Leading from the Tail: Major countries that failed to submit their NDCs

When the deadline for submitting Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) lapsed last month, more than 100 countries had yet to update their commitments. The UN had extended the deadline to September after 90 percent of the world's nations failed to meet the initial target of February. Seven of these countries, and a regional bloc, are industrial powerhouses with carbon-intensive economies and significant diplomatic sway globally.  So, where do they rank in the global emissions output? In this list of shame, we will highlight the main drivers of their emissions, the composition of their electricity mix, and the last time they updated their NDCs. 

Argentina - $630 billion 

Its most recent NDC was in 2021 

The country is not considered a major emitter on a global scale 

Fossil fuels account for 86 percent of Argentina’s total electricity mix 

Relies heavily on fossil fuels in its agricultural sector 

Livestock, particularly beef production, produces significant emissions  

Indonesia - $1.4 trillion 

Its last NDC was submitted in 2022 

The Asian country is considered a major emitter globally, at 7th  

Indonesia relies heavily on coal for power generation 

It’s the world’s top coal exporter, mostly to India and China 

Its capital, Jakarta, has one of the worst air quality records among cities in the world 

Mexico - $1.85 trillion 

Its latest NDC was submitted in 2022 

Mexico is a major emitter of CO2, ranked 9th globally 

Mexico is also the 11th largest oil producer in the world and the 3rd largest in North America  

Energy, agriculture and industry account for the bulk of its emissions 

Mexico relies heavily on fossil fuels to power the country 

Per capita emissions are, however, lower than the global average 

India – $3.9 trillion 

Its last NDC was in August 2022 

The country is the world’s 3rd largest emitter after China and the United States  

Rapid industrial expansion, sheer size and high population are the main drivers of its emissions 

Coal accounts for 78 percent of India’s electricity generation 

Saudi Arabia - $1.2 trillion 

Saudi Arabia last updated its NDC in 2021 

The country is the largest CO2 emitter in the Middle East and the 10th largest in the world 

The kingdom is also the world’s largest exporter of crude oil 

Oil exports make up 40 percent of government revenue 

There are negligible non-carbon energy sources in the country 

Turkey - $1.3 trillion 

Turkey’s most recent NDC was submitted in 2023 

The country ranks as the 15th largest emitter of CO2 in the world 

Turks generate 35 percent of their energy from coal 

Renewable energy accounts for 18 percent of the country’s total electricity mix 

Industrial growth in recent years has been a major driver of emissions  

South Africa - $400 billion 

South Africa’s last NDC was in 2021 

It’s the largest emitter in Africa and 13th globally, owing to its carbon-intensive economy 

It accounts for 40 percent of Africa’s emissions  

Coal is responsible for 90 percent of its electricity generation and 85 percent of its emissions 

European Union (EU) - €17 trillion 

Submitted its last NDC in 2020 

The bloc is the 4th largest emitter of CO2 in the world after China, US and India 

It accounts for nearly 16 percent of global emissions  

Consumption and production are the major drivers of emissions in the zone 

In 2022 alone, the EU emitted 4.8 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide  

The region hopes to cut 55 percent of its emissions by 2030