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

Since the last Climate and Clean Air Coalition NDC Watch, three countries have submitted new Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), the Maldives, Zambia and Cuba. The Paris Agreement does not require or specify how Short-Lived Climate Pollutants (SLCPs) should be integrated into NDCs, but there are multiple ways in which countries can include SLCPs in their NDC that can help to increase the climate and clean air benefits from its implementation. 

Targets, specific mitigation actions that reduce SLCPs, and outlining health and air quality benefits from NDC implementation can also demonstrate how a country can improve its own air quality and increase its climate change mitigation ambition. In addition, the strong overlap in sources of greenhouse gases and SLCPs mean that even where an NDC does not explicitly focus on SLCPs, the policies and measures identified to achieve an NDC in many cases will implicitly reduce SLCPs. This can lead to even larger climate and clean air benefits than a country may have intended without any additional effort.

The three NDCs submitted are excellent examples of how NDCs, even where SLCPs are not explicitly included, can support and further SLCP emission reductions.

The Maldives has committed in its new NDC to reduce 1.52 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions by 2035, about 25% of their projected emissions in a baseline scenario. To achieve this, they have more than doubled their renewable electricity generation target from 15% to 33% of electricity production. Achieving this will also reduce black carbon and other air pollutants from the diesel generators currently providing emissions. 

Clean air benefits will also result from the measures identified for road transport, including switching to electric vehicles, improving public transport and implementing vehicle emission standards. The CCAC has supported the Maldives through development of a National Action Plan on air pollutants and cost-benefit analyses to understand the clean air benefits of these actions in the transport sector. The Maldives also highlighted links between air quality and adaptation, noting growing concerns about the impact of transboundary air pollution on water quality and security.

The provisional NDC of Zambia commits to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 25% unconditionally, and 47% conditionally compared to a business as usual scenario. These targets are overall greenhouse gas reduction targets, but methane, hydrofluorocarbons and nitrous oxide are considered within the scope of these targets, alongside other greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide. The inclusion of Short-Lived Climate Pollutants like methane and HFCs that are also GHGs, as well as nitrous oxide, within the scope of a NDC greenhouse gas target is an important starting point to action on Short-Lived Climate Pollutants. It means that the Government is incentivised to implement actions to reduce these SLCPs, because their reduction will contribute to achieving their climate change mitigation commitment. Zambia is a net carbon sink, because of the carbon its forests and other vegetation sequesters every year. When these sinks are excluded, 63% of the remaining GHG emissions are methane. Reducing methane therefore needs to be a key component of its climate change mitigation strategy if it is to achieve the greenhouse gas reduction target it has set.

Finally, Cuba has submitted an updated NDC that specifies a set of policies and measures that represent its commitment to climate change mitigation. Many of these actions, including renewable electricity generation, expanding the share of electric vehicles, will also reduce black carbon and other air pollutants. Two measures identified in the NDC are noteworthy for their SLCP reduction potential. First, Cuba commits to reduce emissions from its dairy cattle. Currently, 36% of Cuba’s greenhouse gas emissions are from methane, the majority of which comes from livestock. Cuba’s NDC notes that the livestock population is projected to double by 2050, which could lead to a substantial increase in methane emissions. Cuba outlines that changes to the dairy cattle diet, improved manure management, and expanding silvopastoral systems will all be implemented to reduce methane emissions from this sector. 

Secondly, wastewater is an often overlooked methane source that emits as much methane as solid waste but is substantially less covered within NDCs. Cuba commits to improving the treatment of wastewater from sugar refineries. Organic matter in the water effluent from sugar processing plants can decompose and release significant quantities of methane. Cuba commits to implementing improved wastewater management at 11 sugar refineries. CCAC work has shown in Mexico that sugar processing is also a substantial source of black carbon emissions. It may therefore be helpful to consider integrated strategies to deal with both methane and black carbon to multiply the benefits from action in sugarcane processing.    

To date, 22 parties have submitted their NDC 3.0, including five Small Island Developing States (SIDS). Cuba, the Maldives and other SIDS are disproportionately affected by climate change and the mitigation of SLCPs represents an emergency brake on these impacts, including sea-level rise. SLCP mitigation could reduce the rate of sea-level rise by 24% and reduce cumulative sea-level rise by 22% by the end of the century. The CCAC is actively engaging with SIDS to boost their capacity to access the diverse benefits of super pollutant mitigation and advocate globally on the urgency of their action.