP30 very ambitious and at the same time very pragmatic. (...) I would say this meeting [the Global NDC Conference 2025] is part of the COP as well, we really need the involvement of everyone in the process.

Ana Toni, CEO, COP30 Presidency, Brazil