In a concerning development for global climate efforts, nearly all countries failed to meet a critical United Nations deadline to submit updated plans for cutting carbon emissions.
Only 10 out of nearly 200 nations required under the Paris Agreement to deliver new climate targets by February 10 met the deadline, according to a UN database tracking submission.
The Paris Agreement mandates that each country provide a more ambitious emissions reduction target for 2035, along with a detailed roadmap for achieving it. However, the widespread failure to meet the deadline raises questions about the global commitment to tackling the climate crisis, particularly as emissions continue to rise despite the urgent need to halve them by 2030 to meet the Paris Agreement’s goals.
UN climate chief Simon Stiell has described this round of national pledges as “the most important policy documents of this century.” Yet, the absence of updated targets from major economies, including China, India, and the European Union, underscores the challenges of maintaining momentum in global climate action.
Only a few significant polluters, such as the United States, the United Kingdom, and Brazil—host of this year’s UN climate summit—submitted their updated plans on time. However, the U.S. submission is largely symbolic, as it was made before former President Donald Trump withdrew the country from the Paris Agreement. The U.S. has since rejoined under President Joe Biden, but its delayed action reflects broader geopolitical complexities.
The updated targets, known as nationally determined contributions (NDCs), are not legally binding but serve as a critical accountability measure to ensure governments are addressing the climate crisis. While there are no penalties for late submissions, the slow response has heightened concerns about a potential backslide in global climate efforts.
Stiell emphasized last week that updated NDCs must be submitted by September to allow sufficient time for assessment before the COP30 climate conference in November. An EU spokesperson confirmed that the 27-nation bloc plans to submit its revised targets “well ahead” of the summit. Similarly, China, the world’s largest polluter and a leading investor in renewable energy, is expected to unveil its updated climate plan later this year.
The United Arab Emirates, Ecuador, Saint Lucia, New Zealand, Andorra, Switzerland, and Uruguay were among the few countries that met the February 10 deadline. However, the sluggish response from most nations has sparked fears of weakened climate action amid competing global priorities, including economic crises, security concerns, and electoral pressures.
Ebony Holland, a climate policy expert at the London-based International Institute for Environment and Development, noted that the U.S. retreat from the Paris Agreement under Trump was “clearly a setback.” However, she also pointed to broader geopolitical shifts as a significant challenge to international cooperation on climate change.
“It’s clear there are some broad geopolitical shifts underway that are proving to be a challenge when it comes to international cooperation, especially on big issues like climate change,” Holland said.
The missed deadline highlights the urgent need for renewed global commitment to climate action. With the window to limit global warming to 1.5°C rapidly closing, the international community must prioritize ambitious and timely emissions reductions to avert the worst impacts of the climate crisis. The upcoming COP30 summit in Brazil will be a critical test of whether nations can rise to the challenge.
