Summary:

As part of the UN Secretary-General’s Climate Action Summit in 2019, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) pledged to support at least 100 countries to enhance their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) ahead of COP26. This pledge turned into UNDP’s Climate Promise, which is now the world’s largest offer of support to developing countries on NDC enhancement, supporting 120 countries and contributing to an increase of climate mitigation and adaptation ambition. This success has led to an overwhelming demand from countries to receive UNDP’s continued support in the implementation phase, turning the countries' pledges into action. 

Background:

Under the Climate Promise, UNDP will support Lao PDR to undertake an inclusive and transparent process to implement, track and further strengthen their enhanced NDCs.

The focus is on enabling all actors to be agents of change and deliver the NDC while continuing to advocate for ambition. This will empower women, youth, and Indigenous Peoples to bring their leadership and skills to NDC implementation.

The Climate Promise aims to turn the countries' pledges into action and help tackle the challenges posed by climate change.

Objectives:

The initiative aims to scale up support in three core areas:

• Scale and Speed: To deliver and track ambitious climate action across sectors and themes, this area will focus on strengthening policy, financial, and regulatory frameworks, and use innovative technology and business models. It will also enhance skills to achieve the targets set forth in revised and enhanced NDCs.
• Amplifying Ambition: The aim is to connect NDCs to long-term net zero and climate-resilient pathways and translate NDCs into development and sectoral plans to achieve the Paris Agreement and SDGs. This will also be closely coordinated with UNDP and its partners.
• Lasting Inclusivity: This area will leverage stakeholder engagement processes to empower marginalized groups and promote more inclusive NDCs.

Project Outcome:

1. The country has effectively strengthened inclusive and gender-responsive governance and financing mechanisms to deliver and track NDC targets across sectors.

2. Key actors within society are systematically engaged and empowered to contribute to accelerating NDC implementation and long-term net-zero and climate-resilient development pathways.

3. The country has established long-term net-zero and climate-resilient development pathways aligned with the goals of the Paris Agreement.

Project details:

• Status: Ongoing
• Duration: Jan 2023- Dec 2024
• Project Office: UNDP in Lao PDR
• Focus Area: Climate Action
• Collaborating Partners: Department of Climate Change, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment
• Funding: 540,000 USD 
• Funding Source:  UNDP