Enviro News Asia, New York — Ahead of the upcoming United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30) in Brazil next month, global climate diplomacy is gaining momentum. According to the latest United Nations (UN) report, around 100 Parties to the Paris Agreement — collectively responsible for nearly two-thirds of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions — have submitted or announced their 2035 Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).
Among them is Nigeria, which aims to reduce emissions by 29% by 2030 and 32% by 2035 compared to 2018 levels. The country has also set a goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2060, positioning natural gas as a transitional fuel in its energy and transport sectors.
While this development marks progress, the UN emphasized that a “significant ambition gap remains” to keep global warming below 1.5°C and meet commitments on climate finance and adaptation. The organization stressed that the technologies and tools needed to decarbonize the energy, transport, and industrial sectors — as well as to protect forests and strengthen climate resilience — “already exist.” The main challenge, it said, lies in scaling up implementation.
Several major economies have yet to finalize their updated NDCs. India, the world’s third-largest emitter (accounting for 8% of global emissions), remains among them. Meanwhile, the United States — responsible for roughly 20% of total global emissions — now faces climate policy uncertainty. After former President Joe Biden submitted the country’s 2035 NDC in 2024, President Donald Trump has since signed an executive order withdrawing the U.S. from the Paris Agreement, effectively nullifying the commitment.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres urged all nations that have not yet submitted their NDCs to do so ahead of COP30. “The conference in Brazil must deliver a credible global response plan to bring the world back on track,” he asserted. (*)
