CCAC NDC Watch: Latest on Non-CO₂ Pollutants in National Climate Plans – June 2025

In June, Norway, Somalia and Belize released their NDC 3.0, while July saw new NDCs from Monaco and Niue.

SOMALIA

Somalia sets out clear sectoral pathways to achieve its overall mitigation targets. Somalia’s NDC 3.0 commits to a 34% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2035, relative to business as usual. Furthermore, the NDC quantifies the expected contribution to this overall target by each sector: agriculture, LULUCF, the energy sector, the transport sector, solid waste management, industry and the cooling sector.

Somalia recognises that methane accounts for 49% of its greenhouse gas emissions (CO2e) and highlights the agriculture sector as the largest sectoral source of greenhouse gas emissions (46%). For the agriculture sector, the NDC sets a sectoral mitigation target of 4.2 MtCO2e (10.7%) by 2025 relative to BAU, and identifies a number of measures to meet this target including improved livestock and manure management.

Somalia outlines its commitment to the Kigali Amendment to reduce emissions of high-GWP refrigerants including HFCs, by adopting energy‑efficient cooling technologies, aligning mitigation with adaptation and access to equitable cooling.

Somalia anchors its climate ambitions in a constitutional right: “Every Somali has the right to an environment that is not harmful to their health and well-being, and to be protected from pollution and harmful materials”. While the NDC does not specifically refer to the air quality and health benefits of action, this legal framing elevates the significance of clean air and public health as fundamental drivers of climate policy.

Many of the measures identified in the NDC’s sectoral pathways address key sources of air pollution: 
 

• Transport: A 32% emissions reduction through deployment of electric vehicles and a shift to public transport, both of which will reduce urban air pollution.
   
• Household energy: Promotion of improved cookstoves, improved charcoal production, and transition to LPG for cooking which will improve indoor air quality and reduce black carbon emissions.
   
• Lighting: Solar lanterns replacing kerosene lamps reduce both GHG emissions and black carbon pollution.

BELIZE

Belize sets quantified, sectoral mitigation targets, to outline how it intends to meet its overall mitigation target of 6,234 kt CO2e by 2035 relative to 2020.

While these do not quantify SLCP reductions explicitly, proposed strategies to meet these targets are well aligned with the mitigation of methane and black carbon emissions.  For example:

• Agriculture: Belize aims to reduce emissions from livestock management from 2020 levels by 10% by 2030 and 15% by 2035.
   
• Waste: Avoid 21 kt CO2e emissions by 2035 relative to 2020 levels.
   
• Transport: Aims to increase the proportion of electric vehicles in the public vehicle fleet to 25% by 2035.
   

By specifically identifying the actions necessary to meet its GHG targets, Belize enhances transparency and clarity regarding associated benefits for air quality and public health.
 

MONACO

Monaco highlights the role of non-CO2 pollutants, stating that the implementation of policies and measures aim to “significantly and more quickly reduce greenhouse gas emissions other than carbon dioxide, especially methane emissions”.

Monaco also highlights how climate change affects human health and threatens the fundamental right of individuals to live in a healthy, clean, and sustainable environment. Noting that Monaco channels a portion of its international funding to organiastions working to combat the harmful effects of climate change, including the Climate and Clean Air Coalition and World Health Organization.

In the transport sector, Monaco outlines a strategy for the electrification of public and commercial vehicles and highlights its role in reducing the emissions of air pollutants. A second priority for the sector is to increase active travel modes and public transport, both of which will also have air quality cobenefits.

Niue and Norway both include methane and nitrous oxide in their overall greenhouse gas target, Norway also includes HFCs.