Saudi Arabia submitted its INDC on Tuesday, pledging to avoid 130 million tonnes of CO2e worth of emissions annually by 2030. Sudan also submitted its goal.
The big oil producing nation listed a number of activities it would implement unless its economic diversification plan is hampered, in which case the INDC would be adjusted.
“The Kingdom will engage in actions and plans in pursuit of economic diversification that have co-benefits in the form of greenhouse gas (GHG) emission avoidances and adaptation to the impacts of climate change, as well as reducing the impacts of response measures,” the INDC said.
Unquantified efforts to boost energy efficiency, renewable energy, carbon capture and storage, and gas utilisation would lead to the avoidance of 130 mtCO2e each year by 2030, it said.
These would be bolstered by co-benefit actions such as water and waste water management, urban planning, marine protection and reduced desertification, it added.
With total GHG emissions of around 550 million tonnes CO2e in 2012, according to EU data, Saudi Arabia had been the biggest emitter yet to submit a plan to the UN. Its submission leaves Iran as the sole significant GHG emitter yet to do so.
While Saudi Arabian negotiatiors have previously frustrated observers demanding financial compensation to cut emissions, the INDC was not conditional on international support.
“The implementation of Saudi Arabia’s INDC is not contingent on receiving international financial support, but the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia sees an important role for technology cooperation and transfer as well as capacity building for INDC implementation,” it said.
SUDAN
Sudan also submitted its INDC on Tuesday, offering to curb GHGs from its energy, forestry and waste sectors, but stopping short of setting firm reduction targets because it lacks baseline scenarios for those segments – something it hopes to develop with financial aid.
The country, an LDC, wants to roll-out renewable energy including wind, solar, landfill gas, biomass, geothermal and small hydro. It said it also wants to invest in gas-fired power, energy efficiency, as well as afforestation and reforestation measures to complement a national REDD strategy.
Sudan said it needs $12.88 billion to implement its strategy – $1.2 billion for adaptation and $11.68 billion for mitigation, adding that it does not exclude using market-based mechanisms to help finance it.
By Stian Reklev and Mike Szabo – stian@carbon-pulse.com
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