Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) should be viewed as platforms for growth, job creation, and a clean future, rather than as a burden, COP28 President Dr. Sultan Al Jaber has told a COP Presidencies Troika event held on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.
“The UAE Consensus gave us a blueprint for transformation: we must now act on it,” Dr. Al Jaber said at the COP Presidencies Troika’s ‘Roadmap to Mission 1.5: NDC 3.0’ event.
“Let me take this opportunity to call on all Parties to be early movers and to provide concrete signals on their NDCs by or before COP29 to build momentum during this critical decade of action. Let’s deliver transformational NDCs backed by serious investment to deliver on the mandate of the UAE Consensus, and let’s drive a new era of sustainable socioeconomic growth that keeps 1.5°C within reach, advances prosperity and leaves no one behind.”
The COP Presidencies Troika is a collaboration between the UAE, Azerbaijan and Brazil, the hosts of the COP28, COP29 and COP30 climate change conferences.
Al Jaber all Parties to submit ‘transformational’ climate action plans that align with the goal of limiting global temperature rise to 1.5°C while driving sustainable socioeconomic growth.
Dr. Al Jaber highlighted the importance of issuing a third round of NDCs that meet the urgency of the moment and address the UAE Consensus, a blueprint for climate action.
He encouraged early submission of NDCs before the February 2025 deadline, with the UAE planning to submit its third NDC ahead of COP29, scheduled for November 2025 in Azerbaijan.
‘Holds every sector accountable’
According to Al Jaber, the UAE‘s upcoming NDC will cover all greenhouse gases and economic sectors, including energy, industry, transportation, and waste, “It will leverage the latest technologies, including AI, to drive decarbonisation and enhance adaptive resilience by transforming food, health and early warning systems. And it will back all efforts with a robust legal framework that holds every sector accountable to specific, time-bound goals.”
In addition to calling for ambitious NDCs, Dr. Al Jaber emphasised the role of the Oil & Gas Decarbonisation Charter (OGDC), which now includes 54 members, covering 43% of global oil production.
He described the OGDC as an example of how “inclusive engagement” can lead to “meaningful results,” he said.
He also underscored the need to agree on a New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) on finance at COP29 to ensure that climate finance reaches the areas most in need. The COP Presidencies Troika is working to raise ambition for the next round of NDCs through its Action and Ambition Majlis series, bringing countries together at events like the Petersberg Climate Dialogue in Germany and the Ministerial on Climate Action in Wuhan, China.
