Vanuatu Revised and Enhanced Nationally Determined Contribution

Vanuatu submits this updated and enhanced nationally determined contribution (NDC), in which our political leaders, technical experts and civil society have considered how our nation can move to a global net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions society (Article 4.1) whilst being resilient to the unavoidable impacts of climate change (Article 7.1), minimising, averting and addressing loss and damage (Article 8) in the context of the long-term temperature goal (Article 2), while determining our financial needs (Article 9) that shall be provided by developed country Parties in continuation of their existing obligations under the UNFCCC.

Vanuatu is already a carbon-negative country. With forests covering 70% of its islands, and its maritime jurisdiction comprising 98% of the nation, the big ocean state of Vanuatu is already a carbon sink - absorbing more carbon dioxide than it produces - thus freely providing a critical environmental service to carbon emitting countries around the world. Moving beyond our current Net Zero status, this NDC recommits Vanuatu to rapidly phasing out fossil fuels, deeply decarbonising and transitioning completely to a circular economy.

Pursuant to Article 4 of the Paris Agreement, and to demonstrate that Vanuatu is an action-focused leader in its calls for all Parties to make ambitious commitments to limit the global average temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, Vanuatu’s NDC reflects the highest ambitions on adaptation, mitigation, and loss and damage. As per Decision 4/CMA.1, Vanuatu’s information provides clarity, transparency and understanding.

This updated and enhanced NDC contains 20 Mitigation commitments, 116 Adaptation commitments, 12 Loss & Damage commitments and is based on the ambitions, policies and workplans of Vanuatu's frontline sector agencies.

Targets and commitments are conditional upon international finance, action, support, technology and capacity development. The approximate conditional cost of achieving Vanuatu’s Revised and Enhanced NDC is USD 1,214,350,000.