Background
The year 2025 marks ten years since the adoption of the Paris Agreement, which set the foundation for global cooperation to limit global warming to well below 2°C and pursue efforts to limit it to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. Recent climate data underscores the urgency of this goal. 2024 was the first calendar year in which the global average temperature exceeded 1.5°C, with a global mean near-surface temperature of 1.55°C ± 0.13°C above the 1850 - 1900 average. This made 2024 the warmest year in the 175-year observational record, surpassing the previous record set in 2023.[1]
However, an annual exceedance of 1.5°C does not yet imply that the Paris Agreement’s temperature goal has been breached, as this target refers to long-term temperature increases averaged over multiple decades. Importantly, the collective efforts of countries under the Paris Agreement have already made a measurable difference: current commitments have helped reduce projected end-of-century warming from 3.7–4.8°C to 2.1–2.8°C, or potentially even lower. Although these efforts are still insufficient, they demonstrate that international cooperation under the Agreement is driving change.
The upcoming third round of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC 3.0), to be submitted in 2025 under the Paris Agreement, presents a critical opportunity to raise ambition and accelerate implementation. Informed by the outcomes of the first Global Stocktake, NDC 3.0 is expected to be more ambitious and progressive than previous iterations. However, ambition alone is not sufficient. To deliver meaningful impact, NDC 3.0 must move beyond target-setting and focus on implementation supported by robust planning, adequate financing, cross-sectoral alignment, and strengthened institutional capacity.
The Asia-Pacific region, home to over 60% of the world’s population and a major contributor to global greenhouse gas emissions, stands at the forefront of this challenge. The region’s diverse economic contexts, rapidly growing infrastructure, and high vulnerability to climate change make it a critical arena for meaningful climate action. The 20th Policy Consultation Forum of the Seoul Initiative Network on Green Growth (SINGG) offers a timely and strategic platform to address these issues. Building on the outcomes of the 19th Forum, this year’s Forum will focus on the implementation of NDC 3.0 with a particular emphasis on climate-resilient development. It will support ESCAP member States in turning climate pledges into concrete strategies through enhanced institutional, financial, and technical support.
