A new batch of INDCs were published on Friday, ahead of an informal Oct. 1 deadline and ending a busy week that saw more than a dozen countries submit their climate pledges, including major emitters South Africa and Indonesia, a handful of African nations, and three former Soviet republics.
The following submissions were published by the UN on Friday:
South Africa – The country, one of the world’s top-20 emitters, is adopting a “peak, plateau and decline” (PPD) strategy to cut its GHGs, working with five-year carbon budgets. It pledged to peak its emissions between 2020 and 2025 and let them plateau for approximately a decade,, keeping them within a range of 398-614 million tonnes. After that, South Africa said it will cut GHG output in absolute terms. The country made no mention of international market-based mechanisms (MBMs).
Bangladesh – The nation, seen as one of the most vulnerable to the effects of climate change, pledged to unconditionally cut its emissions by 5% below BAU by 2030 in the power, transport and industry sectors, which account for 69% of Bangladesh’s total GHG output. It offered to increase that to 15% based on “appropriate international support in the form of finance, investment, technology development and transfer, and capacity building”. Bangladesh said it did not rule out the use of MBMs “in line with agreed modalities and accounting rules”.
Georgia – It made an unconditional pledge to reduce emissions by 15% below BAU by 2030, which is equal to a roughly 34% reduction in carbon intensity (CO2e/unit of GDP) between 2013 and 2030. The country said it would increase the 15% to 25%, based on a “global agreement addressing the importance of technical cooperation, access to low-cost financial resources and technology transfer”. That would be equivalent to a roughly 43% reduction in carbon intensity by 2030, or absolute emissions staying 40% below 1990 levels. The country made no mention of international market-based mechanisms. Georgia’s emissions bottomed at 82% below 1990 levels in 1995 due to the collapse of the Soviet Union, and had risen back to 66% below by 2011.
Belarus – The former Soviet republic offered to cut its GHGs by at least 28% below 1990 levels by 2030, without any additional conditions. It added that its commitments did not imply the use of MBMs or mobilising foreign financial resources for the implementation of best available technologies. Belarus’s emissions in 2012 were 35.8% below 1990 levels, meaning it was allowing for minor growth in CO2 output between now and 2030.
Moldova – It pledged to cut GHG emissions by 64-67% below 1990 levels by 2030, offering to make “best efforts” to hit the top of that range. It added that it could increase the target up to 78% with financial help, technology transfer, and technical cooperation. It said it may use MBMs to achieve its goals. Moldova’s emissions in 2013 were 70.4% below 1990 levels, meaning its unconditional targets could let its GHG output grow slightly.
Seychelles – The small archipelago of 115 islands off the coast of Africa committed to cutting its BAU emissions by 21.4% by 2025 and by 29% by 2030. The country said it was not intending to use MBMs to hit its goals.
By Mike Szabo – mike@carbon-pulse.com
