Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Pledges
October 26, 2021
by Selected Countries: Nationally Determined
Kezee Procita
Contributions and Net-Zero Legislation
Senior Research Librarian

Human-related emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) have increased global y over time.
These increasing emissions contribute to a changing climate, which is a concern for

governments, organizations, and other stakeholders. Many governments are taking steps
to reduce GHG emissions in an effort to lessen the potential impacts of climate change. Two ways in which
national governments are making efforts to reduce GHG emissions are by setting emission reduction targets in
updated National y Determined Contributions (NDCs) and by enacting domestic legislation aimed at achieving
net-zero emissions, referred to as net-zero legislation. Net-zero emissions or net-zero refers to situations where
human-caused GHG emissions are balanced by removal of GHG from the atmosphere, including by natural
storage in forests and other ecosystems as wel as by technological removal and storage.
NDCs are the primary communication of how Parties to the Paris Agreement (PA) are seeking to achieve the
agreement’s goals. NDCs reflect countries’ own national climate plans, including emission reduction goals,
adaptation plans, and other elements. Al NDCs must address GHG emissions reductions, and most NDCs list
quantifiable GHG emission reduction targets. Many countries requesting financial assistance include two sets of
targets: targets unconditional on international support and additional, more ambitious targets that are conditional
on international support. Parties must submit subsequent NDCs every five years; these submissions reflect a
progressive set of targets that contribute to a collectively increased ambition over time. Increased ambition is
reflected in some of the NDCs submitted in 2020, which, in many instances, include countries’ actions by the year
2030. Many countries have submitted updated NDCs in 2020 and 2021 in advance of the 26th United Nations
Climate Change Conference (COP26), which was original y scheduled to be held in November 2020 but was
postponed until November 2021 due to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
CRS selected to track herein the NDCs of 44 countries; the countries were identified using various criteria (e.g.,
G20 members, top 20 GHG emitters, countries with enacted or introduced net-zero legislation). Of the 44
countries, 31 have submitted updated or second NDCs, 21 of which include more ambitious GHG emission
reduction targets than the first NDCs.
The PA asks countries to commit to increasingly ambitious GHG mitigation efforts and encourages countries to
submit long-term low GHG emission development strategies. These strategies do not necessarily translate into
clear pathways or concrete domestic efforts to reach net-zero emissions. Some countries have proposed or enacted
legislation aiming to achieve net-zero emissions domestical y, in addition to pledges in their NDCs. Other
countries, like the United States, have references to net-zero emissions in policy documents without having
enacted legislation.
Research by the Law Library of Congress indicates that 22 countries or regions have enacted legislation and three
have proposed legislation; the research did not track U.S. legislation. Most (15 of 22) countries or regions with
enacted legislation have set a date of net-zero emissions by 2050. The most ambitious deadline is set by Iceland,
which has enacted legislation requiring net-zero emissions by 2040. Germany and Sweden both have set a
deadline of net-zero emissions by 2045. Four countries (Ukraine, Slovenia, Malta, and Finland) do not specify
dates, according to the Law Library of Congress report. The European Union and 11 of its member states
(Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Luxembourg, Malta, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden) have
enacted net-zero legislation. Seven of the G20 members (Canada, the EU, France, Germany, Japan, South Korea,
and the UK) have enacted net-zero legislation.
Several bil s proposing net-zero emissions goals for the United States have been introduced in recent Congresses.
Discussion of legislative proposals for U.S. net-zero emissions is beyond the scope of this analysis.
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Introduction
Human-related emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) have increased global y over time. These
increasing emissions contribute to a changing climate, which is a concern to governments,
organizations, and others. Many governments are taking steps to reduce GHG emissions in an
effort to lessen the potential impacts of climate change. Such efforts are occurring on multiple
levels, including global y, national y, and sub-national y, as wel as by civil society and
individuals. On the global and national scale, many countries are working toward the goals laid
out in Article 2 of the Paris Agreement (PA), which commits collectively to “Holding the increase
in the global average temperature to wel below 2⁰C above pre-industrial levels and pursuing
efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5⁰C above pre-industrial levels, recognizing that this
would significantly reduce the risks and impacts of climate change.”1
This report presents information about National y Determined Contributions (NDCs), which
communicate the primary targets and actions to 2030 by which Parties to the PA are seeking to
achieve the agreement’s goals. NDCs report countries’ own national climate plans and include
emission reduction goals, adaptation plans, and financing needs, among other elements. Each
country’s NDC should reflect its capacity to contribute to the collective reduction of global
emissions, a principle described in the PA as “common but differentiated responsibilities and
respective capabilities, in the light of different national circumstances.”2
This report lists selected countries’ enacted or proposed net-zero emissions legislation. Net-zero
emissions refers to a situation where human-caused GHG emissions are balanced by removal of
GHG from the atmosphere, including by natural storage in forests and other ecosystems as wel as
by technological removal and storage.3 NDCs and legislation focused on achieving net-zero
emissions are the main tools countries use to meet the goals of the PA and the broader goals of the
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The UNFCCC was
adopted in 1992 with the objective of achieving
[S]tabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would
prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system. Such a level should
be achieved within a time-frame sufficient to allow ecosystems to adapt naturally to climate
change, to ensure that food production is not threatened and to enable economic
development to proceed in a sustainable manner.4
The PA is a subsidiary agreement under the UNFCCC and Article 4 of the PA expands on the
objectives of the UNFCCC:
In order to achieve the long-term temperature goal set out in Article 2, Parties aim to reach
global peaking of greenhouse gas emissions as soon as possible, recognizing that peaking
will take longer for developing country Parties, and to undertake rapid reductions thereafter

1 United Nations T reaty Collection, Chapter XXVII Environment, 7.d. Paris Agreement, Paris, December 12, 2015, at
https://unfccc.int/sites/default/files/english_paris_agreement.pdf. (Hereafter, Paris Agreement.) For more information,
see CRS Report R44609, Clim ate Change: Frequently Asked Questions About the 2015 P aris Agreem ent, by Jane A.
Leggett and Richard K. Lattanzio.
2 Paris Agreement, Article 2.
3 For more information, see CRS In Focus IF11821, Net-Zero Emissions Pledges: Background and Recent
Developm ents, by Michael I. Westphal.
4 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), agreed on May 9, 1992, entered into force
March 21, 1994, 1771 U.N.T .S. 107, United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 1771, p. 107; and U.S. depositary notifications
C.N.148.1993, at https://treaties.un.org/doc/Publication/CN/1993/CN.148.1993-Eng.pdf.
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in accordance with best available science, so as to achieve a balance between
anthropogenic emissions by sources and removals by sinks of greenhouse gases in the
second half of this century, on the basis of equity, and in the context o f sustainable
development and efforts to eradicate poverty.5
There are other ways in which countries individual y and collectively work toward these goals,
including developing long-term low emissions development scenarios (LT-LEDS)6 and
implementing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.7 These latter efforts are
outside of the scope of this report.
Congress has expressed interest in collective global GHG emissions reduction efforts for
numerous reasons. The potential impacts from a warming climate pose risks global y and to
varying degrees across countries and regions. The United States is vulnerable to many potential
impacts of climate change, including more variable water supplies, more extreme weather events,
shifting crop yields and declining livestock productivity, rising energy costs, higher levels of air
pollution, and sea level rise. The ability to stabilize climate change and avoid potential global and
domestic effects depends on the participation of significant GHG emitters.8
As a Party to the PA, the United States submitted an NDC in 2016 and again when it rejoined the
agreement in 2021.9 Members of Congress have expressed interest in countries’ relative emissions
reductions efforts, including how they compare with U.S. efforts. They have expressed concerns
about the relationships between effort to mitigate GHG emissions, their fairness, and effects on
economic competitiveness. Members and their staff meet with representatives from other nations
to discuss potential needs and actions to address climate change; for example, they meet at the
annual UNFCCC Conference of Parties (COP) meetings and other bilateral and multilateral
meetings. The United States helps build governance capacities and funds, including via
multilateral funding mechanisms and overseas climate mitigation and adaptation programs that
may be identified in NDCs.
Whereas NDCs aim at the 2030 time frame, this report lists a mid-century perspective of
countries’ enacted and proposed domestic laws that aim to reduce GHG emissions to net-zero
(Table 3). This report presents a series of tables and visualizations to facilitate comparison of
countries’ emission reduction targets, where available. Countries were selected for inclusion
because they meet one or more of the following criteria:
 among the top 20 emitters of GHGs global y;
 a member of the Group of Seven (G7) or Group of 20 (G20) largest countries
plus the European Union;
 hosted a COP meeting since adoption of the PA (i.e., Spain, Poland, Germany,
Morocco, France);

5 Paris Agreement, Article 4.
6 UNFCCC, Communication of long-term strategies, at https://unfccc.int/process/the-paris-agreement/long-term-
strategies.
7 United Nations (UN), T he 17 Sustainable Development Goals, at https://sdgs.un.org/goals.
8 In 2018, the top 10 greenhouse gas (GHG) emitters are (from highest to lowest): China, the U.S., India, the EU,
Russia, Indonesia, Brazil, Japan, Iran, and South Korea. World Resources Institute, Climate Watch Data, “ Historical
GHG Emissions,” 2021, available at https://www.climatewatchdata.org/ghg-emissions.
9 See CRS In Focus IF11746, United States Rejoins the Paris Agreement on Climate Change: Options for Congress, by
Jane A. Leggett .
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 among the top 50 emitters of GHGs global y and received over $10 mil ion in
economic assistance from the U.S. Agency for International Development
(USAID) in 2018;10
 among the top 50 emitters of GHGs global y and have received funding from the
Green Climate Fund;11 or
 introduced or enacted net-zero legislation.
This report is not comprehensive of data for al countries global y or al Parties to the Paris
Agreement. The data in this report are current as of October 20, 2021, unless otherwise noted.
Nationally Determined Contributions
NDCs present countries’ own efforts, dependent on their circumstances, to reduce emissions and
adapt to the effects of climate change. Per Article 4 of the PA, “Each Party shal prepare,
communicate and maintain successive national y determined contributions that it intends to
achieve. Parties shal pursue domestic mitigation measures, with the aim of achieving the
objectives of such contributions.”12
Each Party that signed the PA was required to
submit an Intended NDC at that time, and that
NDCs Timeline13
document became its First NDC upon
2015 – COP21: Signatories to the PA were required to
ratification of the PA; otherwise, Parties must
submit an Intended NDC (INDC); INDC becomes First
communicate their NDCs upon joining the
NDC upon ratification of PA.
agreement.14 Parties are required to submit
2020 (2021) – COP26: Parties to the PA are required
to submit a new or updated NDC that includes the
subsequent NDCs every five years.
time frame to 2025 and 2030.
Subsequent NDCs are intended to reflect a
2025 – Next round of NDCs expected.
progressive set of targets to contribute toward
a collectively increased ambition over time.
Article 4 of the PA states that, “Each Party’s successive national y determined contribution wil
represent a progression beyond the Party’s then current national y determined contribution and
reflect its highest possible ambition, reflecting its common but differentiated responsibilities and
respective capabilities, in the light of different national circumstances.”15

10 T hese countries were identified using the federalassistance.gov database to search for all USAID economic (not
military) obligations in 2018 and totaling each countries’ obligations to identify those that received more than $10
million and Climate Watch Data to identify the top 50 emitters of GHG in 2018. Countries meeting both criteria were
included in T able 1. T his list is not comprehensive of all aid recipients. It does not include aid awarded regionally or to
multiple countries.
11 T hese countries were identified using the Green Climate Fund (GCF) Data-Interactive Map on program and project -
level data by country available at https://unfccc.int/climatefinance/gcf/gcf_data and Climate Watch Data to identify the
top 50 emitters. Countries meeting both criteria were included in T able 1. T his list should not be considered
comprehensive of all GCF recipients.
12 Paris Agreement, Article 4.
13 For more information, see UNFCCC, Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), at https://unfccc.int/process-
and-meetings/the-paris-agreement/nationally-determined-contributions-ndcs/nationally-determined-contributions-ndcs.
14 UN T reaty Collection, “7.d Paris Agreement,” Status as at 26-8-2021, at https://treaties.un.org/pages/
ViewDetails.aspx?src=T REAT Y&mtdsg_no=XXVII-7-d&chapter=27&clang=_en.
15 Paris Agreement, Article 4.
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Increased ambition is reflected in some of the NDCs submitted in 2020,16 which, in many
instances, include countries’ actions by the year 2030. Parties who submitted first NDCs that did
not include 2030 goals were required to submit new (second) NDCs by 2020. Others were asked
to submit updated NDCs by 2020 that reflect increasing ambitions. As of October 20, 2021, of
192 Parties to the PA, all had submitted first (including 113 updated) NDCs and 13 had submitted
second NDCs.17
The UNFCCC divides Parties into three broad groups with differing emissions reduction
capacities and expectations. Annex I Parties (listed in Annex I of the UNFCCC) are general y
those countries that were considered developed in 1992; non-Annex I Parties are al the others.
The UN considers 49 Parties to be least developed countries; the UNFCCC recognizes these
countries to have limited capacity to respond and adapt to climate change, and therefore provides
different treatment in some provisions.18 The UNFCCC also refers to developed country Parties
and developing country Parties, but these categories are not defined.
The PA largely erased the bifurcation of responsibilities between Annex I and non-Annex I
Parties, such that al share the same mandatory requirements. It retains the UNFCCC principle of
common but differentiated responsibilities, and sometimes acknowledges that the pace of
implementation may vary by development status. Article 4 of the PA states the following:
Developed country Parties should continue taking the lead by undertaking economy -wide
absolute emission reduction targets. Developing country Parties should continue enhancing
their mitigation efforts, and are encouraged to move over time towards economy -wide
emission reduction or limitation targets in the light of different national circumstances.
The least developed countries and small island developing States may prepare and
communicate strategies, plans and actions for low greenhouse gas emissions development
reflecting their special circumstances.19
Al NDCs must address GHG emission reductions. Most NDCs list quantifiable GHG emission
reduction targets. These targets appear in a variety of formats and include measurable reductions
for specific sectors or GHGs and a specified year to reach peak emissions prior to reducing
emissions. Al Parties are required to include in their NDCs, “information necessary for clarity,
transparency, and understanding,”20 including a reference point (base year), implementation
timeframe and sectors and gases included, among other details. Many countries requesting
financial assistance include two sets of targets: targets unconditional on international support and
additional, more ambitious, targets that are conditional on international support.21 Countries’
NDCs may include additional goals, for example, efforts to improve adaptation measures,
increase forest coverage, or improve access to water.

16 T he round of NDCs initially due in 2020 were delayed as a result of the global COVID-19 pandemic, which also
resulted in a postponement of the 2020 COP meeting (COP26) from November 2020 to November 2021.
17 UNFCCC, Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), at https://unfccc.int/process-and-meetings/the-paris-
agreement/nationally-determined-contributions-ndcs/nationally-determined-contributions-ndcs.
18 UNFCCC, Parties & Observers, at https://unfccc.int/parties-observers.
19 Paris Agreement, Article 4.
20 Paris Agreement, Article 4.
21 UNFCCC, Nationally Determined Contributions Under the Paris Agreement, Synthesis Report by the Secretariat,
September 17, 2021, at https://unfccc.int/sites/default/files/resource/cma2021_08_adv_1.pdf.; Center for Climate and
Energy Solutions, Q&A: Understanding Paris Agreement NDCs, at https://www.c2es.org/content/q-and-a-
understanding-paris-agreement -ndcs/.
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The September 2021 Nationally Determined Contributions Under the Paris Agreement Synthesis
Report by the Secretariat reviewed 164 NDCs, including 86 new or updated NDCs
communicated by 113 Parties that were available in the interim NDC registry as of July 30,
2021.22 The Synthesis Report estimates the Parties included in this review account for
approximately 93% of total global emissions in 2019.23 Selected observations in the Synthesis
Report include the following:
 “Most Parties provided quantified mitigation targets, expressed as clear
numerical targets, while some included strategies, plans and actions as
components of their NDCs for which there is no quantifiable information”;
 “Most Parties communicated economy-wide targets, covering al or almost al
sectors defined in the 2006 IPCC Guidelines, with an increasing number of
Parties moving to absolute emission reduction targets in their new or updated
NDCs”;
 “[A]lmost al NDCs cover CO2 emissions; most cover CH4, and N2O emissions,
many cover HFC emissions and some cover PFC, SF6, and NF3 emissions”;
 “Most of the Parties that submitted new or updated NDCs have strengthened their
commitment to reducing or limiting GHG emissions by 2025 and/or 2030”; and
 “Most Parties provided quantified information on their mitigation targets and
reference points. Of the Parties that submitted new or updated NDCs, most
updated the basis for defining their targets, including reference points and/or
‘business as usual’ scenarios.”24
Observations of Selected NDCs
NDC Submission Status
Table 1 contains the NDC submission status for al selected countries. Of the top 20 GHG
emitters,25 12 submitted updated NDCs in 2019, 2020, or 2021, and 6 have submitted first NDCs.
Turkey and Iran have not submitted NDCs. Russia and the UK submitted first NDCs in 2020 and
the United States submitted its new first NDC after rejoining the PA in 2021.

22 An Initial NDC Synthesis Report was published on February 26, 2021, a final version was published on September
17, 2021, and the UNFCCC anticipates publishing an updated version on October 25, 2021, see https://unfccc.int/
process-and-meetings/the-paris-agreement/nationally-determined-contributions-ndcs/nationally-determined-
contributions-ndcs/ndc-synthesis-report#eq-1.
23 UNFCCC, Nationally Determined Contributions Under the Paris Agreement, Synthesis Report by the Secretariat,
September 17, 2021, at https://unfccc.int/sites/default/files/resource/cma2021_08_adv_1.pdf.
24 UNFCCC, Nationally Determined Contributions Under the Paris Agreement, Synthesis Report by the Secretariat,
Executive Summary, September 17, 2021, pp. 4 -5, at https://unfccc.int/sites/default/files/resource/
cma2021_08_adv_1.pdf.
25 Based on 2018 Climate Watch Data.
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Table 1. Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) Submission Status for Selected
Countries
as of October 20, 2021
Most Recent NDC
Countries
No. of Countries
First NDC
China, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, India,
11
Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Philippines, Russia, Saudi Arabia,
Uzbekistan, Venezuela
First NDC, updated
Angola, Australia, Bangladesh, Brazil, Burma, Cameroon,
29
Canada, Chile, Colombia, Ethiopia, EU, France, Germany,
Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Morocco, Nigeria, Peru, Poland,
South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Tanzania, Ukraine, United
Kingdom,a United States,b Vietnam
Second NDC
Argentina, South Sudan
2
No NDC available
Iran, Turkey
2
Source: United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), National y Determined
Contributions (NDCs) Registry, at https://www4.unfccc.int/sites/NDCStaging/Pages/Al .aspx.
a. The United Kingdom submitted its own First NDC on December 12, 2020, reflecting an increased ambition
over the European Union’s First NDC from 2016.
b. The United States submitted its First NDC on April 22, 2021, after rejoining the PA, reflecting an increased
ambition over its First NDC from 2016.
Comparison of First NDCs to Updated or Second NDCs
In many instances, countries’ updated or second NDCs reflect greater emissions reduction
ambition than their first NDCs. 26 Of the countries included in this report, some countries did not
provide sufficient information to compare the two NDCs’ ambitions. Unlike in first NDCs, al but
three of the submitted NDCs reviewed use a common time horizon of 2030.
Figure 1 shows a map of the selected countries and their NDC status, including whether their
updated or second NDCs reflect an increased greater emissions reduction intentions.
Table 2 contains countries that have submitted updated or second NDCs with increased ambitions
and provides a comparison of GHG mitigation targets between each country’s first and updated or
second NDC.

26 Article 4 of the Paris Agreement uses the term “ambition” to describe countries’ emission reduction plans. T he use of
“ambition” throughout this report reflects this language and does not imply judgment by CRS.
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Figure 1. Selected Countries NDC Status and Percentage of Global GHG Emissions
as of October 20, 2021

Sources: United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), National y Determined Contributions (NDCs), at https://unfccc.int/process-and-
meetings/the-paris-agreement/national y-determined-contributions-ndcs/national y-determined-contributions-ndcs; and World Resources Institute, Climate Watch Data,
“Historical GHG Emissions,” at https://www.climatewatchdata.org/ghg-emissions.
Notes: G20 member countries are shown with a solid color; countries that are not G20 members are shown with stripes.

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Table 2. Increased Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Reduction Targets in Updated or Second
NDCs from Selected Countries
GHG emissions estimates are in mil ion metric tons (Mt) of carbon dioxide-equivalents (CO2e) and
include net of removals by land uses and forestry. BAU is “business-as-usual” scenario.
First NDC (INDC) Mitigation
Second or Updated NDC Mitigation
Country
Commitments
Commitments
Angola
35% reduction from BAU scenario (BAU =
14% reduction from revised BAU scenario
156 in 2025) by 2030 (unconditional);
(BAU = 108 in 2025) by 2025 (unconditional);
50% reduction from BAU scenario (BAU =
24% reduction from revised BAU scenario
156 in 2025) by 2030 (unconditional +
(BAU = 108 in 2025) by 2025 (unconditional +
conditional)
conditional)
Argentina
Shal not exceed 483 in 2030
Shal not exceed 359 in 2030
Bangladesh
5% reduction from BAU by 2030 in the
6.73% reduction from BAU by 2030
power, transport, and industry sectors
(unconditional);
(unconditional);
21.85% reduction from BAU by 2030
20% reduction from BAU by 2030 in the
(unconditional + conditional)
power, transport, and industry sectors
(unconditional + conditional)
Cameroon
32% reduction from baseline (104) in 2035
12% reduction by 2030 from 2010 levels
(conditional)
(unconditional)
35% reduction by 2030 from 2010 levels
(unconditional + conditional)
Canada
30% reduction from 2005 levels by 2030
40%-45% reduction from 2005 levels by 2030
Chile
30% reduction of CO2 emissions/GDP from
Peak emissions by 2025;
2007 levels by 2030;
Maximum annual emissions up to 95 by 2030;
35%-45% reduction of CO2 emissions/GDP
Accumulated emissions between 2020 and
from 2007 levels by 2030, conditional and
2030 shal not exceed 1,100
considering economic growth
Colombia
20% reduction from BAU by 2030
Emit a maximum of 169.44 in 2030 (equivalent
(unconditional);
to a 51% reduction compared with emissions
30% reduction from BAU by 2030
projection in 2030 reference scenario)
(unconditional + conditional)
Ethiopia
64% reduction from BAU by 2030
14% reduction from BAU by 2030
(unconditional);
68.8% reduction from BAU by 2030
(unconditional + conditional)
EUa
At least a 40% reduction from 1990 levels by
At least a 55% reduction from 1990 levels by
2030
2030
Japan
26% reduction from FY2013 levels by FY2030; 46% reduction from FY2013 levels by FY2030;
(25.4% reduction compared with FY2005)
Net zero by 2050
Morocco
42% reduction below BAU by 2030
18.3% reduction compared with reference
(conditional)
scenario by 2030 (unconditional);
45.5% reduction compared with reference
scenario by 2030 (unconditional + conditional)
Myanmar
INDC did not include quantified GHG
244.52 reduction by 2030 (unconditional);
reduction targets.
414.75 reduction by 2030 (unconditional +
conditional)
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First NDC (INDC) Mitigation
Second or Updated NDC Mitigation
Country
Commitments
Commitments
Nigeria
20% reduction from BAU by 2030
20% reduction from BAU by 2030
(unconditional);
(unconditional);
45% reduction from BAU by 2030
47% reduction from BAU by 2030
(unconditional + conditional)
(unconditional + conditional)
Peru
20% reduction from BAU by 2030
Not to exceed 208.8 in 2030 (unconditional);
(unconditional);
Not to exceed 179 in 2030 (unconditional +
30% reduction from BAU by 2030
conditional)
(unconditional + conditional)
South Africa
398-614 in 2025-2030
398-510 by 2025, and 350-420 by 2030
South Korea
37% reduction from BAU (BAU = 850.6) by
24.4% reduction from 2017 emission levels
2030
(709.1) by 2030
Tanzania
10%-20% reduction from BAU by 2030
30%-35% reduction from BAU by 2030
Ukraine
Not to exceed 60% of 1990 levels by 2030
65% reduction from 1990 levels by 2030;
“Carbon neutrality” by 2060
United
At least a 40% reduction from 1990 levels by
At least 68% reduction compared to reference
Kingdom
2030 (per EU First NDC)
years by 2030
United States
26%-28% below 2005 levels by 2025
50%-52% reduction below 2005 levels by 2030
Vietnam
8% reduction from BAU by 2030
9% reduction from BAU by 2030
(unconditional);
(unconditional);
25% reduction from BAU by 2030
27% reduction from BAU by 2030
(unconditional + conditional)
(unconditional + conditional)
Source: Compiled by the Congressional Research Service (CRS) using data from UNFCCC, NDCs, at
https://unfccc.int/process-and-meetings/the-paris-agreement/national y-determined-contributions-ndcs/national y-
determined-contributions-ndcs; and World Resources Institute, Climate Watch Data, “NDC Enhancement
Tracker,” 2020, at https://www.climatewatchdata.org/2020-ndc-tracker.
Notes: This table only includes emission reduction targets listed in NDCs and does not include other elements
of NDCs, such as supporting information that may have been updated. Please see individual NDC documents for
a complete description of gases, sectors, and other data and elements associated with each countries’ targets.
a. European Union (EU) member states included among selected countries reviewed for this report are
France, Germany, Italy, Poland, and Spain.
Emission Reduction Targets and 2030 Projected Emissions
As described above, this report summarizes NDCs from selected countries. Table A-1 in the
Appendix provides GHG emissions and NDC data—including quantified targets and projected
emissions for 2030—for these countries, where available. The majority of the selected countries’
NDCs contain quantifiable emission reduction targets, but not al of these provide al of the data
needed to calculate projected 2030 emissions. Angola and Cameroon, for example, provide
targets for years other than 2030 (2025 and 2035, respectively). Myanmar lists a reduction of total
emissions but does not provide a reference year.
Countries that provide quantifiable 2030 targets do so in a number of different ways. Some
countries (e.g., Democratic Republic of Congo and Japan) provide a single target; others (e.g.,
Indonesia, Nigeria, and Mexico) list targets conditional upon receiving foreign financial
assistance in addition to not conditional targets; the EU and its member states present a “not to
exceed” target; and the United States and Canada, for example, present a range of emissions
reductions for 2030. Additional data presented in Table A-1 include 2018 emissions, emissions
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per capita, emissions per gross domestic product (GDP), and emissions reductions targets
included in each country’s NDC, if available.
G20 Countries
G20 countries are responsible for the majority of GHG emissions global y, 27 and many
stakeholders are invested in the further emission reduction commitments of G20 members.28 As
of October 20, 2021, 15 members of the G20 have submitted new or updated NDCs and, of these
new submissions, 11 indicated plans for greater emissions reductions beyond their initial NDC
(including the EU, Italy, Germany, and France).
Figure 1 shows the percentage of global GHG emissions each G20 member was responsible for
in 2018 and each member’s NDC target. Figure 2 il ustrates historical GHG emissions and,
where available, projected 2030 emissions for G20 member countries.

27 G20 countries are Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Japan, India, Indonesia, Italy,
Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, T urkey, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the
European Union. Spain is invited as a permanent guest. See https://www.g20.org/about -the-g20.html.
28 For additional analyses on G20 countries’ NDCs and other climate-related activities as well as analyses on potential
progress toward meeting the Paris Agreement’s goals, see UNFCCC, Nationally Determined Contributions Under the
Paris Agreem ent, Synthesis Report by the Secretariat, Executive Summary, September 17, 2021, at https://unfccc.int/
sites/default/files/resource/cma2021_08_adv_1.pdf; World Resources Institute, Closing the Gap: The Im pact of G20
Clim ate Com m itm ents on Lim iting Global Tem perature Rise to 1.5 oC, September 16, 2021, at https://www.wri.org/
research/closing-the-gap-g20-climate-commitments-limiting-global-temperature-rise; and Climate Action T racker, at
https://climateactiontracker.org/.
Congressional Research Service

13

Figure 2. G20 Countries: Historical GHG Emissions and 2030 Emissions Projections
as of October 20, 2021

Sources: UNFCCC, NDCs, at https://unfccc.int/process-and-meetings/the-paris-agreement/national y-determined-contributions-ndcs/national y-determined-
contributions-ndcs; and World Resources Institute, Climate Watch Data, “Historical GHG Emissions,” at https://www.climatewatchdata.org/ghg-emissions.

CRS-14

link to page 16 link to page 16 Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Efforts by Selected Countries

Net-Zero Legislation
In addition to working toward meeting 2030 emission reduction targets identified in their NDCs,
some countries are seeking to achieve net-zero emissions within the next several decades, in
conformance with the Article 4 provision to “achieve a balance between anthropogenic emissions
by sources and removals by sinks of greenhouse gases in the second half of this century.” Net-
zero emissions refers to a situation where any continued human-caused GHG emissions are
balanced by any removal of GHG from the atmosphere, including carbon storage in forests and
other ecosystems as wel as technological removal and storage.29 Multiple terms can refer to net-
zero emissions, including climate neutrality or carbon neutrality, depending on whether the scope
is al GHG or just CO2. Carbon neutrality refers specifical y to net-zero carbon emissions
whereas other terms general y include al greenhouse gases. Although they have distinct
meanings, some stakeholders or observers at times use the terms interchangeably or with
ambiguity.30
The PA asks countries to commit to increasingly ambitious GHG mitigation efforts and
encourages countries to submit long-term low greenhouse gas emission development strategies
(LT-LEDS). Article 4 of the PA states, “Al Parties should strive to formulate and communicate
long-term low greenhouse gas emission development strategies, mindful of Article 2 taking into
account their common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities, in the light of
difference national circumstances.”31
Many countries have submitted LT-LEDS,32 but these strategies do not necessarily translate into
clear pathways or concrete domestic efforts to reach net-zero emissions. Some countries,
however, have introduced or enacted legislation aimed at reducing domestic emissions to net
zero. Other countries may refer to net-zero in policy documents without having enacted
legislation. Table 3 provides a list of countries with enacted or proposed domestic net-zero or
climate neutrality legislation.33 The table does not include countries that have announced net-zero
policies or intentions but not taken action to embody them in law. The table is not a
comprehensive list of potential legislation.
Observations of Net-Zero Legislation
Table 3 is derived from the 2021 report published by the Global Legal Research Directorate at
the Law Library of Congress, Net Zero Emissions Legislation Around the World.34 The Law
Library identified 25 countries or regions with enacted or proposed net-zero legislation. Of these,
22 have enacted net-zero legislation and three have proposed legislation. The Law Library of
Congress report does not include analysis of proposed net-zero emission legislation in the United
States. Several bil s proposing net-zero emissions goals for the United States have been

29 For more information, see CRS In Focus IF11821, Net-Zero Emissions Pledges: Background and Recent
Developm ents, by Michael I. Westphal.
30 For more information, see CRS In Focus IF11821, Net-Zero Emissions Pledges: Background and Recent
Developm ents, by Michael I. Westphal.
31 Paris Agreement, Article 4.
32 As of October 20, 2021, 33 countries had submitted long-term low greenhouse gas emission development strategies
to the UNFCCC, see https://unfccc.int/process/the-paris-agreement/long-term-strategies.
33 T able 2 only includes legislation that explicitly proposes net -zero emissions. Other climate-related legislation is not
included.
34 Law Library of Congress, Global Legal Research Directorate, Net Zero Emissions Legislation Around the World,
2021, p. 7, at https://lccn.loc.gov/2021687417.
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15

Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Efforts by Selected Countries

introduced in recent Congresses. Analysis of U.S. net-zero legislative proposals is beyond the
scope of this CRS report.
The EU and 11 of its member states (Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Iceland,
Luxembourg, Malta, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden) have enacted net-zero legislation. Seven of
the G20 members (Canada, the EU, France, Germany, Japan, South Korea, and the UK) have
enacted net-zero legislation.
Most (15 of 22) countries or regions with enacted legislation have set a date of net-zero emissions
by 2050. The most ambitious deadline is set by Iceland, which has enacted legislation requiring
net-zero emissions by 2040. Germany and Sweden both have set a deadline of net-zero emissions
by 2045. Four countries (Ukraine, Slovenia, Malta, and Finland) do not specify dates, according
to the Law Library of Congress report.35
Table 3. Net-Zero Emissions Legislation for Selected Countries and Regions
as of September 27, 2021
Enacted Legislation
Country
(goal and date, if available)
Proposed Legislation
Canada
Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability

Act, S.C. 2021, c.22, Royal Assent, June 29, 2031
(net zero by 2050)
Chile

Climate Change Framework Law,
§IV.2.a, submitted to National
Congress, Jan. 10, 2020
(net zero by 2050)
,Denmark
Climate Act (No. 965 of June 26, 2020) art. 1

(climate neutrality by 2050)
European Union
Regulation (EU) 2021/1119

(EU)
(European Climate Law), art. 2, 2021 O.J. (L
243) 1
(climate neutrality by 2050)
Fiji

Climate Change Bil 2021 clauses 6(5)
and 38(1)
(net zero by 2050)
Finland
Klimatlag (FFS 609/2015), §6

France
Code de l’énergie, art. L100-4, as amended by

Loi n° 2019-1147 du 8 novembre 2019 relative à
l'énergie et au climat, art. 1, Nov. 8, 2019
(net zero by 2050)
Germany
Bundes-Klimaschutzgesetz [KSG], Dec. 12, 2019,
Bundesgesetzblatt [BGBl.] I at 2513, as amended,
art. 3, para. 2
(climate neutrality by 2045)
Hungary
Law on Climate Policy: On the Declaration of a

Climate Emergency, on Climate Protection,
(T/7021), adopted on May 14, 2020, art. 3, §4
(climate neutrality by 2050)

35 Law Library of Congress, Global Legal Research Directorate, Net Zero Emissions Legislation Around the World,
2021.
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Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Efforts by Selected Countries

Enacted Legislation
Country
(goal and date, if available)
Proposed Legislation
Iceland
Climate Act (Lög um loftslagsmál, 2012 nr. 70

29. Júní,
(Legal y binding emissions reductions for 2030;
specifies that the government can issue further
legal y binding targets. Current policy is carbon
neutrality by 2040.)
Ireland
Climate Action and Low Carbon Development

Act 2015, No. 46/2015, s 3(1), as amended by
the Climate Action and Low Carbon
Development (Amendment) Act 2021, No.
32/2021
(climate neutrality by 2050)
Japan
Amendment (Act No. 54 of 2021) of Act on

Promotion of Global Warming
Countermeasures, Act No. 117 of 1998, art. 2-2
(net zero by 2050)
Liechtenstein
Emissionshandelsgesetz [EHG], Sept. 19, 2012,

Landesgesetzblatt-Nummer [LGBl.-Nr.]
2012.346, as amended, art. 4, para. 4,
(climate neutrality by 2050)
Luxembourg
Loi du 15 décembre 2020 relative au climat et

modifiant la loi modifiée du 31 mai 1999 portant
institution d’un fonds pour la protection de
l’environnement, art. 4, Dec. 15, 2020
(net zero by 2050)
Maldives
Climate Emergency Act, Law No. 9/2021

(net zero by 2030)
Malta
Climate Action Act, cap. 543

New Zealand
Climate Change Response Act 2002 s 5Q,

inserted by Climate Change Response (Zero
Carbon) Amendment Act 2019 s 8
(net zero by 2050; except biogenic methane)
Norway
Lov om klimamål (klimaloven) (LOV-2017-06-

16-60) §4
(reduce emissions by 90%-95% compared with
1990 by 2050)
Slovenia
Resolution on Slovenia’s Long-Term Climate

Strategy Until 2050, No. 801-08/21-5/, adopted
by National Assembly on July 13, 2021
South Korea
Framework Act on Carbon Neutral and Green

Growth to Respond to Climate Crisis, Act No.
18469, Sept. 24, 2021, art. 7(1)
(carbon neutrality by 2050)
Spain
Ley 7/2021, de 20 de mayo, de cambio climático

y transición energética, art. 3-2, Boletin Oficial
del Estado, May 21, 2021
(climate neutrality by 2050)
Sweden
Klimatlag (SFS 2017:720), §3

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Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Efforts by Selected Countries

Enacted Legislation
Country
(goal and date, if available)
Proposed Legislation
(Does not set specific timelines for emissions
reductions, but government must review and set
targets every four years. Official policy as of
March 2021 is net-zero emissions by 2045; 85%
reduction compared with 1990.)
Taiwan

In 2021, the premier tasked the
Environmental Protection
Administration with amending the
Greenhouse Gas Reduction and
Management Act to incorporate the
goal of net-zero carbon emissions by
2050 and rename the act the Climate
Change Response Act.
(Taiwan Working Toward Net-Zero
Emissions by 2050, Overseas
Community Aff. Council, Taiwan
[OCAC] [Sept. 2, 2021])
Individual members of the Legislative
Yuan proposed their own bil s for
amending the act to include the 2050
net-zero emissions goal. (See e.g.,
Yuan Zong No. 1711, Member
Proposal No. 25885 [Feb. 26, 2021];
Yuan Zong No. 1711, Member
Proposal No. 26787 [May 27, 2021].)
Ukraine
Law of Ukraine on the Principles of Monitoring,

Reporting, and Verification of Greenhouse Gas
Emissions, No. 377-IX, adopted Dec. 12, 2019,
in force since Jan. 1, 2021, (ВВР), 2020, No. 22,
p. 150, pmbl.
(harmonizes Ukrainian legislation with standards
of EU law [an obligation for Ukraine under the
EU-Ukraine Association Agreement] and
implements the provisions of Directives No.
2003/87/ЕС and No. 2004/101/ЕС)
United Kingdom
Climate Change Act 2008, c. 27, s 1(1), as

inserted by the Climate Change Act 2008 (2050
Target Amendment) Order 2019, SI 2019/1056
(net zero by 2050)
Source: Law Library of Congress, Global Legal Research Directorate, Net Zero Emissions Legislation Around the
World, 2021, p. 7, at https://lccn.loc.gov/2021687417.
Notes: This table includes al countries listed in the Law Library of Congress report and is not limited to the set
of selected countries as described earlier in this report. EU member countries are listed only in their own row if
they have domestic net-zero legislation in addition to the EU-wide law included. Links to legislation (including
links to English translations) available in the referenced Law Library of Congress report.
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link to page 20 Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Efforts by Selected Countries

Appendix. Table of GHG Emissions and NDC Data
for Selected Countries
Table A-1 provides GHG emissions data and NDC information for the selected countries
discussed in this report. The emissions data, including net GHG emissions, emissions per capita,
and emissions per GDP are the most recent year available (2018) from Climate Watch Data.36
NDC targets are as reported in Parties’ NDCs. The Congressional Research Service calculated
2030 emissions targets using data available via Climate Watch Data and stated NDC targets (e.g.,
a percentage reduction from a base year), unless otherwise noted. This table is not comprehensive
of al Parties’ NDC targets, emissions, and projections.

36 Climate Watch Data integrates emissions inventories from the UNFCCC and other sources, then it provides access to
the most complete annual emissions data across all countries. Article 12 of the UNFCCC requires that all Parties to
Annex I countries submit annual emissions inventories (the m ost recent of which is for emissions in 2018). Non -Annex
I countries submit emissions inventories less frequently. CRS relies on countries’ own emissions inventory data, as
available via Climate Watch Data, wherever possible. In instances where countries h ave not provided 2018 emissions
data, CRS relies on data from CAIT , as available via Climate Watch Data. (see https://www.climatewatchdata.org/
about/faq/ghg).
Congressional Research Service

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link to page 27 link to page 27 link to page 28 link to page 28 link to page 28 link to page 28
Table A-1. GHG Emissions Data and NDC Information for Selected Countries
Emissions data, including 2018 emissions, NDC targets and references, and 2030 projections are carbon dioxide-equivalent (CO2e) and are shown as mil ion
metric tons (Mt) CO2e, unless otherwise noted, and emissions per capita and per mil ion $ GDP are shown as metric tons (t).
Change in
Change in
GHG
GHG
2018 Net
Net GHG
Net GHG
Emissions/
Emissions/
Projected 2030
GHG
Emissions
Emissions
Capita in
Million GDP
GHG Emissions
Country (date)
Emissions
1990-2018
2005-2018
2018
in 2018
NDC Targetsa
Per NDC Targetsb
Angolac
125
+59
+9
4.04t
1,229t 14% reduction from BAU
not available
(First NDC,
scenario (2015 inventory
updated
projections) by 2025
5/31/2021)
(unconditional)
24% reduction from BAU
scenario (2015 inventory
projections) by 2025
(unconditional +
conditional)
Argentinac
396
+107
-15
8.89t
764t Shal not exceed 359 in
No more than 359
(Second NDC,
2030
(from NDC)
12/30/2020)
Australia
537
-80
-80
21.51t
375t 26%-28% reduction from
444-457
(First NDC,
2005 levels by 2030, to be
updated
implemented as an
12/31/2020)
emissions budget covering
the period 2021-2030
Bangladeshc
221
+106
+70
1.37t
806t 27.56 (7%) reduction from
320-382
(First NDC,
BAU levels (409.4) by 2030
updated
(unconditional);
8/26/2021)
89.47 (22%) reduction from
BAU (409.4) by 2030
(unconditional +
conditional)
Brazilc
1,420
-220
-580
6.78t
753t 37% reduction from 2005
1,140
(First NDC,
levels by 2025; and 43%
updated
reduction from 2005 levels
12/9/2020)
by 2030
CRS-20

link to page 27 link to page 27 link to page 28 link to page 28 link to page 28 link to page 28
Change in
Change in
GHG
GHG
2018 Net
Net GHG
Net GHG
Emissions/
Emissions/
Projected 2030
GHG
Emissions
Emissions
Capita in
Million GDP
GHG Emissions
Country (date)
Emissions
1990-2018
2005-2018
2018
in 2018
NDC Targetsa
Per NDC Targetsb
Cameroonc
123
+51.4
-3
4.89t
3187t 12% reduction by 2030 from
113 (unconditional);
(First NDC,
2010 levels (unconditional)
83 (unconditional +
updated
35% reduction by 2030 from
conditional)
10/11/2021)
2010 levels (unconditional +
conditional)
Canada
716
+173
-0.55
19.33t
417t 40%-45% reduction from
394-430
(First NDC,
2005 levels by 2030
updated
7/12/2021)
Chilec
52
+21
+11
2.76t
174t Peak emissions by 2025;
No more than 95
(First NDC,
Maximum annual emissions
updated
up to 95 by 2030;
4/9/2020)
Accumulated emissions
between 2020 and 2030
shal not exceed 1,100
Chinac
11,710
+8,840
+4,850
8.4t
842t Peak CO2 emissions around
not available
(First NDC,
2030;
9/3/2016)
Reduce CO2 emissions/GDP
from 2005 levels by 60%-
65%;
Increase share of nonfossil
fuels in primary energy
consumption to around
20%;
Increase forest stock by 4.5
bil ion cubic meters from
2005 level
Colombiac
268
+51
+40
5.4t
803t Emit a maximum of 169.44
169.44 (from NDC)
(First NDC,
in 2030 (equivalent to 51%
updated
reduction compared with
12/30/2020)
CRS-21

link to page 27 link to page 27 link to page 28 link to page 28 link to page 28 link to page 28
Change in
Change in
GHG
GHG
2018 Net
Net GHG
Net GHG
Emissions/
Emissions/
Projected 2030
GHG
Emissions
Emissions
Capita in
Million GDP
GHG Emissions
Country (date)
Emissions
1990-2018
2005-2018
2018
in 2018
NDC Targetsa
Per NDC Targetsb
emissions projection in 2030
reference scenario)
Democratic
682
+247
+240
8.11t
14,560kt 17% reduction compared
357
Republic of the
with status quo emissions
Congoc
scenario (430) by 2030
(First NDC,
12/13/2017)
Egyptc
329
+200
+96
3.35t
1320t not available
not available
(First NDC,
6/29/2017)
Ethiopiac
205
+111
+71
1.9t
2430t 14% reduction compared
347 (unconditional);
(First NDC,
with the BAU scenario (404)
126 (conditional +
updated
by 2030 (unconditional);
unconditional)
7/23/2021)
68.8% reduction compared
with the BAU scenario (404)
by 2030 (unconditional +
conditional)
European Union-
3,510
-1,100
-640
7.86t
220t At least a 55% reduction
No more than
27d
from 1990 levels by 2030
2,210
(First NDC,
updated
12/18/2020)
France
427
-103
-88
6.37t
153t EU target (at least a 55%
No more than 238
(EU First NDC,
reduction from 1990 levels
(al ocated share of
updated
by 2030)
projected EU
12/18/2020)
emissions)
Germany
831
-389
-148
10.03t
210t EU target (at least a 55%
No more than 550
(EU First NDC,
reduction from 1990 levels
(al ocated share of
updated
by 2030)
projected EU
12/18/2020)
emissions)
CRS-22

link to page 27 link to page 27 link to page 28 link to page 28 link to page 28 link to page 28
Change in
Change in
GHG
GHG
2018 Net
Net GHG
Net GHG
Emissions/
Emissions/
Projected 2030
GHG
Emissions
Emissions
Capita in
Million GDP
GHG Emissions
Country (date)
Emissions
1990-2018
2005-2018
2018
in 2018
NDC Targetsa
Per NDC Targetsb
25% reduction from 1990
levels by 2030 (unconditional
+ conditional)
Mexicoc
695
+278
+174
5.51t
569t 22% reduction in GHG
773 (unconditional);
(First NDC,
emissions from BAU (991)
634 (conditional +
updated
and 51% reduction in black
unconditional)
12/30/2020)
carbon emissions by 2030
(unconditional);
36% reduction in GHG
emissions from BAU (991)
and 70% reduction in black
carbon emissions by 2030
(unconditional + conditional)
Moroccoc
92
+58
+31
2.56t
782t 18.3% reduction compared
77.5-116 (from
(First NDC,
with reference scenario
NDC)
updated
(142.3) by 2030
6/22/2021)
(unconditional);
45.5% reduction compared
with reference scenario
(142.3) by 2030
(unconditional + conditional)
Myanmarc
232
+24
+15
4.31
3041t 244.5 reduction by 2030
not available
(First NDC,
(unconditional);
updated
414.8 reduction by 2030
8/3/2021)
(unconditional +
conditional)
Nigeriac
358
+108
+76
1.83t
900t 20% reduction from BAU
362 (unconditional);
(First NDC,
(453) by 2030
240 (conditional +
updated,
(unconditional);
unconditional)
7/30/2021)
47% reduction from BAU
(453Mt) by 2030
(unconditional + conditional)
CRS-24

link to page 27 link to page 27 link to page 28 link to page 28 link to page 28 link to page 28
Change in
Change in
GHG
GHG
2018 Net
Net GHG
Net GHG
Emissions/
Emissions/
Projected 2030
GHG
Emissions
Emissions
Capita in
Million GDP
GHG Emissions
Country (date)
Emissions
1990-2018
2005-2018
2018
in 2018
NDC Targetsa
Per NDC Targetsb
Pakistanc
438
+272
+160
2.07t
1393t 20% reduction from BAU
1282
(First NDC,
(1603) by 2030 (conditional)
11/10/2016)
Peruc
186
+82
+53
5.82t
838t Not to exceed 208.8 in 2030
No more than
(First NDC,
(unconditional);
208.8
updated
Not to exceed 179 in 2030
(unconditional); no
12/18/2020)
(conditional)
more than 179
(conditional)
Philippinesc (First
235
+137
+81
2.2t
677t 2.71% reduction from BAU
not available
NDC, 4/15/2021)
(3.3 Gt cumulative emissions)
for the period 2020-2030
(unconditional)
75% reduction from BAU (3.3
Gt cumulative emissions) for
the period 2020-2030
(unconditional + conditional)
Poland
376
-66
+23
9.91t
641t EU target (at least a 55%
No more than 199
(EU First NDC,
reduction from 1990 levels by
(al ocated share of
updated
2030)
projected EU
12/18/2020)
emissions)
Russia
1,630
-1480
+170
11.28t
976t 70% reduction relative to
933
(First NDC,
1990 levels by 2030
11/25/2020)
Saudi Arabiac
638
+447
+272
18.94t
811t “Seek to achieve mitigation
not available
(First NDC,
co-benefits ambitions of up to
11/3/2016)
130 Mt of CO2eq avoided by
2030 annual y through
contributions to economic
diversification and
adaptation.”
CRS-25

link to page 27 link to page 27 link to page 28 link to page 28 link to page 28 link to page 28
Change in
Change in
GHG
GHG
2018 Net
Net GHG
Net GHG
Emissions/
Emissions/
Projected 2030
GHG
Emissions
Emissions
Capita in
Million GDP
GHG Emissions
Country (date)
Emissions
1990-2018
2005-2018
2018
in 2018
NDC Targetsa
Per NDC Targetsb
South Africac
521
+201
+71
9.01t
1410t Target range of 398-510 by
350-420 (per NDC)
(First NDC,
2025, implementation period
updated
of 2021-2025;
9/27/2021)
Target range of 350-420 by
2030, implementation period
2026-2030
South Koreac
673
+429
+184
13.04t
390t 24.4% reduction from 2017
536
(First NDC,
emission levels (709.1)
updated
12/30/2020)
South Sudanc
68
+32
-3
6.24t
not available not available
not available
(First NDC,
2/23/2021)
Spain
296
+43
-109
6.33t
208t EU target (at least a 55%
No more than 114
(EU First NDC,
reduction from 1990 levels by
(al ocated share of
updated
2030)
projected EU
12/18/2020)
emissions)
Tanzaniac
176
+73
+47
3.12t
3030t 30%-35% reduction from
not available
(First NDC,
BAU by 2030 (138-153
updated
reduction from BAU)
7/30/2021)
Turkey
426
+263
+164
5.18t
548t Turkey is not a Party to the

PA and therefore has not
submitted an NDC
Ukraine
342
-541
-70
7.66t
2610t 65% reduction compared
309
(First NDC,
with 1990 by 2030
updated
7/31/2021)
United Kingdom
456
-342
-233
6.86t
159t At least 68% reduction from
No more than 255
1990 levels by 2030
CRS-26

link to page 27 link to page 27 link to page 28 link to page 28 link to page 28
Change in
Change in
GHG
GHG
2018 Net
Net GHG
Net GHG
Emissions/
Emissions/
Projected 2030
GHG
Emissions
Emissions
Capita in
Million GDP
GHG Emissions
Country (date)
Emissions
1990-2018
2005-2018
2018
in 2018
NDC Targetsa
Per NDC Targetsb
(First NDC,
12/12/2020)
United States
5,900
+320
-680
18.07t
287t 50%-52% reduction from
3,158-3,290
(First NDC after
2005 emissions levels by 2030
rejoining the Paris
Agreement,
4/22/2021)
Uzbekistanc
232
+34
+15
7.04t
4610t “To decrease specific
not available
(First NDC,
emissions of GHG per unit of
11/9/2018)
GDP by 10% by 2030 from
level of 2010.”
Venezuelac
277
-48
-59
9.6t
not available 20% reduction from BAU
272
(First NDC,
(340) by 2030 (conditional)
2/27/2018)
Vietnamc
364
+363
+157
3.81t
1490t 9% reduction from BAU
677-844
(First NDC,
(927.9) by 2030
updated
(unconditional);
9/11/2020)
27% reduction from BAU
(927.9) by 2030
(unconditional + conditional)
Source: World Resources Institute, Climate Watch Data “Country Profiles,” at https://www.climatewatchdata.org/countries; and UNFCCC NDC Registry, at
https://www4.unfccc.int/sites/NDCStaging/Pages/Al .aspx.
Notes: GHG emissions data from 2018, 2005, and 1990 and GHG emissions per capita and per GDP data are from countries’ reported submissions to the UNFCCC as
available from Climate Watch Data, except where noted (see table note c). CO2e is the tons of CO2 that would have the equivalent effect of the GHG on forcing global
average temperature (positive or negative) as one ton of the GHG in question. Emissions data include those emissions from land use, land use change, and forestry
(LULUCF). Also, t = metric tons; and Gt (gigatons) = 1 bil ion metric tons. BAU = “business-as-usual.” Maia Alberts, CRS Intern Summer 2021, contributed to this table.
a. NDC targets extracted from most recently submitted NDCs available in the UNFCCC NDC Registry.
b. Year 2030 emissions targets calculated using NDC 2030 target reductions and base year emissions as reported by each country t o the UNFCCC, where available.
Estimates for the EU-27 and listed member states (France, Germany, Italy, and Spain) under their Effort-Sharing Decision are from Table A1.1 in European
Environment Agency, Trends and Projections in Europe 2020: Tracking Progress Towards Europe’s Climate and Energy Targets, EEA Report No. 13/2020, November 26,
2020, at https://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/trends-and-projections-in-europe-2020/.
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c. Because certain countries submitted GHG emissions data to the UNFCCC for intermittent years only, some emissions data are from CAIT (formerly known as the
Climate Analysis Indicators Tool), as available from Climate Watch Data. CAIT compiles emissions data from nongovernmental sources to supplement countries’
intermittent emissions reporting (see https://cait.wri.org/faq.html).
d. EU-27 emissions data for al years exclude emissions from the UK.

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Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Efforts by Selected Countries

Author Information

Kezee Procita

Senior Research Librarian

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Congressional Research Service
R46945 · VERSION 1 · NEW
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