COP22: Forty-two Countries Launch NDC Partnership to Deliver on Paris Agreement

In a move that matches climate finance with action, forty-two countries from different continents signed to the NDC Partnership, which was launched, on Tuesday November 15, at COP22 Moroccan Pavilion with the aim of enhancing cooperation among nations so that developing countries have more effective access to the technical knowledge and financial support necessary to deliver on their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).

Co-chaired by Morocco and Germany, the initiative “enhances cooperation among nations so that developing countries have more effective access to the technical knowledge and financial support necessary to deliver on their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to address climate change and deliver on related sustainable development goals,” the founders said in a statement.

Speaking on this occasion, Hakima El Haite, Moroccan Climate Champion, welcomed the momentum generated by the new partnership as a “milestone” towards unlocking the full potential of the Paris Agreement.

“Launching at COP22 the NDC Partnership comes at an opportune time to accelerate climate action worldwide. This Partnership is a vital, collaborative platform for helping countries embed their NDCs into all sectors and all levels of decision-making,” she said.

“This initiative will enable an effective cooperation between countries of the North and the South towards capacity building that is required to implement the Paris Agreement,” said El Haite, emphasizing that the NDC Partnership is at the heart of climate action instruments.

In the same vein, German Development Minister Gerd Müller said that the NDC Partnership is “a new instrument to share knowledge and match financial resources with climate action programs.”

For her part, Head of the UNDP, Helen Clark, highlighted the importance of the new partnership, stressing that NDCs need to be integrated into all countries’ development plans.

Afterwards, Ministers from the participating countries delivered key note addresses highlighting their commitment in favor of this new partnership. The countries that have signed to the NDC Partnership so far are: Australia, Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cote d’Ivoire, Denmark, DRC, France, Germany, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Maldives, Mali, Marshall Islands, Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands, Saint Lucia, Seychelles, South Africa, Spain, Uganda, UK, Vanuatu, Vietnam, New Zealand, Sweden, Norway and the United States. Other countries are welcome to join. The Initiative also has institutional partners including the European bank for reconstruction and development, European commission, UNDP, FAO, GEF, UNFCCC and the WB.