The head of the UN climate change body, Simon Stiell, has called on world leaders to submit “first-rate” climate targets by September, after most countries missed the February deadline for submitting their updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).
Speaking in Brazil, which will host the COP30 climate summit in November, Stiell stressed the urgency of stronger commitments, warning that the world is falling short of the Paris Agreement’s goal of limiting global warming to 1.5°C.
“These plans are among the most important policy documents governments will produce this century,” he said. “So taking a bit more time to ensure they are first-rate makes sense.”
Under the Paris Agreement, countries were expected to submit plans detailing how they would cut emissions by 2035 by February 10. But as of now, only a handful—including the United Arab Emirates, Brazil, Switzerland, the UK, New Zealand, and the US—have done so.
Major emitters like China, the European Union, and India are expected to release their plans later this year. Meanwhile, the US, under the leadership of Donald Trump, is once again withdrawing from the Paris Agreement, dealing a blow to global climate cooperation.
Environmental advocates are frustrated by the slow progress.
“We’re disappointed by the small number of plans submitted ahead of the February deadline,” said Sofia Gonzales-Zuniga of the Climate Action Tracker.
The delays come as the world experiences record-breaking heat. The European climate monitoring service Copernicus confirmed that last month was the hottest January ever recorded, with global temperatures 1.75°C above pre-industrial levels.
The US exit from the Paris Agreement has emboldened other countries to question their commitments. Argentina is reportedly considering withdrawing from the accord, while Indonesia’s climate envoy has criticized the perceived unfairness of emission reduction obligations.
“Geopolitical headwinds are not in our favor,” Stiell admitted. However, he argued that clean energy investments remain a significant economic opportunity for nations.
André Corrêa do Lago, the president of COP30, emphasized the growing role of non-state actors—businesses, cities, and regional governments—in driving climate action as some national governments waver.
Among the countries that have submitted their plans, not all have met expectations. The UAE and Brazil claim their NDCs align with the 1.5°C target, but both nations are simultaneously expanding oil and gas production—an apparent contradiction.
New Zealand’s updated commitment to cut emissions by just 1% between 2030 and 2035 was slammed as “pathetic” by climate activists. Meanwhile, the UK’s pledge to reduce emissions by 81% by 2035 compared to 1990 levels is the only one deemed fully 1.5°C-aligned by Climate Action Tracker.
However, none of the submitted plans have strengthened 2030 emission-cutting targets, which makes achieving the 1.5°C goal even more difficult. Scientists warn that global emissions must fall by 42% by 2030 and 57% by 2035 to stay on track. Instead, emissions reached record levels in 2024.
More than 170 countries have indicated they will submit their NDCs later this year, according to a UN official. Stiell urged them to do so by September so the UN can assess global progress ahead of COP30.
Despite the challenges, Stiell remains hopeful. “The Paris Agreement is working,” he said. “Before it, the world was on track for nearly 5°C of warming. Now we’re heading toward 2.7°C. But we must do much more.”
He called for fewer high-level speeches at climate summits and more concrete action. “We need fewer repackaged pledges and more real commitments that deliver for citizens and economies now,” he said.
With time running out, the world will be watching closely to see if nations step up their climate ambitions—or continue to delay meaningful action.
