Global Conservatism’s Surge: What’s in Store for Climate Action?

The deadline for UNFCCC parties to submit Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) was February 10, 2025, but only 13 countries complied on time, including the U.S. and the U.K ...

February 10, 2025, marks the deadline for parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to submit the next round of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). Out of nearly 200 parties, only 13 countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Brazil, the United Arab Emirates, Ecuador, and Saint Lucia, submitted on time. These countries account for 16.2% of global carbon emissions—almost entirely from the United States (approximately 14% globally). However, in January 2025, former President Trump announced the withdrawal from the Paris Agreement upon taking office, rendering the Biden administration's previously submitted U.S. NDC invalid.

NDCs include each country's commitments and specific targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, as well as the strategies and timelines to achieve these goals. By 2025, the parties should update their climate targets for achievement by 2035.

The European Union has delayed submitting its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) due to procedural issues. The EU's legislative process typically takes over a year, and it is currently in the midst of a transitional period that lasts several months following elections. "The complexity of the system also provides a convenient cover for the EU's growing disunity on climate issues," commented POLITICO, a U.S. political news website.