NDC LAO | Lao PDR’s Nationally Determined Contribution (LNDC)

About NDC LAO

Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) is committed to addressing climate change and contributing to global efforts to limit temperature rise. Our Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) represents our nation’s pledge and roadmap for climate action under the Paris Agreement.

In 2020, Lao PDR submitted its updated and enhanced NDC to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). This submission builds upon our 2015 Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC) and demonstrates our increased ambition in the fight against climate change.

Key features of Lao PDR’s 2020 NDC include:

1. Enhanced mitigation targets, including three national-level greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions scenarios
2. Extended coverage to new sectors
3. Increased transparency and consistency between quantitative targets
4. New short-term objectives for climate change adaptation
5. Expression of interest in pursuing voluntary cooperation to allow for higher ambition

Our NDC aligns with the Paris Agreement’s goals and supports post-COVID-19 recovery by boosting resilience and decarbonization. It also integrates with Lao PDR’s Sustainable Development Goals for 2021-2025.

Purpose of this Website

This website serves as a central hub for information on Lao PDR’s climate action strategies, policies, and progress, with a particular focus on our Nationally Determined Contributions. Our goals in creating this platform are to:

1. Increase visibility of Lao PDR’s climate action initiatives
2. Provide a centralized source for disseminating information related to climate change and NDC implementation
3. Raise public awareness about climate change issues and our country’s efforts to address them
4. Facilitate stakeholder engagement and promote increased climate ambition
5. Offer easy access to climate-related data, reports, and resources
6. Showcase Lao PDR’s progress in implementing its NDCs and other climate commitments
7. Support decision-making processes by providing comprehensive climate-related information
8. Enhance Lao PDR’s digital presence in the global climate action community, fostering international cooperation and knowledge exchange

We invite you to explore our NDC, learn about our climate actions, and join us in building a sustainable, climate-resilient future for Lao PDR.

Institutional Arrangements

Ensuring the successful and timely delivery of Lao PDR’s NDC targets, and the priority implication actions outlined in this Implementation Plan, is critical. In particular, this requires focused effort on the various targets of the NDC which are classified as ‘needing attention’ in this report. Additionally, given the multi-sectoral and multi-ministerial nature of the NDC and its targets, coordination across organizations and institutions on the implementation status is important, and institutional arrangements for implementation must reflect this. Figure 5 below describes the existing institutional arrangement for NDC implementation. Importantly, the implementation arrangement of this NDC Implementation Plan adopts the implementation arrangement of the NDC. Where possible, for the purpose of institutional efficiency and clarity, the Government of Lao PDR prefers to utilize existing implementation structures with updated responsible entities, rather than creating new ones. The line ministries will be responsible for collecting related data in their sector and provide these to MONRE for consolidation.

The existing implementation arrangement has been set up at the national level to oversee climate change priorities as well as the implementation of the NDC. The arrangement features relevant government agencies, as well as development partners.

The Prime Minister Office (PMO) provides supervision and overall management and monitoring of NDC implementation progress, as well as decision makings on behalf of the Government of Lao PDR, including policies, strategic plans, regulations. The National Committee on Environment was established by the PMO in 2009 as an ad hoc committee to monitor activities related to climate change, and broader environmental issues within Lao PDR. The Committee also supports the PMO on reviewing relevant draft policies, strategic plans, and regulations prior to the adoption by the PMO. MONRE has been assigned by the PMO to take direct responsibility and coordination with relevant ministries, development partners and local authorities, through this Committee.

The Department of Climate Change (DCC) within MONRE acts as coordination focal point on the implementation of NDC, including developing and maintaining data and information in coordination with relevant ministries, Lao Front for National Development (LFD) who is a national champion on ethnic group related affairs, Lao Women’s Union (LWU) as well as Provincial Department of Natural Resources and Environment, and the District Office of Natural Resources and Environment. These subnational entities are responsible for managing, implementing and reporting on climate change within their respective localities. In addition, MONRE has also established a Technical Working Group on Climate Change which consists of representatives from line ministries, international development partners, as well as from the private sector to support with the provision of technical advisory and recommendations on topics linked to climate change.

Institutional arrangement for NDC implementation

Roles and responsibilities of participating institutions

Entity	Mandate	Role in NDC Implementation
Prime Minister Office (PMO)	Centrally and uniformly screens and provides no objections for all development projects financing from the private and ODA including climate change projects before accepted by GOL (Ministry of Planning and Investment and line ministries) throughout the country. Review and approve a Prime Minister’s Decree which assign MONRE the authority on behalf of the Lao government of direct responsibility on climate change and coordination with line ministries, organizations, and local authorities accordingly.	Oversee the implementation of the NDC in close coordination with MONRE, National Committee on Environment and line ministries. Consider and adopt sectoral policies, strategic plans, regulations which contribute to the achievement of NDC targets.
Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE)	Develop policies, strategic plans, laws and regulations related to climate change and submit to Government of Lao PDR for approval. Develop and maintain data and information systems on climate change in a reliable, accurate and timely manner.	Act as focal ministry to provide oversight and advisory support to stakeholders including TWGCC on the NDC implementation, including maintenance of data and information. Develop policies, guidelines and regulations to support relevant Ministries in setting sectoral priorities in line with NDC implementation. Disseminate the NDC targets and priority actions to relevant sectors in central and local levels.
Department of Climate Change (DCC)	Coordinate NDC activities on behalf of MONRE with other relevant ministries and local authorities.	Coordinate NDC activities including MRV. Act as Secretariat of the TWGCC. Take minutes of the TWGCC, endorsed NDC reports. Lead the dissemination of NDC targets and priority action information to relevant sectors in central and local levels. Lead in tracking progress of the NDC implementation plan and inform and advise the TWGCC and MONRE.
Ministry of Planning and Investment	Review and approve all proposed projects submitted by line ministries including climate change and green finance related projects to ensure alignment with government’s overall 5 years 9th National Socio-Economic Development Plan (NSEDP) and priorities; Monitor the progress of project implementation with the responsible line ministries at the central and local levels.	Maintain the investment related information system and provide a list of climate change related projects financed by private, public and ODA that are approved, pending to be approved and closed in all sectors.
Line Ministries	Mainstream climate change into sectoral activities. Conduct studies, research and promoting the use of environmentally friendly technologies that mitigate GHG emissions and/or increase resilience to climate change. Coordinate and provide data and information on climate change from their sectors to the MONRE.	Mainstream priorities for NDC implementation into its sectoral strategic and development plans. Identify and execute sectoral climate actions that support the NDC Implementation. Provide sectoral data and information on the progress of NDC Implementation to MONRE. Support MRV of the NDC sector-related activities.
Lao Women’s Union	Representing Lao women in their development, protection of their rights and benefits including children’s, promoting gender equality and involvement of women in the national development.	Ensure engagement of women in the project design and implementation, evaluation. Provide perspectives on how the proposed projects may impact different gender of various ethnic groups.
Lao Front for National Development	Responsible for conducting studies and researches as well as making records on each ethnic group profile; Developing and monitoring policies related to all 52 ethnic groups in Lao PDR.	Participating in the project design, implementation and monitoring/reporting to ensure the inclusion of vulnerable and minority ethnic groups who may be impacted by the proposed project. Support the ethnic language translation or communication with the elders according to the participating ethnic groups’ unique cultures.
Provincial Department of Natural Resources and Environment	Implement and disseminate strategic plans, decrees and regulations related to climate change. Monitor and inspect the implementation of climate change activities, and report to MONRE. Direct the District Office for implementation of climate change activities.	Disseminate the importance of NDC and its implementation plan at the provincial and district level. Support the monitoring and reporting to MONRE on activities related to NDC implementation.
District Office of Natural Resources and Environment	Implement and disseminate strategic plans, decrees and regulations related to climate change at the village and district levels. Advise and coordinate with village authorities for implementation and assessment of climate change activities. Report to the Provincial Department and district governors on the climate change activities.	Disseminate and advise village authorities for awareness raising on NDC Implementation. Participate in activities related to climate change and NDC Implementation. Monitoring and reporting to Provincial department on activities related to climate change and progress of NDC implementation.
Village Authority for Natural Resources and Environment	Implement and disseminate strategic plans, decrees and regulations related to climate change at the village level Monitor and inspect the implementation of climate change activities. Coordinate and report to district office on the implementation of climate change activities.	Monitor and inspect climate change activities in its own areas at village level. Implement community level activities that contribute to NDC Implementation. Coordinate with district office for updates and reporting. Beneficiaries of community level activities.
Climate Change Technical Working Group	Support MONRE through the Department of Climate Change on reviewing and providing technical inputs to policies, strategic plans and regulations related to climate change. Coordinate with relevant sectors at central and local levels on the execution and dissemination of related policies and regulations. Identify and propose effective actions to the government on climate mitigation and adaptation.	Provide technical review of sectoral polices, development projects and activities related to climate change and ensure the alignment with contribution to NDC implementation and report to PMO for consideration. Invite and assign ad-hoc technical focal points to review particular reports for reporting to CCTWG. Provide technical inputs and advice to DCC on the progress and results of NDC Implementation. Coordinate with line Ministries and development partners for information and knowledge sharing. Propose priority actions for the achievement of NDC Implementation. Submit recommendations of approval or on NDC reports and updates.