Overcoming the NDC implementation gap: lessons from experience

Early lessons on the challenges of nationally determined contributions (NDCs) implementation are emerging. NDCs will not succeed without the right level of integration with national development policy and planning to promote development resilience. Without clear financing plans, strong and enforceable requirements for measuring, reporting and verification (MRV) and a high degree of political commitment, they will fail.

Oxford Policy Management (OPM) has developed a framework that helps to navigate the complex institutional, stakeholder, and financing requirements of implementation. The framework promotes effective governance as the key to catalysing and maintaining momentum while ensuring accountability in relation to actions.

OPM’s governance framework for climate change outlines how implementing the NDC requires addressing three levels of governance:

• Identifying and addressing the political economy drivers that support implementation of the NDC: This includes the interests and incentives facing different groups, and how they exercise power, as well as the structure of government and impact of political ideologies, religion, and culture;
• Strengthening the enabling environment for implementation of the NDC: This includes the systems and context within which implementation of the NDC takes place, such as the level of institutional capacity and political will; and
• Using entry points for mainstreaming the NDC: These are the opportunities for delivering the NDC targets and commitments by mainstreaming them within existing and new development policy and planning processes.