The Causes and Consequences of Outsourcing NDCs

• In Event: Climate Change and Global Governance

Abstract

The framework established by the 2015 Paris Accords acknowledges the diversity of needs and abilities of nations in addressing climate change. A significant difference between the Paris Accords and other international agreements is its “pay what you can” approach. Each country submits a plan for their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). NDCs represent the most explicit international commitments to date made by states to address the exigency of climate change.Not surprisingly, there is significant variation in NDCs, reflecting differences in what countries can and are willing to do. We focus on a specific variation: the outsourcing of writing NDCs. Numerous – but not all – developing countries have submitted NDCs either written by or written with the extensive help of, outside parties, such as NGOs, consulting firms, and UN agencies. In addition to mapping this phenomenon, we ask: what are the causes and consequences of outsourcing NDCs? We suggest that outsourced NDCs are less likely to reflect commitments and capabilities of their governments, and thus risk damaging ongoing collective climate enterprises.

Authors

• Tanisha Fazal, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities

• Yoonsoo Kim, University of Minnesota

• Maria Sanchez, University of Minnesota