The UNFCCC Secretariat has released the 2025 Synthesis Report on Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), revealing significant progress in global climate commitments while urging countries to accelerate action and cooperation ahead of COP30 in Belém, Brazil.
The report analyzes 64 new NDCs submitted between January 2024 and September 2025, representing about one-third of global emissions. It finds that 89% of Parties now include economy-wide targets, most linked to long-term net-zero strategies aiming for neutrality between 2040 and 2060. Collectively, these new NDCs could reduce global emissions by 17% below 2019 levels by 2035—a sign of rising ambition, though still insufficient to keep warming below 1.5°C.
Nearly all countries (98%) reported domestic mitigation measures, while 80% are acting in at least one of six key mitigation areas such as afforestation, solar energy, and reducing deforestation. In addition, 75% of Parties set quantitative goals aligned with global efforts like tripling renewable energy capacity and expanding low-carbon hydrogen and carbon capture technologies.
COP30 President Designate Ambassador André Corrêa do Lago emphasized that COP30 must respond to climate urgency through “accelerated implementation, solidarity, and ambitious international cooperation.” He said the new NDCs now function as “development instruments” that integrate adaptation, mitigation, finance, technology, and capacity-building across all levels of society.
COP30 CEO Ana Toni echoed this call, describing COP30 as the “COP of Truth” — a moment to test the world’s commitment to multilateralism and to connect the Paris Agreement to people’s everyday lives.
UN Climate Change Executive Secretary Simon Stiell noted that global emissions could fall by around 10% by 2035 when considering additional commitments announced at the NDC Summit during the 80th UN General Assembly. “The direction of travel is improving every year, but we need to urgently pick up the pace,” he said.
Integrating Adaptation, Gender, and Just Transition
The 2025 report highlights major advances in inclusivity and resilience:
73% of Parties include adaptation components aligned with the UAE Framework for Global Climate Resilience.
89% reference gender-responsive measures.
95% engage non-Party stakeholders, while 88% include children and youth as change agents.
70% consider just transition principles to ensure fairness in low-carbon shifts.
These findings show that NDCs are evolving into whole-of-government and whole-of-society frameworks that merge climate ambition with social equity and sustainable development.
Building on the Global Stocktake and Article 6 Cooperation
According to the report, 88% of countries used insights from the Global Stocktake (GST) to strengthen their NDCs, signaling higher ambition and policy coherence. Meanwhile, 89% of Parties intend to cooperate under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, using market and non-market mechanisms to enhance action and finance.
Financing the Transition
The report underscores that 97% of Parties view international cooperation as essential, with 75% identifying specific financial needs totaling nearly USD 2 trillion—including USD 560 billion for adaptation. Forests, oceans, and just transition strategies are listed as priority areas for international support.
A Decisive Decade for Climate Action
Ten years after the Paris Agreement, the Synthesis Report confirms that the framework is working—but faster delivery is vital. The next phase demands renewed global cooperation, solidarity, and trust to translate commitments into tangible results.
From Rio to Paris, and now from Paris to Belém, the global community has laid the foundation for a new era of multilateral climate action. As the world prepares for COP30, the message is clear: ambition is rising, but unity and urgency must now define the path forward.
