When 175 countries signed the Paris Agreement in 2015, it set an ambitious target for the world: implement policies that would hold the increase in the global average temperature to below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and try to limit the global temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius above those same levels while ensuring countries can adapt to the effects of climate change.

At the heart of the Paris Agreement are Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). Under the NDC model, countries themselves create their own plans to do their share towards the global targets, based on their responsibilities, capacities, and willingness.

The Paris Agreement makes a specific point of pledging support for developing countries – most of whom are on the front lines of climate change and facing devastating consequences in food security, health, and economic wellbeing – to assist them in implementing their NDCs.

Formed in 2016, the NDC Partnership was created to ensure that countries have access to resources, expertise, and tools to implement NDCs and address climate change. The NDC Partnership now has over 100 members, including developed and developing countries in all regions of the world, as well as major international institutions and non-state actors.

Less than three years since its creation, the NDC Partnership is already supporting over 40 countries to accelerate climate action through the successful implementation of their NDCs and by adopting stronger climate targets and developing better, more ambitious new NDCs.

The NDC Partnership is working directly with national governments, international institutions, civil society, researchers, and the private sector to fast-track climate and development action through in-country engagement and global knowledge sharing. The Partnership is supporting governments in defining the process, policies, and plans required to deliver NDC goals, alongside other development objectives. The Partnership is also enabling countries to learn from and support one another, through knowledge tools and peer-to-peer exchanges, and supporting them in aligning their NDC priorities with financial resources.

The assistance that the NDC Partnership facilitates is crucial to help countries meet their commitments under the Paris Agreement. When countries start to feel confident about support being delivered, they can accelerate implementation and realize the benefits of climate action. This in turn allows them to become even more forward thinking about mitigating and adapting to climate change to realize the ultimate objectives of the Paris Agreement and create a healthier planet while improving the livelihoods of all people around the world.