Quality criteria for integrating health into Nationally Determined Contributions

Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) are one of the key national climate plans that 195 countries and territories have agreed to prepare, implement and update as part of the 2015 Paris Agreement and to report their progress to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The long-term goal of these and of other climate plans is to limit global warming to 1.5–2 °C above pre-industrial levels and to shape a future with net-zero emissions.

This document aims to provide overarching guidance to national governments for the integration of health in their country's NDCs and to raise the quality and ambition of NDCs, which can be adapted and modified according to the local context and priorities. It also aims to support the health sector to understand the international and national climate plan processes, plans and terminology and the key entry points for health. 

The guidance provides an overview of the structure, quality criteria for health integration, examples, and useful resources for the main components of NDCs: leadership and enabling environment; national circumstances and policy priorities; mitigation; adaptation; loss and damage; finance; and implementation. The overall objective of promoting healthy NDCs is to address the health impacts of climate change, support climate-resilient and low-carbon sustainable health systems, and identify and maximize the health-related co-benefits of climate policies and plans across all relevant sectors.

Intended users

Policy-makers in health and other sectors, including ministry of health staff and those of other government
departments who are leading and contributing to NDCs.