PACJA releases handbook on INDCs for Climate Change practitioners

The Pan African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA) has released its latest publication, “Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs): A Handbook for Practitioners”. This publication is vital as many countries are in the process of submitting or formulating their INDCs pledges.

An INDC is a government's proposed 'contribution' to the United Nations as to what it will do about climate change. The INDCs put forward by countries will form a key input to the negotiations leading towards the 2015 Paris climate agreement.

The INDCs handbook comes at a time when most countries missed the 31 March 2015 as encouraged by the Lima Call for Action – only 35 countries, including Gabon as the only African country, have formally submitted their INDCs to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

Mexico, Norway, the Russian Federation, Switzerland and the United States are amongst countries that have already communicated their INDCs. A second implicit submission deadline has now been set for October 1, 2015, after which submissions are still allowed, but will not be included in the UNFCCC’s synthesis report, which will be made available to Parties in time for the 21st Conference of Parties in Paris, December 2015.

The Alliance's strategic role in influencing policy from the national to the regional and international level remains the driving force for its focus on INDCs.

With over 50 African countries expected to submit their INDCs to the Secretariat of UNFCCC and the 15th Ordinary Session of AMCEN's Decision in Cairo on INDCs, the role of African civil society in actively participating and contributing to the process from the national to the regional level cannot be over-emphasized.

“For African civil society, INDCs must be a total package that takes into account all the elements of adaptation, mitigation, finance, technology development and transfer, capacity building and means of implementation,” said a release from PACJA.

For the continent and other developing countries, INDCs should include the international support needed as well as their proposed domestic actions for both mitigation and adaptation and also for loss and damage, in a way that reinforces an equitable global deal, and reflects the demands and needs of people.