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The United States of America

Nationally Determined Contribution

Reducing Greenhouse Gases in the United States:

A 2030 Emissions Target

The United States’ Nationally Determined Contribution

Reducing Greenhouse Gases in the United States: A 2030 Emissions Target

__________________________________________________________________

INTRODUCTION

This submission communicates the United States’ nationally determined contribution (NDC) in

line with Article 4 of the Paris Agreement. The Paris Agreement establishes a goal of holding

the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2

C above pre-industrial levels and

pursuing efforts to limit the temperature to 1.5

Climate change is an existential threat and demands bold action. Solutions exist today to reduce

emissions rapidly while supporting economic growth and improving quality of life. Addressing

the climate crisis requires scaling the many solutions we already have, while investing in

innovation to improve and broaden the set of solutions, enabling multiple pathways to reach

global net zero emissions.

After a careful process involving analysis and consultation across the United States federal

government and with leaders in state, local, and tribal governments, the United States is setting

an economy-wide target of reducing its net greenhouse gas emissions by 50-52 percent

below 2005 levels in 2030. The National Climate Advisor developed this NDC in consultation

with the Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, and it was approved by President Joseph R.

Biden Jr..

United States Historic Emissions and Projected Emissions Under 2030 Target

Deploying zero-carbon solutions in the United States will create good jobs and improve the

health of our families and communities. Local air pollution reductions that come along with

reaching this goal will avoid tens of thousands of premature deaths by 2030. The United States

is committed to standing with the workers and communities too often left behind — people and

places that have suffered as a result of economic and energy shifts – and creating well-paid

employment in the low carbon economy. The United States reaffirms its commitment to the

creation of decent work and quality jobs as an integral part of its efforts to combat climate

change. The United States will work to ensure that our firms and workers are not put at an unfair

competitive disadvantage and cooperate with allies and partners that are committed to fighting

climate change. As appropriate, and consistent with domestic approaches to reduce United

States greenhouse gas emissions, this includes consideration of carbon border adjustments in

relation to carbon-intensive goods.

Furthermore, acknowledging that the worst impacts of climate change have hit historically

disadvantaged communities hardest, the United States is committed to environmental justice and

to prioritizing investment that benefits these communities. In addition, American innovation will

increase the diversity of available and accessible low-cost low-carbon technologies to eliminate

greenhouse gas emissions. The United States also notes the importance of natural climate

solutions, terrestrial and marine, in climate ambition and resilience. It further recognizes the role

of the broader suite of ocean-based climate solutions, including scaling-up offshore renewable

energy and reducing emissions from shipping and ports, in increasing climate ambition and

creating jobs.

There are multiple paths to reach this goal, and the United States federal and subnational

governments have many tools available to work with civil society and the private sector,

mobilizing investment to meet these goals while supporting a strong economy. The solutions are

affordable, and the cost of inaction far outweighs the cost of action in economic and

humanitarian terms.

Based on preliminary estimates, the United States is expected to have met and surpassed its 2020

target of net economy-wide emissions reductions in the range of 17 percent below 2005 levels

and is broadly on track to achieve 26-28 percent emissions reductions below 2005 levels in 2025.

The 2030 target represents increased ambition made possible in part through advances in

technology and resulting market responses.

A whole-of-government approach on climate action at the federal level will play an important

role in achieving our target in 2030, building upon and benefiting from a long history of

leadership on climate ambition and innovation from state, local, and tribal governments. Strong

and predictable policy frameworks support private investment in innovation and deployment of

carbon pollution-free technology and infrastructure, spurring markets that drive continued

progress. All levels of government and the private sector will partner to drive and implement

this NDC and create a more equitable, resilient, zero carbon future for the American people.

The National Climate Advisor and the White House Office of Domestic Climate Policy, in

consultation with relevant departments and agencies across the federal government, conducted a

detailed analysis to underpin this 2030 target, reviewing a range of pathways for each sector of

the economy that produces CO

and non-CO

greenhouse gases: electricity, transportation,

buildings, industry, and the land sector. Technology availability, current costs and available

savings, and future cost reductions were considered, as well as the role of enabling infrastructure.

Standards, incentives, programs, and support for innovation were all weighed in the analysis.

In addition to the techno-economic analysis, the National Climate Advisor and the White House

Office of Domestic Climate Policy ran an interagency process across the federal government and

consulted a range of other stakeholders, including groups representing: tens of millions of

advocates and activists including environmental justice leaders; the unions that collectively

bargain for millions of Americans who have built our country and work to keep it running;

thousands of scientists; hundreds of governmental leaders including governors, mayors, and

tribal leaders; hundreds of businesses; hundreds of schools and institutions of higher education;

as well as many specialized researchers focused on questions of pollution reduction.

Sector-by-sector Pathways to 2030

In developing the NDC, the United States considered sector-by-sector emissions reduction

pathways. Each policy considered for reducing emissions is also an opportunity to improve

equity and support good jobs in the United States.

The United States will decarbonize the energy sector, including by cutting energy waste; shifting

to carbon pollution-free electricity; electrifying and driving efficiency in vehicles, buildings, and

parts of industry; and scaling up new energy sources and carriers such as carbon-free hydrogen.

Actions to be pursued include, for example:

• Electricity: The United States has set a goal to reach 100 percent carbon pollution-free

electricity by 2035, which could be achieved through multiple cost-effective technology

and investment pathways, each resulting in meaningful emissions reductions in this

decade. Eliminating greenhouse gases from the electricity sector will also reduce air and

water pollution, improving public health while supporting good jobs building modern

infrastructure. Policies that contribute to emissions reduction pathways consistent with

the NDC include incentives and standards to reduce pollution. The federal government

will work with state, local, and tribal governments to support the rapid deployment of

carbon pollution-free electricity generating resources, transmission, and energy storage

and leverage the carbon pollution-free energy potential of power plants retrofitted with

carbon capture and existing nuclear, while ensuring those facilities meet robust and

rigorous standards for worker, public, environmental safety and environmental justice.

The United States will also support research, development, demonstration,

commercialization, and deployment of software and hardware to support a carbon

pollution-free, resilient, reliable, and affordable electricity system.

• Transportation: The largest sources of emissions from transportation are light-duty

vehicles like SUVs, pickup trucks, and cars, followed by heavy trucks, aircraft, rail, and

ships. These transportation modes are highly dependent on fossil fuels, with more than

90 percent of transportation energy use coming from petroleum. Transportation provides

essential access to services and economic opportunities, but has historically contributed

to racial and environmental inequities in the United States. There are many opportunities

to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from transportation while also saving money for

households, improving environmental quality and health in communities, and providing

more choices for moving people and goods. Policies that can contribute to emissions

reduction pathways consistent with the NDC include: tailpipe emissions and efficiency

standards; incentives for zero emission personal vehicles; funding for charging

infrastructure to support multi-unit dwellings, public charging, and long-distance travel;

and research, development, demonstration, and deployment efforts to support advances in

very low carbon new-generation renewable fuels for applications like aviation, and other

cutting-edge transportation technologies across modes. Investment in a wider array of

transportation infrastructure will also make more choices available to travelers, including

transit, rail, biking, and pedestrian improvements to reduce the need for vehicle miles

traveled. While the emissions pathways analyzed focus on domestic emissions reduction,

the United States is also exploring ways to support decarbonization of international

maritime and aviation energy use through domestic action as well as through the

International Maritime Organization (IMO) and International Civil Aviation Organization

(ICAO).

• Buildings: Building sector emissions come from electricity use, as well as fossil fuels

burned on site for heating air and water and for cooking. There are many options to

avoid these emissions while reducing energy cost burden for families and improving

health and resilience in communities. The emissions reduction pathways for buildings

consider ongoing government support for energy efficiency and efficient electric heating

and cooking in buildings via funding for retrofit programs, wider use of heat pumps and

induction stoves, and adoption of modern energy codes for new buildings. The United

States will also invest in new technologies to reduce emissions associated with

construction, including for high-performance electrified buildings.

• Industry: Emissions in the heavy industry sector come from energy use, including on-

site fuel burning as well as electricity, and direct emissions resulting from industrial

processes. The United States government will support research, development,

demonstration, commercialization, and deployment of very low- and zero-carbon

industrial processes and products. For example, the United States will incentivize carbon

capture as well as new sources of hydrogen – produced from renewable energy, nuclear

energy, or waste – to power industrial facilities. In addition, the United States

government will use its procurement power to support early markets for these very low-

and zero-carbon industrial goods.

Beyond the energy sector, the United States will also reduce emissions from forests and

agriculture and enhance carbon sinks through a range of programs and measures for ecosystems

ranging from our forests and agricultural soils to our rivers and coasts. Actions to be pursued

include, for example:

• Agriculture and lands: America’s vast lands provide opportunities to both reduce

emissions, and sequester more carbon dioxide. The United States will support scaling of

climate smart agricultural practices (including, for example, cover crops), reforestation,

rotational grazing, and nutrient management practices. In addition, federal and state

governments will invest in forest protection and forest management, and engage in

intensive efforts to reduce the scope and intensity of catastrophic wildfires, and to restore

fire-damaged forest lands. Alongside these efforts, the United States will support nature-

based coastal resilience projects including pre-disaster planning as well as efforts to

increase sequestration in waterways and oceans by pursuing “blue carbon.”

The United States also recognizes the crucial importance of reducing non-CO

greenhouse gases,

including methane, hydrofluorocarbons and other potent short-lived climate pollutants. Actions

to be pursued include, for example:

• Non-CO

Greenhouse Gas Emissions: The United States will implement the American

Innovation and Manufacturing (AIM) Act to phase down the use of hydrofluorocarbons.

To address methane, the United States will update standards and invest in plugging leaks

from wells and mines and across the natural gas distribution infrastructure. In addition, it

will offer programs and incentives to improve agricultural productivity through practices

and technologies that also reduce agricultural methane and N

O emissions, such as

improved manure management and improved cropland nutrient management.

NATIONALLY DETERMINED CONTRIBUTION

The nationally determined contribution of the United States of America is:

To achieve an economy-wide target of reducing its net greenhouse gas emissions by 50-52

percent below 2005 levels in 2030.

INFORMATION FOR CLARITY, TRANSPARENCY, AND UNDERSTANDING

Recalling Article 4.8 of the Paris Agreement, as well as decision 4/CMA1 and its Annex 1, the United States provides the following

descriptive and contextual information to enhance the clarity, transparency, and understanding of the United States’ NDC.

Information to facilitate clarity, transparency and understanding of the United States nationally determined contribution

1. Quantifiable information on the reference point (including, as appropriate, a base year):

Reference year(s), base year(s),

reference period(s) or other

starting point(s);

2005

Quantifiable information on the

reference indicators, their

values in the reference year(s),

base year(s), reference period(s)

or other starting point(s), and,

as applicable, in the target year;

United States net emissions in 2005, as published in the Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse

Gas Emissions and Sinks (“Inventory”) on an annual basis.

At the time of submission, this value is reported as 6635 million tonnes CO

e in the

Inventory submitted April 15 2021. This value may be adjusted in the future as

described below in 1(f).

For strategies, plans and actions

referred to in Article 4,

paragraph 6, of the Paris

Agreement, or polices and

measures as components of

nationally determined

contributions where paragraph

1(b) above is not applicable,

Parties to provide other relevant

information;

n/a

Target relative to the reference

indicator, expressed

numerically, for example in

A 50-52 percent reduction below 2005 net emissions levels

percentage or amount of

reduction;

Information on sources of data

used in quantifying the

reference point(s);

Information sources of data on greenhouse gas emissions and removals as reported in the

Inventory on an annual basis.

At the time of submission, Annex 6.4 of the Inventory submitted on April 15, 2021,

linked here, contains a full list of sources of data for the Inventory.

Information on the

circumstances under which the

Party may update the values of

the reference indicators

Consistent with IPCC good practice guidance, and paragraph 28 of Decision 18/CMA1

Annex 1, the United States is committed to improving the quality of its inventory and

will perform recalculations to the inventory time series as needed to reflect the latest data

and to maintain methodological consistency over time. The carbon dioxide equivalent

mass of net greenhouse gas emissions used as a basis in tracking progress towards the

NDC target will be the 2005 net emissions reported in the most recent Inventory at the

time of submission of the relevant biennial transparency report (BTR).

2. Time frames and/or periods for implementation:

Time frame and/or period for

implementation, including start

and end date;

2030

Whether it is a single-year or

multi-year target, as applicable.

Single-year target

3. Scope and coverage:

General description of the

target;

Economy-wide target of reducing net greenhouse gas emissions by 50-52 percent below

2005 levels in 2030

As described in Section 5, progress towards the implementation and of the NDC will be tracked using annual net GHG emissions for 2021 through 2030,

compared with net greenhouse gas emissions for 2005. The achievement of the NDC will be assessed by comparing net greenhouse gas emissions for 2030

with net greenhouse gas emissions for 2005.

Sectors, gases, categories and

pools covered by the nationally

determined contribution,

including, as applicable,

consistent with

Intergovernmental Panel on

Climate Change (IPCC)

guidelines;

The NDC is economy-wide. It reflects all anthropogenic emissions and removals as

reported in the Inventory, and specifically:

• All sectors, as defined by the IPCC 2006 guidelines;

• All greenhouse gases included in the IPCC 2006 guidelines;

• All categories, as included in the IPCC 2006 guidelines, occurring in the United

States;

• All carbon pools, as included in Volume 5 of the IPCC 2006 guidelines.

How the Party has taken into

consideration paragraph 31(c)

and (d) of decision 1/CP.21;

The United States has included all categories of anthropogenic emissions or removals in

its NDC. No source, sink, or activity that was included in the previous version of the

NDC has been excluded.

Mitigation co-benefits resulting

from Parties’ adaptation efforts

and/or economic diversification

plans, including description of

specific projects, measures and

or initiatives of Parties

adaptation actions and/or

economic diversification plans

n/a

4. Planning processes:

Information on the planning processes that the Party undertook to prepare its nationally determined contribution and, if

available, on the Party’s implementation plans including, as appropriate:

a(i)

Domestic institutional

arrangements, public

participation and engagement

with local communities and

indigenous peoples, in a

gender-responsive manner;

Executive Order 14008, dated January 27, 2021, specified that the United States would

immediately begin the process of developing its NDC under the Paris Agreement and

that the process would include analysis and input from relevant executive departments

and agencies, as well as appropriate outreach to domestic stakeholders.

The National Climate Task Force

conducted a whole-of-government process to develop

this nationally determined contribution. The process included a bottom-up analysis of

existing and potential policies and measures at the federal level, accounting for capital

stock turnover, technology trends, infrastructure needs, and continued subnational

policies and measures. The analysis considered multiple pathways across all sources of

greenhouse gas emissions:

• The energy sector including electricity, transportation, buildings, and industry;

• Land sector CO

including forests and soil carbon, as well as other opportunities

for emissions reductions, such as ocean-based solutions; and,

• Non-CO

greenhouse gases including hydrofluorocarbons, methane and N

O, as

well as other opportunities for reducing black carbon emissions.

In addition to the emission reductions included in the Inventory and as part of the NDC,

the United States continues to explore opportunities to advance reductions in black

carbon emissions and ocean-based emissions.

In addition to the techno-economic analysis, the National Climate Advisor and the White

House Office of Domestic Climate Policy ran an interagency process across the federal

government and consulted a range of other stakeholders, including groups representing

tens of millions of advocates and activists including youth; the unions that collectively

bargain for millions of Americans who have built our country and work to keep it

running; thousands of scientists; hundreds of governmental leaders including governors,

mayors, and tribal leaders; hundreds of businesses; hundreds of schools and institutions

of higher education; as well as many specialized researchers focused on questions of

pollution reduction.

The National Climate Task Force is comprised of the National Climate Advisor (Chair), Secretary of the Treasury, Secretary of Defense, Attorney General,

Secretary of the Interior, Secretary of Agriculture, Secretary of Commerce, Secretary of Education, Secretary of Labor, Secretary of Health and Human Services,

Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Secretary of Transportation, Secretary of Energy, Secretary of Homeland Security, Administrator of General

Services, Chair of the Council on Environmental Quality, Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, Director of the Office of Management and

Budget, Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy, Assistant to the President for National Security

Affairs, Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism, and the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy.

Following this analysis, modeling, and consultation, the NDC was approved by President

Joseph R. Biden Jr.

a(ii)

Contextual matters, including,

inter alia, as appropriate:

a(ii)a

a. National circumstances, such

as geography, climate,

economy, sustainable

development and poverty

eradication;

The United States is the largest economy in the world and the third largest country in

terms of population and geographic area. The United States is a federal republic of 50

states. The Constitution of the United States assigns certain powers to the federal

government, with other responsibilities devolved to the states. Local governments are

charged with governance responsibilities at the corresponding level of subnational

government. Indian tribal governments exercise governmental authority over a broad

range of internal and territorial affairs. This shared responsibility for policy in areas such

as economic growth, energy development, transportation, land use planning, and natural

resource use creates the opportunity for action at multiple levels. The United States

federal government is divided into three branches: executive, legislative, and judicial.

Each branch of government is assigned specific authorities and plays distinct roles in

enacting, implementing, and adjudicating laws and regulations. This same three-branch

structure is also replicated at the state level, and often at lower levels of government as

well. This structure creates a system of “checks and balances,” which shapes the

development and implementation of policy. Responsibility for addressing energy,

environment, and climate change-related issues within the federal government cuts

across each of the three branches within their assigned constitutional roles.

The estimated population of the United States as of July 1, 2020 was 329.5 million,

making the United States the third most populous country. This represents an increase of

over 30% above 1990 levels. From 2019-2020, the United States population grew at a

rate of 0.35%. reflecting both net births and net international migration. By 2050 the total

population of the United States is expected to reach nearly 400 million people. This

estimate reflects United States Census Bureau assumptions that growth rates will decline

slightly over the coming decades. The population is not evenly distributed across the

country; rather, the distribution of the population is affected by a series

of biogeophysical, climactic, social, and economic factors. In the United States, the

amount of energy used per unit of economic growth (energy intensity) has declined

steadily for many years, while the amount of CO

emissions associated with energy

consumption (carbon intensity) has generally declined since 2008.

With a mainland bounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the east, the Pacific Ocean to the

west, Canada to the north, and Mexico and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, the United

States is a large and diverse country. Its 9,192,000 square kilometers (3,548,112 square

miles) are spread across six time zones. Given the size and extent of United States

territory, its biogeophysical profile is diverse. Ecosystems range from the

Arctic tundras of northern Alaska to the tropical forests of Hawaii and the overseas

United States territories. Approximately 60 percent of land in the United States is

privately owned. Another 28 percent is owned and managed by the federal government.

This area includes protected areas such as national parks, wilderness areas, wildlife

refuges, and monuments; national forests; rangelands; and other public lands.

Approximately 8 percent of land is owned and managed by state and local governments,

and 3 percent is held in trust for Native Americans by the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

The United States is the world’s second-largest producer and consumer of energy. This

creates significant opportunities to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions through energy

efficiency, electrification of end-uses that currently burn fossil fuels, and carbon-free

energy supply. The United States is a leader in clean energy innovation and deployment,

with recent increases in investment into research, development, demonstration, and

deployment of clean energy, other greenhouse-gas mitigating activities, and technologies

to support resilience and adaptation to the changing climate.

The evolving energy mix has a direct impact on greenhouse gas emissions, with carbon

intensity declining largely as a result of a decrease in the consumption of carbon-

intensive fuels, and an increase in lower- or zero-carbon fuels. In 2020, United States

renewable generation reached a new record of 761 million megawatt-

hours (MWh) – approximately 19 percent of the total United States electricity use. This

was more than double the renewable generation in 2010, with more than 90 percent of

the increase in renewables over the past decade coming from wind and solar generation.

Total carbon-free generation in 2020 represented approximately 39 percent of total

United States electricity generation.

From 2005 to 2019, total net greenhouse gas emissions fell at an average annual rate

of 0.8 percent. This decline reflects the combined impacts of policy (e.g., efficiency

standards for vehicles and appliances and renewable energy incentives) and energy

market and technological trends. In 2016, the United States transportation sector

overtook the power sector as the leading source of greenhouse gas emissions for the first

time since the late 1970s, and represented 29 percent of 2019 gross United States

greenhouse gas emissions. Transportation emissions have grown significantly since

1990, in large part due to increased demand for travel.

The power sector still represented 25 percent of total gross greenhouse gas emissions in

2019, though its carbon intensity has fallen rapidly over the past decade. The industrial

sector as a whole, excluding emissions from electricity used by industry but generated

offsite, represented 23 percent of total gross greenhouse gases in 2019. The carbon

intensity of the industrial sector has fallen substantially, declining nearly 7 percent

between 2005 and 2019. As a result of energy efficiency improvements and other

structural factors – including shifts in industrial output away from energy-intensive

manufacturing products to less energy-intensive products (e.g., from steel to computer

equipment) – industrial energy consumption was only about 5 percent higher in 2019

than in 2005.

Agriculture remains a critical industry in the United States. United States farmers and

ranchers produce food and fiber crops, feed grains, oil seeds, fruits and vegetables, and

other agricultural commodities for domestic consumption and export. While the area

under harvest today is roughly the same area as was harvested in 1910, United States

agriculture now feeds a population three times larger and still exports additional product.

Emissions from agriculture come from a number of sources, including soil, fertilizer use,

enteric fermentation, and manure. Agricultural soil management activities, such as

fertilizer application and other cropping practices, were the largest source of United

States nitrous oxide (N

O) emissions in 2019, accounting for 75 percent of emissions of

this gas. However, soils also have the potential to sequester and store large quantities of

carbon, reducing atmospheric CO

concentrations. N

O from fertilizer use and methane

from farm animals’ enteric fermentation and manure are other large sources of

emissions.

Forests play a key role in the economy, ecology, and culture of the United States, with

the approximately 290 million hectares of forest comprising the fourth largest forest area

of any country in the world. This area has remained fairly stable since the beginning of

the 20th century, even as the population of the country tripled. In recent decades, the area

of forest land has even increased slightly. The dynamics vary from region to region. In

the East, active farmland is decreasing and returning to a forested state. In 2019, total net

sequestration from land use, land use change, and forests was approximately 800 million

metric tonnes of CO

e, which offset approximately 12 percent of total United States

greenhouse gas emissions. Sequestration was primarily the result of carbon uptake by

standing United States forests, forest management, increased tree cover in urban areas,

storage in harvested wood products, and the management of agricultural soils.

a(ii)b

Best practices and experience

related to the preparation of the

nationally determined

contribution;

The United States developed its NDC to be both ambitious and achievable.

It promotes the achievement of the Paris Agreement’s aims, including pursuing efforts to

limit global average temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius, as well as the need to

drive toward net zero global emissions no later than 2050.

The NDC was developed based on sector-by-sector assessments of emission reduction

potential informed by a whole-of-government process via the National Climate Task

Force, led by the White House Office of Domestic Climate Policy. Economy-wide

projections about future greenhouse gas emissions were conducted using a detailed,

bottom-up system dynamics model accounting for capital stock turnover timelines and

relative costs of technology and equipment in each greenhouse gas emitting sector of the

economy. It also considered and compared against economy-wide modeling from

external research. The analysis considered the emissions reducing benefits from federal

actions, including standards, investments, incentives, taxes, programs, and support for

innovation. The assessments also included consideration of contributions from

subnational actions, noting that states and local governments contribute substantially

under the United States federal system to national efforts to reduce emissions.

These analyses show that the United States can deliver on its NDC, including by

investing in efficiency, beneficial electrification, clean energy, plugging methane leaks,

addressing direct greenhouse gas emissions from industrial processes, climate smart

agriculture and forestry, innovation, and other priorities. These actions will also create

good jobs, improve public health, and help to advance equity and achieve environmental

justice priorities.

These investments will allow American firms to invest to develop and export innovative

greenhouse gas-reducing solutions and put the United States on a path to achieve net-

zero emissions, economy-wide, by no later than 2050.

a(ii)c

Other contextual aspirations

and priorities acknowledged

when joining the Paris

Agreement;

n/a

Specific information applicable

to Parties, including regional

economic integration

organizations and their member

States, that have reached an

agreement to act jointly under

Article 4, paragraph 2, of the

Paris Agreement, including the

Parties that agreed to act jointly

and the terms of the agreement,

in accordance with Article 4,

n/a

paragraphs 16 18, of the Paris

Agreement;

How the Party’s preparation of

its nationally determined

contribution has been informed

by the outcomes of the global

stocktake, in accordance with

Article 4, paragraph 9, of the

Paris Agreement;

n/a

Each Party with a nationally

determined contribution under

Article 4 of the Paris

Agreement that consists of

adaptation action and/or

economic diversification plans

resulting in mitigation co-

benefits consistent with Article

4, paragraph 7, of the Paris

Agreement to submit

information on:

n/a

d(i)

How the economic and social

consequences of response

measures have been considered

in developing the nationally

determined contribution;

n/a

d(ii)

Specific projects, measures and

activities to be implemented to

contribute to mitigation co-

benefits, including information

n/a

on adaptation plans that also

yield mitigation co-benefits,

which may cover, but are not

limited to, key sectors, such as

energy, resources, water

resources, coastal resources,

human settlements and urban

planning, agriculture and

forestry; and economic

diversification actions, which

may cover, but are not limited

to, sectors such as

manufacturing and industry,

energy and mining, transport

and communication,

construction, tourism, real

estate, agriculture and fisheries.

5. Assumptions and methodological approaches, including those for estimating and accounting for anthropogenic

greenhouse gas emissions and, as appropriate, removals:

Assumptions and

methodological approaches

used for accounting for

anthropogenic greenhouse gas

emissions and removals

corresponding to the Party’s

nationally determined

contribution, consistent with

decision 1/CP.21, paragraph 31,

and accounting guidance

adopted by the CMA;

The United States intends to apply a net-net accounting approach in accounting for the

NDC. Net emissions in the target year will be compared against net emissions in the base

year to calculate the percentage emissions reductions achieved. Consistent with Articles

4 and 6 of the Paris Agreement and any applicable guidance, in tracking progress

towards and accounting for the NDC, the United States intends to make corresponding

adjustments for any internationally transferred mitigation outcomes that the United States

Government authorizes for use towards NDCs, and for mitigation outcomes that the

United States authorizes for other international mitigation purposes.

The estimates of emissions and removals used in accounting for the NDC are those

reported in the Inventory, which follows IPCC good practice guidance and the guidance

included in Section II of the Annex to 18/CMA1. The definitions, data sources, and

models used to estimate net emissions are those described in the Inventory. The most

recent submission can be found here: https://www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/inventory-us-

greenhouse-gas-emissions-and-sinks

In accounting for the NDC on a net-net basis using the estimates of economy-wide

emissions and removals reported in the Inventory, and consistent with the inventory

guidance contained in the Annex to decision 18/CMA1, the United States’ accounting

approach strives for transparency, accuracy, completeness, and consistency, and

promotes environmental integrity.

The accounting approach described above is consistent with Article 4.13 of the Paris

Agreement, decision 4/CMA.1, paragraphs 13-17, and Annex II to that decision. The

estimates of emissions and removals used in accounting for the NDC are those reported

in the Inventory, which follows IPCC guidance and guidelines, and the guidelines

included in Section II of the Annex to decision 18/CMA1.

Assumptions and

methodological approaches

used for accounting for the

implementation of policies and

measures or strategies in the

nationally determined

contribution;

n/a

If applicable, information on

how the Party will take into

account existing methods and

guidance under the Convention

to account for anthropogenic

emissions and removals, in

accordance with Article 4,

Please see the information below on the approach to natural disturbances (e)(i) and

harvested wood products (e)(ii), both of which take into account existing methods and

guidance under the Convention.

paragraph 14, of the Paris

Agreement, as appropriate;

IPCC methodologies and

metrics used for estimating

anthropogenic greenhouse gas

emissions and removals;

In accounting for the NDC, the United States intends to use the IPCC 2006 guidelines (or

any updated IPCC guidelines that may be agreed upon by the CMA in the future), and

100 year global warming potential from AR5, for estimating anthropogenic emissions

and removals.

Sector-, category- or activity-

specific assumptions,

methodologies and approaches

consistent with IPCC guidance,

as appropriate, including, as

applicable:

n/a

e(i)

Approach to addressing

emissions and subsequent

removals from natural

disturbances on managed lands;

The United States may address emissions and subsequent removals from natural

disturbances on managed lands in accounting for its NDC. Should such an approach be

used, the same methodology will be applied for both the base year (2005) and target year

(2030).

The emissions and subsequent removals from such natural disturbances would be

included in the national totals of the Inventory.

Any approach used to address emissions and removals from natural disturbances will be

consistent with the guidance included in the IPCC 2006 guidelines and any subsequent

version or refinement, as applicable, and will draw on best practices generated by Parties

that have addressed natural disturbances under the UNFCCC and the Kyoto Protocol.

These include:

• Reporting the CO

and non-CO

effects of natural disturbances where natural

disturbances occur on lands that are subject to land-use change following the

disturbance.

• Reporting emissions from salvage logging.

• Reflecting the same methodological approach to addressing natural disturbances

in estimations for the base year and the target year.

e(ii)

Approach used to account for

emissions and removals from

harvested wood products;

The United States intends to use a production approach consistent with the IPCC 2006

Guidelines to estimate emissions and removals from Harvested Wood Products,

consistent with paragraph 56 of the Annex to decision 18/CMA.1. The methodology is

described in detail in the Inventory.

e(iii)

Approach used to address the

effects of age-class structure in

forests;

n/a

Other assumptions and

methodological approaches

used for understanding the

nationally determined

contribution and, if applicable,

estimating corresponding

emissions and removals,

including:

n/a

f(i)

How the reference indicators,

baseline(s) and/or reference

level(s), including, where

applicable, sector-, category- or

activity-specific reference

levels, are constructed,

including, for example, key

parameters, assumptions,

definitions, methodologies, data

sources and models used;

The reference indicator for the NDC is net greenhouse gas emissions in 2005, as

published in the Inventory on an annual basis.

The definitions, data sources, and models used to estimate net emissions are those

described in the Inventory.

f(ii)

For Parties with nationally

determined contributions that

contain non greenhouse-gas

components, information on

assumptions and

methodological approaches

used in relation to those

components, as applicable;

n/a

f(iii)

For climate forcers included in

nationally determined

contributions not covered by

IPCC guidelines, information

on how the climate forcers are

estimated;

n/a

f(iv)

Further technical information,

as necessary;

n/a

The intention to use voluntary

cooperation under Article 6 of

the Paris Agreement, if

applicable.

At this time, the United States does not intend to use voluntary cooperation using

cooperative approaches referred to in Article 6.2 or the mechanism referred to in Article

6.4 in order to achieve its target. Should the United States decide to use such voluntary

cooperation towards achievement of its target or to authorize the use of internationally

transferred mitigation outcomes towards the NDCs of other Parties, it would report on

such use or authorization through its biennial transparency reports and consistent with

any guidance adopted under Article 6.

6. How the Party considers that its nationally determined contribution is fair and ambitious in the light of its national

circumstances:

How the Party considers that its

nationally determined

contribution is fair and

ambitious in the light of its

national circumstances;

The United States’ NDC exceeds a straight-line path to achieve net-zero emissions,

economy-wide, by no later than 2050. It also promotes the goal of keeping within reach

a 1.5 degree Celsius limit on global average temperature increase.

Fairness considerations,

including reflecting on equity;

See 6(a)

How the Party has addressed

Article 4, paragraph 3, of the

Paris Agreement;

While Article 4.3 does not necessarily apply to this NDC, the United States nevertheless

notes that this NDC substantially increases ambition compared to the NDC previously

submitted in relation to 2025.

How the Party has addressed

Article 4, paragraph 4, of the

Paris Agreement;

The NDC is an absolute economy-wide emissions reduction target.

How the Party has addressed

Article 4, paragraph 6, of the

Paris Agreement.

n/a

7. How the nationally determined contribution contributes towards achieving the objective of the Convention as set out in its

Article 2:

How the nationally determined

contribution contributes

towards achieving the objective

of the Convention as set out in

its Article 2;

As noted above, this NDC exceeds the pace required for a straight-line path to achieve

net-zero emissions, economy-wide, by no later than 2050.

This NDC would therefore contribute substantially towards achieving the ultimate

objective of the UNFCCC of stabilizing greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere

at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate

system, and within a time frame sufficient to allow ecosystems to adapt naturally to

climate change, to ensure that food production is not threatened and to enable economic

development to proceed in a sustainable manner.

How the nationally determined

contribution contributes

towards Article 2, paragraph

1(a), and Article 4, paragraph 1,

of the Paris Agreement.

As noted above, the United States’ NDC is consistent with the Paris Agreement

temperature goal of holding the increase in the global average temperature to well below

2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and pursuing efforts to limit the temperature

increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, recognizing that this would

significantly reduce the risks and impacts of climate change (Article 2.1(a)).

This NDC is expected to put the United States on a path to achieve net-zero emissions,

economy-wide, by no later than 2050, which would contribute substantially to the aim

outlined in Article 4.1 to reach global peaking of greenhouse gas emissions as soon as

possible, and to undertake rapid reductions thereafter in accordance with best available

science, so as to achieve a balance between anthropogenic emissions by sources and

removals by sinks of greenhouse gases in the second half of this century.