Seychelles advances bold climate ambition with the launch of NDC 3.0 process

These new targets will guide Seychelles’ climate actions from 2025 to 2030 and will ensure that climate action is inclusive, just and transformative.

May 29, 2025

Panel discussion with five speakers seated on stage, with a digital screen in the background. — The panel discussion explored the practicalities of NDC implementation, including finance mechanisms, stakeholder engagement, and how to better include underrepresenting groups in climate decision-making.

Nancy Ng / UNDP Seychelles

Seychelles took a bold step towards a sustainable, low carbon future with the launch of its third Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) development process. On 27 May 2025, a high level-inception workshop was co-organised by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Ministry of Agriculture, Climate Change and Environment (MACCE), Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), Adelphi, and the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). It was attended by key stakeholders from government, development partner agencies, civil society and the private sector, who gathered to begin shaping the country’s most ambitious climate strategy to date.

Building on past commitments

These new targets, also known as NDC 3.0, will guide Seychelles’ climate actions from 2025 to 2030 and is set to go beyond the aspirations laid out in previous NDCS – NDC 1.0 (2016) and NDC 2.0 (2020) – which targeted emissions reduction of 16% and 26.4% respectively. The new NDC aims to deepen mitigation and adaptation measures, align more closely with national development goals and ensure that climate action is inclusive, just and transformative.

This renewed effort comes at a critical time. As climate reports such as the Global Stocktake under the Paris Agreement highlight, global efforts are falling short of the goal to limit global warming to 1.5 °C. With the 2050 vision for net-zero emissions increasingly seeming out of reach, there is growing urgency for more ambitious targets and Seychelles is reaffirming its commitment to turning climate challenges into opportunities for growth, and innovation despite its small size and impact in global emissions footprint.

A man and a woman seated at a conference table, engaged in discussion.

A man in a blue shirt speaks at a round table with water bottles and microphones.

A group of four people participating in a discussion at a round table.

Participants engaged in a discussion at a conference, with a focus on a man speaking.

Reaffirming dedication

Speaking at the opening of the workshop, the Principal Secretary for Climate Change expressed confidence in the country’s progress and readiness to scale up its commitments. “Since the submission of our updated NDC back in 2021, we have made commendable progress,” PS Imaduwa stated. These successes include the mapping of seagrass and mangroves ecosystems which now provide valuable data on carbon absorption, advancing the Blue Carbon Policy and achieving 90% coverage in the Blue Carbon Ecosystem, with a target of 100% by 2030. He described the NDC 3.0 as a chance to reflect on lessons learned, closing remaining gaps and accelerating implementation. “The development of NDC 3.0 offers us an opportunity to build on our past achievements while also addressing gaps. It is a chance to enhance our climate ambition while integrating just transition principles,” he added.

Inclusive climate dialogue

During the workshop, participants were presented with the scope, objectives and expected outcomes of the process. Discussions focused on aligning the new commitments with existing assessments and strategies, gathering early input from stakeholders, and establishing a solid foundation for coordination.

A panel discussion, moderated by UNDP representatives, unpacked the experiences from past NDCs. The panellists, Mr Tony Imaduwa, Mrs Preethi Sushil Nair (Pogramme Analyst, UNDP Seychelles), Mr Julius Joubert (Senior Economist, National Planning Department), Mr Francis Mpampi (Climate Finance expert at National Planning Department), and Mr Andrew Jean-Louis (In-Country Facilitator, NDC Partnership), reflected on the challenges of NDC 1.0 and 2.0 They explored the practicalities of NDC implementation, including finance mechanisms, stakeholder engagement, and how to better include underrepresenting groups in climate decision-making.

The NDC 3.0 process in Seychelles is being supported by UNDP, the NDC Partnership, GIZ, Adelphi, and IRENA.