Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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COP28 concluded the first-ever Global Stocktake, assessing the collective progress towards achieving the purpose of the Paris Agreement and its long-term goals and providing direction for countries’ new climate plans (known as “nationally determined contributions,” or NDCs) which will be fully updated next in 2025.

The Paris Agreement requires each Party to prepare, communicate and maintain successive NDCs that it intends to achieve. Parties can agree to act jointly in these efforts. This is the case for Ireland, whereby the EU and its Member States, acting jointly, prepare and submit an NDC.

While NDCs are to be submitted every five years (starting from 2020) to the UNFCCC, Parties may at any time adjust their existing NDC with a view to enhancing its level of ambition. The EU, on behalf of its Member States, submitted an updated NDC in October 2023 replacing the 2020 NDC. This included a more ambitious EU-wide 55% greenhouse emissions reduction target by 2030 compared to 1990 levels, which was given legal underpinning in the European Climate Law in June 2021.

The EU NDC was based on an extensive impact assessment as well as stakeholder input, collected via public consultation.

The next EU NDC will be set in accordance with the European Climate Law and be informed by the preparation of a legislative proposal for a union-wide climate target for 2040. A public Call for Evidence was conducted between 31 March to 23 June 2023, the results of which are being analysed and summarised as part of a detailed impact assessment report, which is due to be published by the Commission in February.