NDC Partnership Thematic Call on NDC and LT-LEDS Alignment, Update and Enhancement

The IKI supported the conception of the Thematic Call from its early stages and has earmarked funding respond to country requests submitted to the NDC Partnership through the Thematic Call.

The first NDC Partnership Thematic Call is the successor initiative to the successful Climate Action Enhancement Package (CAEP) and aims to support developing member countries in two key, interconnected fronts: preparing, updating and refining Long-term Low Emissions Development Strategies (LT-LEDS) and enhancing the quality and increasing the ambition of their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). The objective is to advance LT-LEDS and NDCs, while fostering alignment between the two instruments and developing capacities for their sustained implementation. 

Raising global climate ambition

Raising global climate ambition requires aligning LT-LEDS with NDCs. To avoid a high-climate-risk future with catastrophic consequences, the global community needs to make immediate, transformational shifts in policy and investment. 

The Glasgow Climate Pact agreed on at COP26 presents an opportunity for countries to identify and prioritize systemic changes through robust LT-LEDS that connect to NDC processes and, more broadly, that guide national development toward long-term resilience and just transitions to net-zero emissions by or around mid-century. Launching these transitions requires countries to understand and weigh policy implications and related reforms, identify finance needs, and develop enabling frameworks to mobilize investment. 

What the NDCP Thematic Call delivers

The main goal of the NDC Partnership Thematic Call is to facilitate, leverage, and coordinate support for the transition towards climate-compatible development. Efforts will focus on developing and refining LT-LEDS, and on aligning short- and medium-term planning with their proposed development pathways to unlock NDC ambition. 

With its two tracks, the Thematic Call will assist countries in: 

1. Developing and updating LT-LEDS: Crafting the vision and strategies for long-term low emission and climate resilient development, understanding its benefits, challenges and trade-offs; and putting in place actionable policies and plans to kick-start this development transition in a fair and sustainable manner. 
2. Enhancing and raising the ambition of updates to NDCs, fostering alignment with LT-LEDS and with the Paris Agreement temperature target and allowing for timely submission of the NDCs due 2025 to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

Under both tracks, Partnership members’ expertise and resources will be leveraged for countries to draw out linkages between NDCs and LT-LEDS. 

Building on the strong collaboration within the Partnership

To mobilize support in response to requests from countries, the NDC Partnership’s Thematic Call will primarily draw on members’ resources and strengths, establishing coordination arrangements with initiatives and programmes, many of which are supported by the IKI.

The IKI will also seek synergies and keep its mainstreaming efforts going to support the NDCP Initiative through its relevant project portfolio.

The Partnership Action Fund (PAF), also funded by the IKI, will function as a complementary, last resort mechanism to strengthen members’ responses when needed and to fill gaps where they exist.

The contribution of the International Climate Initiative 

Since the conclusion of the Climate Action Enhancement Package, the IKI supported the conception of the Thematic Call from its early stages. After its launch, IKI has earmarked funds to respond to country requests submitted to the NDC Partnership through the Thematic Call. Furthermore, the IKI will rely on the global network of ongoing IKI projects, mainly relating to LT-LEDS and NDC development and updates, to address country requests resulting from the call. 

The IKI has been steadily supporting the NDC Partnership in responding to member countries climate needs via the country engagement process and various initiatives such as CAEP and economic advisors within the Green Recovery initiative. Support has been through project activities and funding but also alignment and coordination of support within the IKI implementing community.