At the 23rd Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, the global NDC Partnership is celebrating its first anniversary and welcoming new members: the Asian and Caribbean Development Banks announced that they would join the NDC Partnership. Frank Bainimarama, Prime Minister of Fiji and President of COP 23, announced the creation of a Regional Pacific NDC Hub in the framework of the Partnership to facilitate NDC implementation. The NDC Partnership supports emerging economies and developing countries in translating the provisions of the Paris Agreement into national climate action plans, known as nationally determined contributions (NDCs).
Federal Development Minister Gerd Müller stated: "Those least able to defend themselves are the ones suffering most because of the impacts of climate change. That is why we support in particular developing countries in combatting the impacts of climate change - for instance, with tailor-made climate solutions for every country. The NDC Partnership provides the ideal framework to this end. It is the eleventh hour, and the only way to save the global climate is by joining forces."
The Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development will provide an additional 31 million euros for short-term support in the framework of the NDC Partnership which will be implemented by the World Bank, the United Nations Development Programme, the deutsche Gesellschaft für internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and the Partnership’s Secretariat. In addition, the Federal Development Ministry will provide start-up funding for the Regional Pacific NDC Hub together with the UK and Australia, among others.
Federal Environment Minister Barbara Hendricks commented: "Implementing national climate action programmes is a challenge for all countries. This makes it all the more important that we support one another and share what we are doing and how we can raise the level of ambition. The problem of climate change can only be resolved through multilateral action. This characterises the NDC Partnership’s spirit.
In the context of the NDC Partnership, the Federal Environment and Development Ministries are working closely together. Developed countries and multilateral institutions are supporting emerging economies and developing countries in achieving their NDCs and aligning them with their national development goals. To this end, they are promoting access to funding and technical support. NDC members are also involved in an exchange of knowledge and experience on climate action and adaptation measures.
Since the Partnership was founded one year ago, its membership has almost doubled from 41 to 77 members, with 48 developing countries, 16 developed countries and 13 international organisations. The German Government has geared its entire climate finance – amounting to 3.4 billion euros from budget funds in 2016 alone – towards the NDCs of partner countries helping them to achieve their mitigation and adaptation goals.