Paris Agreement: EU submits statement of intent to the UNFCCC on the post-2030 NDC 19:43 Today, the Council approved the EU’s statement of intent on its post-2030 NDC,[...]

The Council today approved a statement of intent in view of the EU submission of a nationally determined contribution (NDC) of the EU and its member states to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

The statement, which is not the EU's NDC, indicates the EU's intention to submit its post-2030 NDC ahead of COP30, in line with the Paris Agreement's obligations.

The statement confirms the EU's commitment to the Paris Agreement and its goal of limiting the increase in global temperatures to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels and highlights that the EU is well on track to achieving the 55% reduction target set for 2030. It also reaffirms that the NDC must reflect progression.

Moreover, it indicates that the EU is expected to submit an NDC ahead of COP30 with an indicative 2035 target in a range between 66.25% and 72.5% greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction, compared to 1990 levels. This range is based on the indicative linear trajectory from, on the one hand, the EU's climate targets for 2030 and 2050, and on the other hand, from the existing 2030 target and the proposed 2040 target currently under discussion.

The statement of intent is not the official EU's post-2030 NDC and will not be included in the NDC registry or the UN synthesis report.

Next steps

The statement will be communicated to the UNFCCC Secretariat and to the Paris Agreement implementation and Compliance Committee by the Danish presidency and the European Commission on behalf of the EU and its member states. It will inform on the status of the EU's upcoming NDC and will form the basis of the EU's communication at the UN Secretary General Climate Summit on 24 September, on the margins of the UN General Assembly.

The EU aims to submit its updated NDC ahead of COP30, informed by the agreement on the EU Climate Law and its 2040 target. The Council will continue its work in line with the general political directions and priorities defined by the European Council.

Background

NDCs are an integral part of the Paris Agreement, Article 4(9) of which requires all parties to communicate their post-2020 climate actions, starting in 2020 and every five years thereafter. On this basis, the EU and its member states submitted an updated and enhanced NDC on 17 December 2020, replacing the first NDC submitted in 2015 as an intended NDC. Following the adoption of the Fit for 55 legislation package, in October 2023 the EU updated its NDC of at least 55% net GHG emissions reductions by 2030.

NDCs set out the efforts made by each country to reduce national emissions and adapt to the impacts of climate change. The EU submits one NDC on behalf of the EU and its member states. Based on the submissions received, the UNFCCC Secretariat will prepare an NDC synthesis report, which provides an overview of global emission reduction commitments and the ambition gap relative to the Paris Agreement goals.

• Paris Agreement on climate change (background information)
• Global climate action (background information)
• Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) (UNFCCC website)
• Paris Agreement: Council submits updated NDC on behalf of EU and member states (press release, 16 October 2023)