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A1-Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs)

Ensure Soil Health (SH) and Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) are vital components of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs)

Detailed description of the objective


Objective A1 - NDC

LabelTitleDescription
NDCsEnsure Soil Health (SH) and Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) are vital components of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs)All UNFCCC parties include SH and SOC in their NDCs and consider both in their national agriculture, forestry, and land use plans and programs.

Targets A1 - NDC

Baseline 2020Target 2030Target 2050
In 2019, out of 196 countries' NDCs, only 28 specified SOC, peatland, or wetland targets, policies, or measures.All countries that are members and partners of the "4 per 1000" Initiative include quantitative targets for SH and SOC in their NDCs and related documents and reference them in their national plans and programs for agriculture, forestry, and land use.All UNFCCC Parties include quantitative targets for SH and SOC in their NDCs and related documents and reference them in their national plans and programs for agriculture, forestry, and land use.

Context A1 - NDC

Problem A1 - NDC

Problem StatementDescriptionConsequences
Most current NDCs do not address SH and SOC, although they are crucial for climate change mitigation and adaptation.In 2019, only 28 countries had NDCs that specified SOC targets, policies, or measures. There was no alignment with IPCCC accounting standards, including SOC as one of the carbon pools reported in countries' GHG inventories.

Governments do not sufficiently recognize the relevance of SH and SOC for the climate and therefore do not consider them in national development programs. The lack of a shared understanding negatively impacts the country's ambition. Lack of clear understanding hinders the mobilization of climate finance, technical assistance, and capacity development.

Causes A1 - NDC

N°CauseDescription
1Lack of awarenessPolicymakers overlook the potential of SOC and SH to contribute to solving the climate crisis when setting NDC targets.
2Lack of guidelinesThere are no strict and specific guidelines on how countries should develop their NDCs. The inclusion of SOC or SH is voluntary.
3Science DenialDespite the overwhelming scientific consensus that immediate massive climate action is needed to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement, policymakers often fail to recognize the gravity of the situation and instead prioritize actions that lead to immediate economic and political gains. 
4SH and SOC are not a priorityIn their sustainable development goals, countries do not prioritize SH, soil carbon, and immediate climate change mitigation actions in agriculture, forestry, and land use.
5Insufficient monitoringMonitoring systems for SH and SOC are not in place. Developing countries do not have sufficient resources to improve the measurement of SOC and assess the potential of soil carbon sequestration measures.
6Insufficient public supportCivil society's pressure on policymakers to require the inclusion of SH and SOC in NDCs is insufficient.
7Weak emulation among UNFCCC Parties.Insufficient information dissemination by the UNFCCC, e.g., through a global dashboard, to know what other parties are doing in this particular area.
8Insufficient science-policy dialogueInsufficient systematic monitoring of soils to understand how soil C content evolves after a change in management leads to a lack of understanding between research institutions and policy sectors.

Implementation Strategy A1 - NDC

Activities A1 - NDC

N°ActivityDescription
1Advocate for SH and SOC at UNFCCCBuild a unified voice of the "4 per 1000" member countries at UNFCCC (including the institutions that manage GHG inventories) to increase the visibility and recognition of SH and SOC.
2Analyze gaps and  opportunities

Help countries identify their knowledge and capacity gaps in monitoring SH and SOC and determine the potential for restoring SH and increasing carbon sequestration.

Gain more local information on the impacts of different land-use practices on soil carbon sequestration and how to improve national carbon balances.

3Support NDC development

Support countries in developing SH and SOC monitoring activities in their NDCs and national policies, involving all relevant stakeholders (farmers, private sector, civil society).

Promote the ability to quantify agricultural SOC stocks, monitor them, and effectively communicate the findings to policymakers.

4Strengthen national SH & SOC dialoguePromote SH & SOC at the country level through high-level meetings organized by scientists, NGOs, and farmers.

Critical Success Factors (CSFs) A1 - NDC

N°Critical Success FactorDescription
1GAFOLUP considered in NDCsInclude information on sound land management practices in agriculture, forestry, and land use management in NDCs and national adaptation plans to protect and enhance SH and SOC. If agriculture is not a country's primary industry, explain how to better manage SH and SOC in urban or natural environments, including abandoned areas.
2High awarenessThere must be sufficiently general awareness to encourage policymakers to consider SH and SOC in NDCs.
3National registriesNational registries must have adequate and robust data, institutional arrangements, and sufficient human and financial resources to track progress to implementing NDCs and include SOC measures as a priority in their NDCs and national adaptation plans.
4The soil in UNFCCC regulationsUNFCCC regulations must clarify that soils play a significant and critical role in countries' carbon footprints. National climate change policies and plans must explicitly address soils. 
5SH & SOC scientific competenceA country's science base must be strong enough to monitor SH and SOC in implementing NDCs and convince policymakers to act consistently in favor of SH and SOC.

Barriers A1 - NDC

N°BarriersDescription
1Insufficient dataThere is a lack of sufficient science-based data, technical equipment, and expertise to quantify SH and soil organic carbon to establish the national greenhouse gas inventory for agriculture.
2The effect of land use on SOC is unclearThe link between SOC and land management should be identified and communicated for each country. The UNFCCC process and national policy positions should understand that the causal link between SOC and land management is key to providing data on their C stocks and balance.
3CostsFinancial resources are not available to establish, improve, and maintain SH and SOC inventories.
4Insufficient science-policy dialogueInconsistent institutional arrangements impede the dissemination of scientific knowledge to decision-makers in the multiple sectors responsible for developing and implementing mitigation strategies. 
5SOC is considered for adaptation onlyIn the NDCs, SOC practices are seen primarily as a means of climate adaptation rather than climate mitigation. The UNFCCC process and national policy positions also constrain some countries to adopt policy stances that may impede direct SOC action.

Report your relevant activities and results

Your contribution to A1




A2-Project DevelopmentSupport the development and implementation of numerous innovative projects on Soil Health (SH) and Soil Organic Carbon (SOC)
A3-Share ExperiencesFacilitate an active multi-stakeholder exchange on innovations and success stories
A4-Stakeholder InteractionFacilitate a regional stakeholder exchange to initiate evidence-based transformative programs for on-the-ground action
A5-Carbon MarketsImprove the transparency, accessibility, and configuration of carbon market mechanisms
A6-Conceptual FrameworkDevelop a conceptual framework illustrating the interrelations between the driving factors of Soil Health (SH), Soil Organic Carbon (SOC), and carbon balance in Agriculture, Forestry, and Other Land Use (AFOLU) systems
B1-Investment PlansEncourage the development and implementation of investment plans reflecting the targets set out in the NDCs
B2-Technology databaseProvide an easily accessible database of good practices for Soil Health (SH) to practitioners
B3-GAFOLUP HelpdeskDevelop and implement a decentralized helpdesk providing advice for the successful adoption of Good Agricultural, Forestry, and Other Land Use Practices (GAFOLUP)
B4-MRV ToolsProvide tools for Monitoring, Reporting & Verification of Soil Health (SH) and Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) to practitioners
C1-Advocacy & AwarenessIncrease the awareness of all stakeholders regarding the decisive role of Soil Health (SH) in tackling climate change and improving food security
C2-Urge Soil RegenerationEnsure that production is based on the principles of agroecology
C3-Increase investmentsBoost investments in Soil Health (SH) and Soil Organic Carbon (SOC)
C4-Branding & CertificationDevelop, improve and implement Soil Health (SH) branding mechanisms
D1-Collaborative PlatformProvide a digital collaborative platform, including regional portals
D2-Regional networksEstablish, develop and expand "4 per 1000" regional networks
D3-Youth & SeniorsFoster the engagement of youth and seniors in the transition to agroecology for Soil Health (SH) and climate
D4-Partnerships & AlliancesEstablish partnerships and alliances to enhance transformative action on the ground
E1-MRV SystemsProvide a catalog of Monitoring, Reporting & Verification (MRV) systems for decision-makers
E2-Soil Health ObservatoryEnable near real-time monitoring of Soil Health (SH) and Soil Organic Carbon (SOC)
E3-Impact AssessmentProvide impact assessment tools (IATs) to evaluate the consistency of actions with the "4 per 1000" vision
F1-Twin RegionsEstablish the Twin Regions concept to boost Soil Health (SH) and climate action
F2-Resource MobilizationMobilize sufficient resources to ensure the implementation of the strategy and functioning of the Executive Secretariat
F3-"4 per 1000" DashboardProvide a "4 per 1000" dashboard delivering near real-time quantitative information on the progress of the Initiative

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