Summarised by Centrist
Nearly every major country ignored the UN’s February deadline to submit new emissions-reduction plans—except for New Zealand and a handful of others.
While global powers like China, India, and the EU delayed or outright ignored the requirement, New Zealand lined up with just nine other nations to comply.
With most of the world either backing away from strict climate commitments or slow-walking their responses, why is New Zealand still playing by the rules?
Of the 195 signatories to the Paris Agreement, only 13 submitted their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) on time. These are country-specific climate action plans under the Paris Agreement, outlining emissions-reduction targets and strategies.
Major economies—including China, the EU, and India—failed to meet the deadline, while others like Canada and Japan are still sitting on draft plans. Even the United States’ submission came from the outgoing Biden administration, while Trump has already moved to pull America out of the deal entirely.
Yet New Zealand, despite its relatively minor global emissions footprint, has chosen to meet the deadline—though its plan, despite being one of the few turned in has still been criticised as “shockingly unambitious.”
Given that 83% of global emissions come from countries that didn’t bother to submit, New Zealand’s commitment looks more like symbolic compliance than a move with real-world impact.
Countries such as Ghana, Bangladesh, and Armenia have received funding for initiatives ranging from renewable energy development to climate-resilient agriculture.
Despite its role as a provider of climate finance, offering support to other developing nations, China remains eligible to receive climate finance due to its developing country status under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
Some argue that nations like China and India should no longer be classified as developing countries, given their economic growth and substantial greenhouse gas emissions.
