Climate leadership in the Global South: insights from Ecuador and Brazil’s NDC submissions

Despite major implementation gaps in both countries, the experience of Ecuador and Brazil identifies six factors that enable the successful formulation and timely submission of updated NDCs in the Global South. These cases demonstrate how political willingness, institutional capacity, scientific strength, civil society engagement, strategic international positioning, and access to climate finance supported the rapid formulation and submission of enhanced NDCs, revealing lessons for other Global South countries seeking to strengthen their own NDC development processes, even under complex political and economic conditions.

Soria, R., Portugal-Pereira, J. Climate leadership in the Global South: insights from Ecuador and Brazil’s NDC submissions. Energy and Climate Change, Volume 7, 2026
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.egycc.2026.100277