Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDC) are (intended) reductions in greenhouse gas emissions under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
The UNFCCC, in its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) Synthesis Report, has called for more ambitious climate action plans by the countries in order to achieve the Paris Agreement target of containing global temperature rise to 2°C by the end of the century (ideally it is 1.5°C).
The NDC Synthesis Report covers submissions up to 31st December 2020 and includes new or updated NDCs by 75 Parties, which represent approximately 30% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
The report was sought ahead of the 26th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 26) to the UNFCCC which is scheduled to take place from 1st- 12th November 2021, in Glasgow, UK.
NDCs are at the heart of the Paris Agreement and embody efforts by each country to reduce national emissions and adapt to the impacts of climate change. Each NDC reflects the country’s ambition, taking into account its domestic circumstances and capabilities.

Out of the 18 regions of the world’s biggest emitters, only the United Kingdom and the European Union have significantly increased their greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction targets. The rest 16 regions have not increased their emission reduction targets at all or substantially.
While a majority of countries increased their individual levels of ambition to reduce emissions, their combined impact will help achieve only a 1% reduction by 2030 compared to 2010 levels. therefore, the current levels of climate ambition are very far from putting us on a pathway that will meet our Paris Agreement goals.
According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Global emissions, need to reduce by 45% in order to meet the 1.5°C goals.

The INDCs combine the top-down system of a United Nations climate agreement with bottom-up system-in elements through which countries put forwards their agreements in the context of their national capabilities, circumstances and priorities with the goal of reducing greenhouse emissions.
The INDC in itself has safeguards which help in emission reductions and also address steps taken to adapt to climate change impacts along with looking into what the country needs to implement such steps.
When and INDC data is submitted by a country, an assessment phase is followed to review the impact of the submitted INDCs before the United Nations Climate
Change Conference.
During the COP 21 of the UNFCCC, in which the Paris Agreement was signed. The following INDCs was submitted:
China: targeted a 60-65% reduction of greenhouse gases emitted.
United States: aimed to reduce greenhouse gases by 26-28%
European Union: Sough to reduce greenhouse gases by 40%
India: Submitted a target of 33-35% per unit of GDP Challenges and Opportunities of the INDC Like all climate change agreements, the Intended Nationally Determined Contributions comes with its fair share of opportunities and challenges.

The INDC showed that economic growth is compatible with low-carbon and climate-resilient pathways.
It will also help in poverty alleviation, improved health, and easy access to energy and security
It will also attract financial, capacity building and technological-transfer support.
If other countries are encouraged to take similar actions, it might mitigate the worst of climate change.

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