Denmark becomes new co-chair for global partnership on national climate plans

Published 07-12-2023

On January 1st, Denmark officially takes over as co-chair of an international green partnership, the so-called NDC Partnership. This was announced today at COP28. The partnership focuses on supporting developing countries in implementing their national climate plans and elevating their ambitions. The chairmanship of the NDC Partnership will be shared with Rwanda.

The Nationally Determined Contributions Partnership (NDCP) was launched in 2016 and now has over 200 members worldwide. Its launch followed shortly after the negotiation of the Paris Agreement under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The national climate action plans (NDCs, nationally determined contributions) are a cornerstone of the Paris Agreement, expressing each country’s climate ambition and contributing to limiting the temperature rise to 1.5°C and towards climate-resilient development.

"Denmark’s co-chairmanship in the NDC Partnership is an opportunity to promote global climate action and support countries in their efforts to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement and ultimately achieve sustainable development for the benefit of their populations,” says Dan Jørgensen, Minister for Development Cooperation and Global Climate Policy. ”We aim to strengthen cooperation between developed and developing countries and promote a more just and inclusive approach to climate action.

As co-chair, Denmark will support countries in fulfilling their existing climate commitments and efforts while encouraging them to increase their ambitions. This is crucial for keeping the goal of limiting global warming to a maximum of 1.5°C within reach and ensuring effective climate adaptation efforts.

Denmark’s role as co-chair will extend for the next two years and aligns with both the Danish EU presidency and the deadline in 2025 for countries to update their NDCs again. This gives Denmark a significant opportunity to play a central role in shaping the international climate agenda and supporting increased global climate ambitions.

At the same time as the announcement of Denmark being named co-chair, there was also the unveiling of a new Danish grant of 70 million Danish kroner for the NDC Partnership.

Our focus will be on strengthening the NDC Partnership’s ability to help countries develop ambitious climate targets. The strength of the partnership lies in treating members as equal partners in cooperation, where developing countries receive support based on their identified needs and priorities. I look forward to the collaboration,” says Dan Jørgensen.

FACTS

  • The NDC Partnership was launched at COP22 in 2016 by a coalition of countries, institutions, and non-state actors.
  • Its two overarching goals are to support countries in accelerating the implementation of their NDCs and related sustainable development goals, as well as to increase ambitions to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement.
  • The NDC Partnership currently comprises over 200 members and is widely recognized as a key player in raising global climate ambitions.
  • The shared chairmanship of the NDC Partnership spans a two-year period and is shared between a developing country and a donor country. Rwanda is appointed as co-chair for the current period, and the United Kingdom holds the role until Denmark formally takes over on January 1st, 2024.