In a pivotal week for international climate action, Nigeria has stepped into the global spotlight by officially submitting its updated Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC 3.0) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Secretariat in Bonn, Germany. The move, announced on September 22, 2025, marks a significant stride in the country’s ongoing commitment to the Paris Agreement and the worldwide effort to limit global temperature rise to 1.5°C.
The timing of Nigeria’s submission is far from coincidental. With the 30th Conference of Parties (COP30) looming in November in Belem, Brazil, nations are under mounting pressure to showcase stronger climate ambition. The updated NDC 3.0 not only sets out Nigeria’s near-term emission reduction targets but also reaffirms a bold pledge: to reach net-zero emissions by 2060.
Simon Stiell, the UN Executive Secretary for Climate Change, hailed the submission as “a significant step forward” for Nigeria’s energy transition and climate resilience agenda. According to Stiell, “Every country is now in a race to realise the benefits of clean energy. By setting clear goals, Nigeria is sending a clear signal to the world that development and climate action go hand in hand.” He emphasized that the revised plan could unlock new opportunities in clean energy investment, create jobs, and position Nigeria’s youthful population at the heart of a green economy.
But Nigeria’s plan isn’t just about numbers and targets. The National Council on Climate Change (NCCC) made a point to foster broad inclusivity when unveiling and validating the NDC in August 2025 during a workshop in Abuja. Stakeholders from across the spectrum agreed on the roadmap before its formal submission, reflecting a determination to ensure that climate action is rooted in broad societal participation. As Stiell underscored, such inclusivity “makes climate action more effective.”
While Nigeria’s move is being lauded, the global context is far from uniformly optimistic. Just a day after Nigeria’s announcement, more than 110 world leaders gathered in New York for a special United Nations climate summit. The summit, part of New York City Climate Week, was designed to jolt nations into strengthening their climate plans and to accelerate efforts to reduce fossil fuel emissions ahead of COP30 in Brazil.
The mood in New York was a curious mix of hope and frustration. Helen Clarkson, CEO of The Climate Group, set the tone, declaring, “We’re here to power on. In the end, we either will have a livable planet or we won’t. It’s an uphill struggle, but we know we don’t have a choice. It’s up to us to protect what we love.” Her words echoed the determination of activists and business leaders alike who gathered for over 1,000 events during Climate Week.
Yet, not everyone was celebrating progress. According to the independent Climate Action Tracker group, the United States has experienced “the most aggressive, comprehensive and consequential climate policy rollback the CAT has ever analyzed,” as stated by Niklas Höhne, a scientist with the New Climate Institute. The U.S. government’s recent policy reversals stand in stark contrast to the momentum seen in places like Nigeria, raising concerns about the leadership of one of the world’s largest emitters.
Despite such setbacks, the economic case for renewables is getting stronger by the day. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told the Global Renewables Summit, “Ninety percent of new renewable projects generate power more cheaply than fossil fuels, and solar energy is now 41% cheaper than the lowest-cost fossil alternative. So yes, the momentum is real.” Last year saw a record $2 trillion invested in renewable energy worldwide—twice as much as was spent on fossil fuels. This economic shift is not just about environmental stewardship; it’s about jobs, growth, and keeping pace with a rapidly changing global market.
But even with these advances, the pace of change remains a sticking point. United Nations climate chief Simon Stiell noted that, while the planet was once on track for a catastrophic nine degrees Fahrenheit of warming above pre-industrial levels, we’re now looking at 5.4 degrees—still well above the Paris Agreement’s 2.7-degree goal. “We will have inched forward so progress is being made,” Stiell said. However, the consensus process of international negotiations is “difficult, but it is delivering.” Still, many worry that the progress is too slow to avert the most severe impacts of climate change.
For small island nations like Vanuatu and Antigua and Barbuda, the stakes could not be higher. Gaston Browne, Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, put it bluntly: “Every degree of warming is an invoice, literally a demand sent to small islands that we cannot afford to pay.” These countries have been battered by four Category Four and Five hurricanes in the past decade, underscoring the very real and immediate dangers posed by a warming world.
Adding to the urgency, only 47 of 195 nations have submitted new five-year plans for curbing carbon emissions, and these countries account for less than a quarter of global emissions. U.N. officials have called for all countries to submit their updated plans by the end of September 2025 so that experts can accurately assess the world’s progress. The world’s largest emitter, China, and the European Union are expected to announce their plans soon, but the clock is ticking.
Business leaders, too, are trying to keep spirits high. Australian billionaire Andrew Forrest encouraged leaders, saying, “Despair is not leadership. Fear has never built anything. We’re here today to lead by your very example.”
As nations prepare for COP30 in Brazil, the pressure is on to move from rhetoric to action. Nigeria’s submission of its NDC 3.0, validated by the NCCC and shaped through inclusive dialogue, stands as a beacon of what is possible when ambition meets collaboration. With the world watching, the hope is that more countries will follow Nigeria’s lead—setting clear, ambitious goals and backing them with concrete action.
Whether these efforts will be enough to bend the arc of climate change remains to be seen. But as the world edges closer to critical tipping points, the choices made in the coming months will shape not just policy, but the very future of the planet.
