Rarotonga, COOK ISLANDS – The Government of the Cook Islands, in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), today hosted the National Validation Workshop for the Cook Islands’ draft Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) 3.0 at the Muri Beach Club Hotel, Rarotonga.

The workshop brought together representatives from government ministries, civil society, academia, and development partners to review and validate the country’s updated NDC 3.0 — a key milestone in advancing national and regional climate ambition under the Paris Agreement.

In his keynote address, the Director of Climate Change Cook Islands, Wayne King, said: “While we aim to meet global targets, what truly matters is that our actions mean something to us, the people of the Cook Islands. Youth inclusion is vital — they are the future and must take this on. All of the Cook Islands delegation at COP30 are under 30.”

The Cook Islands’ draft NDC 3.0 outlines both mitigation and adaptation targets across priority sectors, including energy, transport, waste, agriculture, biodiversity, and fisheries. It sets an economy-wide emissions reduction targets while also highlighting cross-cutting priorities on Loss and Damage, Gender Equality, and Social Inclusion, reaffirming the government’s commitment to ensure that no one is left behind.

In his opening remarks, UNDP Representative, Taupau Joseph Mulipola, Programme Analyst for Governance and Poverty Reduction, commended the Cook Islands’ leadership in climate action, noting that “this process transforms ambition into measurable, costed, and implementable pathways toward a low-emission, climate-resilient future. Arriving at COP30 with a validated, country-owned NDC will enable the Cook Islands to speak with unity and confidence on the global stage.”

Developed through a broad-based consultative process led by the Climate Change Cook Islands Division, with technical support from UNDP’s Climate Promise and Grant Thornton Bharat LLP, the NDC 3.0 reflects national circumstances, sectoral priorities, and the Cook Islands’ vision for a sustainable and inclusive future.