Paris Agreement committee snubbed over missing NDC climate plans

At least 50 countries have missed the 2025 deadline to submit updated nationally determined contributions (NDCs) to the United Nations, a key obligation under the Paris Agreement aimed at curbing global warming. The Paris Agreement’s Implementation and Compliance Committee (PAICC) reported in March that 55 countries had yet to communicate their new NDCs, with only two submitting plans since then. These NDCs are critical as they outline each country’s emissions reduction targets and climate adaptation strategies for 2035, marking the third round of commitments under the landmark 2015 accord. Most of the countries missing from the UN registry are smaller or poorer nations with relatively low emissions, although some larger emitters such as Egypt, Vietnam, Argentina, and the Philippines are also among them. Several nations have cited exceptional circumstances for the delay; for instance, Sudan attributed its inability to prepare an NDC to ongoing civil conflict. However, many others have failed to provide any explanation or engage with the PAICC, which is responsible for encouraging compliance with the Paris Agreement’s requirements. The PAICC expressed concern that 28 countries have neither submitted their NDCs nor provided biennial transparency reports detailing their climate actions, despite repeated reminders. While the committee did not publicly disclose the names of these countries during its March meeting, it indicated that it might do so at a future session in September. Sources familiar with the list describe it as a diverse group including least developed countries, small island developing states, emerging economies, and even a government represented on the PAICC board. This delay in submissions undermines the Paris Agreement’s framework, which relies on progressively ambitious climate commitments every five years to meet global temperature goals and protect vulnerable populations. The lack of transparency and accountability from these countries complicates international efforts to track progress and hold governments responsible for their climate pledges, raising concerns about the overall effectiveness of the global climate regime.