Advancing from Mitigation Ambition to Action (A2A) - Phase I

Following the Paris Agreement, the challenge for many countries was to translate their mitigation ambition into effective domestic action. The project offered analytical support to accelerate the continued development and implementation of the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), primarily through the articulation of the social, economic, and environmental benefits of mitigation. The project built on existing plans to develop a sector implementation roadmap supporting sector-level planning, engaging a range of stakeholders, and increasing the feasibility of ambitious sector mitigation pathways in support of NDC implementation. Beyond country support, the project provided a platform for international dialogue and knowledge exchange on the state of play of NDC implementation, and on key topics and issues related to increasing NDC ambition and accelerating implementation.

Project data

Countries: Argentina, Indonesia, Kenya, Thailand
IKI funding: 3,811,210.74 €
Duration: 11/2016 till 12/2019
Status: completed
Implementing organisation: TNO Netherlands Organisation for applied scientific research - Netherlands
Political Partner: Ministry of Environment, Water and Natural Resources (MEW&NR) - Kenya*

Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development - Argentina*

Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning - ONEP - Thailand

State Ministry of National Development Planning (BAPPENAS) - Indonesia
Implementing Partner: NewClimate - Institute for Climate Policy and Global Sustainability gGmbH
Online: http://ambitiontoaction.net/

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State of implementation/results

Project completed.
Ambition to Action (A2A) supports Nationally Determind Contributions (NDC) ambition raising and accelerating NDC action. All outputs of the project can be found at: ambitiontoaction.net/…

International analysis and reporting: The NDC Update Report is published twice a year before the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) negotiations and presents a timely snapshot of developments relevant to NDC planning and implementation:

Five editions to date, next edition December 2019;

Regular survey from sample of 100 NDC planners and experts in over 60 countries;

Contributions from the IKI NDC Support Cluster organisations (www.ndc-cluster.net).

Benefits tools and analyses: Quantitative benefits-related tools, developed and piloted as part of A2A and available through the project website: Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)-NDC linkages: SDG Climate Action Nexus tool (SCAN-tool);

Air Pollution Impact Model for Electricity Supply (AIRPOLIM-ES);
Economic Impact Model for Electricity Supply (EIM-ES) quantifies impacts of NDC implementation on jobs.

Frameworks for qualitative analysis of benefits:

Transformation towards a decarbonised electricity sector;
Energy security benefits breakdown (in progress);
Political economy analysis for NDC planning and implementation (in progress).

Background papers taking a closer look at benefits narratives in support of climate ambition:

Linking NDCs and SDGs;
A ten-point agenda for delivering higher climate ambition;
When the stars align: investigating the influence of the co-benefits narrative on climate policy ambition.

Country Work:

In Argentina, A2A works to support the Ministry of Energy and the ‘Plataforma Escenarios’, an initiative and dialogue space which brings together key public and private sector stakeholders to develop and discuss long term scenarios for the energy sector. Focus areas include energy security and power sector transformation, contribution of NDC implementation to SDG progress, and employment impacts of clean energy pathways.-- In Indonesia, A2A works with the Energy Directorate in the Ministry of Development Planning (BAPPENAS) on various topics related to NDC implementation in the power sector. Focus areas include energy security and NDC alignment of energy planning, linking NDCs and SDGs, and the business and employment opportunities of different deployment rates for solar photovoltaics in support of a more ambitious climate policy.
- In Kenya, A2A works with the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) on options to integrate a sector-level benefits assessment (emissions and employment impacts) into their long-term power planning process. The team further provided focused input on NDC-relevant aspects of climate finance, mini-grids, and geothermal energy.
  - In Thailand, A2A works with the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (ONEP) and the Energy Policy and Planning Office (EPPO) to develop an NDC Action Plan for energy sector. In addition, the team explores the business and employment impacts of clean(er) energy pathways.

Latest Update:
04/2025