States’ Obligations in Relation to Nationally Determined Contributions under the Paris Agreement

This research paper examines States’ obligations in relation to nationally determined contributions (NDCs) — one of the core institutions within the architecture of the Paris Agreement through which states set out their national climate targets. Particular attention is paid to the interpretation of Article 4(2) of the Paris Agreement in light of the negotiating history and recent advisory opinions on states’ obligations in respect of climate change. Other treaty provisions are also considered in order to identify whether the Paris Agreement lays down requirements for NDCs and objective criteria for assessing their content. The paper further analyses the operation of existing mechanisms for ensuring transparency of action and support, facilitating implementation of treaty provisions, and assessing collective progress in addressing climate change, with a view to determining whether the Paris Agreement provides for the assessment of NDCs, their effectiveness, and their adequacy in relation to the Agreement’s objectives.

The present research paper is prepared with the participation of Sofia Sarenkova and Alexandra Khlebnova. The author expresses gratitude to Roman Kolodkin for his comments on this material and for the substantive discussions.

https://doi.org/10.65556/FTKY9709