Document, entitled "Ambition for action: a framework for assessing NDCs", provides a framework for assessing new nationally determined contributions (NDCs), which are key to the Paris Agreement and achieving its long-term goals. Document does not aim to prescribe the content of NDCs, but provides a tool for evaluating them after they are published.

Key messages document emphasize that the ambition of new NDCs should be assessed based on their ability to to stimulate short-term measures aligned with systemic transformations towards prosperous, resilient and carbon-neutral societies. This requires focusing on the drivers of emissions and adopting a long-term perspective.

The document argues that NDCs should not only be seen as commitments regarding emission reduction targets, but also as strategic tools, which address the country’s current political economy through explicit and detailed articulation of transformative measures. Such measures serve as a useful basis for domestic policymaking and support for international cooperation.

Key transformations, which should be included in robust national strategies, include:

• Transformations to support continued reduction in fossil fuel use. Instead of focusing solely on fossil fuel production, countries should have a clear understanding of their use across different sub-sectors and focus on concrete measures to reduce dependency through energy demand moderation and a transition away from fossil fuels. Decarbonizing the power sector is critical, but the deployment of low-carbon technologies faces obstacles. Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is not the most efficient solution for the power sector, but it can play a role in decarbonizing the industry. Similarly, the personal mobility sector requires targeted measures due to infrastructure, behavioral inertia, and the affordability of electric vehicles.
• Transformations to support the use of land as a carbon sink and to reduce non-CO2 emissions from agriculture. The land use sector is key to carbon sequestration and addressing challenges such as biodiversity loss, rural employment and food security. Agriculture is a significant source of greenhouse gases, particularly methane and nitrous oxide, which requires targeted policies to reduce them. The transformation of agriculture involves changes in demand, production methods and the diversity of crops and livestock.
• Strategies to address inertia in infrastructure and technology, governance and institutions, lifestyle and behaviorShort-term measures should be assessed not only in terms of their immediate impact, but also in terms of their long-term consequences, such as the creation of carbon traps.
• Taking into account the socio-economic effects of the energy/ecological transformationTo ensure a smooth transition, short-term, specific measures are needed to support vulnerable groups and combine emission reduction strategies with social and economic policies.

The document emphasizes that NDCs assessment should go beyond emission targets and focus on:

• Signs of a systems approach with a long-term perspective. Aligning short-term measures with a country’s long-term socio-economic goals is key. Long-term low-emission development strategies (LT-LEDS) can serve as a reference point for national transformations. The assessment of NDCs should therefore be extended to LT-LEDS, where they exist.
• How countries apply the principles of differentiation. The focus should not be on specific details in the NDC, but on whether countries are addressing critical issues relevant to their circumstances and looking ahead. The principle of common but differentiated responsibility (CBDR) is important, but should not undermine the universality of the Paris Agreement.
• Achieving a balance between opportunity and responsibility. Over-focusing on achievable targets due to concerns about accountability for more ambitious commitments can lead to lower ambition and slower progress. Countries should consider that the signals they send through their NDCs influence the expectations of other actors and the direction of investment.

The document points out that G20 countries have specific expectations, as they account for 75 % of global greenhouse gas emissions. They should show the way to address these transformations, adapted to their national realities and responsibilities.

Finally, the document emphasizes that NDCs should contribute to the global spirit that underpins the goals of the Paris Agreement, which are defined not only by emissions targets but by the broader transformations they seek. Spring

Glossary of key terms

• Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs): Documents submitted by countries under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Paris Agreement, in which they outline their goals and measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to climate change.
• Actionability: The ability of the planned measures in the NDCs to be realistically implemented and lead to measurable results in reducing emissions.
• Emission targets: Specific quantified targets set by countries to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions within a certain timeframe.
• Emission conductors: The underlying factors and systems that contribute to greenhouse gas emissions, such as the use of fossil fuels in energy and transport, agricultural practices and land use.
• System transformations: Fundamental changes in the structures and functioning of key systems, such as energy, transport and land use, are needed to achieve significant emission reductions and increase resilience to climate change.
• Long-term low-emission development strategies (LT-LEDS): Countries' long-term plans and visions for transitioning to a low-carbon economy and achieving carbon neutrality.
• Carbon neutrality: A state in which greenhouse gas emissions are offset by their removal from the atmosphere, for example through carbon sequestration.
• Inertia: The resilience of systems to change that causes a delay between the adoption of measures and their effect on emissions (e.g. in infrastructure, behaviour).
• Global Inventory (GST): Periodic assessment of collective progress towards the goals of the Paris Agreement.
• Common but differentiated responsibilities (CBDR): A principle recognizing that all countries have a shared responsibility to address climate change, but their responsibilities and capacities to act vary depending on their national circumstances and historical contribution to the problem.