Raising Ambition, Accelerating Action: UNEP Report on Enhanced NDCs for Forests

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has released a report titled “Raising Ambition, Accelerating Action: Towards Enhanced NDCs for Forests.”
The report reveals major gaps in forest protection, management, and restoration within the current Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) submitted by countries under the Paris Agreement.

🌎 What Are NDCs?

Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) represent each country’s climate action plan—detailing how it will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to climate impacts.
Under the Paris Agreement, countries are expected to update their NDCs every five years, starting from 2020, to increase ambition in tackling climate change.

📊 Key Findings of the UNEP Report

The report identifies several critical shortcomings in global efforts to include forests and land-use sectors within NDCs.

🔹 Global Forest Emissions

An average of 5.6 billion tonnes of CO₂ equivalent was emitted annually from tropical deforestation between 2019 and 2023 across the top 20 countries.

🔹 Weak Deforestation Targets

Only 8 countries have explicit, quantified targets to reduce deforestation.
None of these meet the global goal of halting deforestation by 2030.

🔹 Limited Ecosystem Coverage

Only 38% of UNFCCC Parties include measures to reduce the conversion of forests and other ecosystems in their NDCs.
These findings highlight a significant gap between global pledges and actual implementation on the ground.

🌾 Drivers of Deforestation

The UNEP report attributes deforestation and forest degradation to both economic and policy-related factors.

🔹 Agriculture

Agriculture remains the major cause of deforestation.
Example: In Indonesia, deforestation rates correlate strongly with oil palm market price fluctuations.

🔹 Land-Use Policies

Many nations lack strong, enforceable land-use policies.
Example: The Brazilian Amazon has witnessed rising deforestation due to the weakening of environmental regulations.

🧭 Key Recommendations

To make NDCs more effective in addressing deforestation and forest degradation, UNEP proposes the following measures:

Inclusive NDC Targets:
Design NDC goals with active participation of Indigenous Peoples and local communities, ensuring their rights and perspectives are integrated.
Protect Primary Forests:
Focus on preserving existing primary forests rather than substituting them with planted or monoculture forests.
Policy Alignment:
Strengthen, enhance, and align forest-based measures mentioned in NDCs with national climate and forest policies.

🤝 Major International Efforts to Prevent Deforestation

🔸 REDD+ Mechanism

Adopted at UNFCCC COP13, REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation) encourages developing countries to conserve forests and receive financial incentives.

🔸 New York Declaration on Forests (2014)

A voluntary global pledge aiming to halve deforestation by 2020 and end it by 2030.

🔸 Glasgow Leaders’ Declaration on Forests and Land Use (2021)

Endorsed by over 140 countries, this declaration commits to halt and reverse forest loss and land degradation by 2030.

🔸 Bonn Challenge

A global restoration initiative seeking to bring 150 million hectares of degraded land under restoration by 2020, and 350 million hectares by 2030.

🌍 Why This Report Matters

Forests play a vital role in absorbing carbon dioxide, maintaining biodiversity, and supporting local livelihoods.
However, as this UNEP report shows, forest-related commitments in NDCs remain insufficient to achieve the Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C goal.
Enhancing forest-based climate actions is crucial for both mitigation and adaptation.

📌 Key Takeaways

UNEP’s report identifies major gaps in forest-related NDC commitments.
Only 8 countries have measurable deforestation reduction targets.
Agriculture and weak policies remain key drivers of forest loss.
Strengthened, inclusive, and aligned forest policies are essential to achieve zero deforestation by 2030.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What is the UNEP “Raising Ambition, Accelerating Action” report about?

It’s a UNEP assessment highlighting gaps in how countries address forest protection and restoration in their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement.

2. What are Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs)?

NDCs are each country’s climate action plans to cut emissions and adapt to climate change, updated every five years.

3. Which sectors drive global deforestation?

Agriculture and ineffective land-use policies are the primary drivers, especially in regions like the Brazilian Amazon and Southeast Asia.