Some of the key learning points that have emerged from this diverse experience, was summarized in this Working Paper. This Working Paper should be seen as a companion volume to CDKN’s ‘Guide to INDCs’ (2015), which provides a practical example of how an INDC could be structured and potential key elements and content. Each section cross-references the relevant text from the Lima Call to Climate Action and other relevant guidance, suggests data sources and provides illustrative examples of the type of content and narrative that Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States might include. It will be critical to secure an ambitious international climate agreement at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) 21st Conference of the Parties (COP21) in Paris, December 2015, in order to avert dangerous climate change and limiting warming. Countries have agreed to outline publicly the post-2020 climate actions they intend to take under a new international agreement, to help prepare for these negotiations.
These are known as Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs). The concept of INDCs was introduced at COP19 in Warsaw, 2013 and refined in the Lima Call to Climate Action. With the submission of INDCs, a unique opportunity is created for developing countries to influence the shape of the new international climate regime, and at the same time accelerating their national actions. They are a necessary foundation for a successful outcome from COP21 and will be vital for effective climate policies in the years to come. A key challenge facing the officials responsible for developing INDCs is how to strike a balance between ambition and feasibility.
