Whole-of-society partnerships critical to accelerate climate action, UN report shows

The latest UN analysis on national climate plans shows progress is widening, with more countries adopting economy-wide targets and integrating adaptation, but overall ambition still falls short of what is needed to meet Paris Agreement’s goals. It also highlights a growing recognition that delivery is supported by the participation of non-Party Stakeholders (NPS), including businesses, financial institutions, subnational entities, civil society and academia, whose roles in both the design and implementation of climate plans are becoming increasingly prominent.

The 2025 Nationally Determined Contributions Synthesis Report, published on 28 October, reviews 64 updated NDCs submitted by the end of September. Together, they cover about a third of global emissions, offering only a partial snapshot while several major economies have yet to submit their plans. Even within this sample, however, there are clear signs of change in how national governments are approaching delivery.

Almost nine in ten of the national climate plans submitted have set economy-wide targets, three-quarters include adaptation measures, and most draw on the outcomes of the first Global Stocktake – the UN process that reviews collective progress towards the Paris Agreement goals.

For the first time, the report includes a dedicated section on NPS engagement and voluntary efforts to support climate action and shows a marked 20 per cent increase in their reported involvement in NDC implementation. Almost all, 98 per cent, now reference the engagement of NPS in preparing or implementing their NDCs. This points to an increasing shift from consultation towards more structured, multi-stakeholder delivery, with many Parties describing how NPS are being integrated into sectoral implementation plans and contributing through innovation, partnerships and investment moblization.

The rise in NPS engagement is visible across every group, with subnational entities showing some of the clearest gains. Overall, 80 per cent of Parties reference cities, states and regions in their NDCs, a 19 per cent increase compared with previous NDCs, and almost two thirds recognize them as partners in planning, implementing and monitoring climate action. Many describe frameworks that enable local action, with 69 per cent embedding national targets into regional or municipal plans, and 42 per cent citing financial or technical support for implementation.

Private sector references are also up, with 92 per cent of Parties – a 15 per cent increase – citing roles for business in implementation and three quarters highlighting private-finance mobilization, a 20 per cent rise since the previous NDC round. Some 22 per cent identify SMEs and entrepreneurs as drivers of innovation, while civil society and academia are cited in almost every climate plan for their role in shaping policy, providing analysis and monitoring progress.

It is the first time that a section on children and youth has featured in the NDC synthesis report. A total of 88 per cent of Parties in their new NDCs, compared with 61 per cent in their previous NDC, included details on how young people have been, or will be, involved in shaping and implementing their plans, about a third more than in the previous round. The role of Indigenous Peoples and local communities is also becoming more prominent. Nearly three-quarters of the Parties now reference their participation, compared with 66 per cent in previous NDCs – now with greater emphasis on the importance of strengthening climate action through the integration of traditional, Indigenous and local knowledge and increased participation of these groups in climate leadership.

There is also a marked increase in references to gender equality and just transition, with close to nine in ten Parties including gender considerations and most outlining how these will be translated into practice. Of the Parties that referenced gender, 16 per cent had not included reference to gender in previous NDCs. And all of the 64 Parties now reference at least one aspect of Action for Climate Empowerment, the UN framework covering education, training, public participation and access to information.

Together, these developments point to a gradual but clear move away from government-only planning towards a model of climate action embedded across whole societies. This aligns closely with what NSAs themselves have repeatedly called for – high-ambition, specific and investable NDCs to help them inform their strategies and attract finance. Stronger national climate plans give businesses, investors and subnational entities the confidence to align roadmaps, unlock capital, and scale innovation.

Likewise, Parties are also reporting that better incentives, along with sectoral roadmaps and international cooperation, can contribute to accelerating action. Almost all, 97%, of parties emphasize international cooperation as critical to mobilizing resources and bridging the gap between ambition and delivery.

To support this task, the Climate High-Level Champions have consolidated insights, priorities and offers of support from NSAs. The Whole-of-Society rallies to support strong National Climate Plans report points to practical ways this is happening – from businesses bringing finance and innovation, to investors aligning capital, cities positioning themselves as delivery hubs, and civil society groups strengthening inclusion by ensuring the voices of women, youth, and vulnerable groups are included in decision-making.

The Action Agenda is the place where these partnerships come together. Launched in Lima in 2014 and formalized in Paris in 2015 with the creation of the Climate High-Level Champions, the unified Action Agenda for COP30 led by the incoming Brazilian Presidency together, with the Champions, brings governments and NSAs into joint efforts to scale solutions on finance, adaptation, resilience and systems transformation to respond to the Global Stocktake outcomes. By linking national climate plans with the capacities of businesses, investors, regions and communities, the idea is to help turn commitments into implementable pathways.

As COP30 opens in Belém in a matter of days, the Synthesis report confirms progress, but also underlines the distance still to travel. The credibility of national climate plans rests on how well they are delivered – and here NSAs have a major role to play. Their growing presence in NDCs shows governments increasingly view implementation as shared action. The test now is to move quickly from paper to practice, scaling partnerships that can reshape economies and deliver benefits people can feel in their daily lives.