IRENA actively engages with its Members to assist in the development of climate commitments – including Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to the Paris Agreement – and has provided support to 102 countries through 240 activities since 2020, representing a combined population of 6 billion people and total greenhouse gas emissions of 31 984 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (MtCO2eq).

The current round of NDCs (NDC 3.0) presents a unique opportunity for Parties to reflect the highest possible ambition in their climate change mitigation targets, and mandates that national contributions are informed by the outcomes of the First Global Stocktake – part of the UAE Consensus agreed at COP28.

To support this process, IRENA provides technical recommendations regarding energy sector components of NDCs, including targets, options and means of implementation that are relevant to the energy transition; assessments of cost-effective climate change mitigation options; grid flexibility analyses; energy data and statistical analysis; and capacity building.

IRENA’s efforts also intend to contribute to the implementation of the call in the First Global Stocktake to triple renewable power capacity and double energy efficiency by 2030, particularly in view of the Agency’s role as the Custodian Agency tasked with monitoring progress toward these aims. The trends in energy sector commitments in NDC 3.0s reflect a growing alignment with these goals, which countries are increasingly integrating into national plans, emphasising renewable deployment, energy efficiency, and the adoption of zero- and low-carbon technologies.

Report by the International Renewable Energy Agency