Overall NDC Equity Score
Critically Deficient
Emissions Reductions
Aspiring
The NDC makes a strong effort to create ambitious emissions reductions goals, but lacks commitment to reducing emissions.
Gender Justice
Insufficient
The NDC makes an effort to acknowledge gender mainstreaming activities, but still lacks commitments to sustained long-term inclusion, clear indicators for increasing empowerment, and availability of gender disaggregated data.
Youth Inclusion
Critically Deficient
The NDC has significant gaps in addressing youth inclusion, potentially ignoring young people altogether.
Summary
Madagascar is categorized as one of the world’s Least Developed Countries (LDCs), facing many socio-economic challenges. Madagascar contributes 0,1% of global emissions and has a low responsibility level in addressing the climate crisis.
Madagascar, known as the “red island” for its distinctive soil, is a haven of biodiversity both in its landscape and people. Over 90% of its species are endemic to the island and the Malagasy people represent 18 distinct ethnic groups. However, the island is grappling with severe climate threats, having weathered 70 major natural disasters in the past three decades, alongside rising sea levels and temperatures. These phenomena not only endanger the island’s ecosystems but also the well-being of its 26.91 million inhabitants, majority of whom live in poverty and suffer from malnutrition.
Despite facing major challenges related to climate change, Madagascar is playing a crucial role in the climate movement by implementing ambitious mitigation and adaptation strategies. By 2030, it pledges to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 28% and increase carbon absorption capacity by 20%, targeting the sectors of deforestation, agriculture, and energy. The country is striving to secure a sustainable future and aims to enhance community resilience, restore natural ecosystems, improve resource management, and address its external financial dependence and institutional capacity building.
Highlights
- Targets carbon emission reductions in the key sectors of agriculture, land use, energy, and waste
- Promotes climate change resiliency, identifying opportunities for innovation in agricultural biodiversity, improving water resource management, strengthening health infrastructures, and climate-resilient urban planning
- Prioritizes investment in infrastructure and social services to enhance the capacity of stakeholders and establish information networks
- Acknowledges the significance of gender inclusive action and women as agents of change
- Commits to increasing public information access, awareness-raising, and education on climate change
Lowlights
- Fails to include gender, youth and indigenous people’s perspectives in the development of the NDCs.
- Omission of disaggregated gender data.
- Lack of any information, measures or commitments to youth inclusion, vulnerability, or role as change agents.
- NDC implementation is overly dependent on external funding.
Key Recommendations
The analysis found a lack of recognition and mechanisms to engage youth as important stakeholders in the development and implementation of its NDC pledges, actions, and efforts to promote the reduction of greenhouse gases, increase resilience, and decrease vulnerability to the cascading impacts of climate change. Further, Madagascar’s next NDC must follow through on and enhance its gender justice commitments, clearly identifying consultative mechanisms, metrics for increasing gender equality, and providing gender disaggregated data.
The lack of sustained inclusion and clear actions for strengthening gender and intergenerational justice threatens the development of policies that are need-based and reflective of local realities. The following are key recommendations for the improvement of future NDCs and other national climate plans:
For Gender Mainstreaming
- Make an explicit effort to include women and LGBTQ+ people high-level climate policy discussions and decision-making processes
- Provide specific analysis of gender impacts in mitigation and adaptation efforts to ensure a balanced outcome
- Facilitate platforms and policies that create enabling environment for women empowerment as agents of change in tackling climate change
For Youth Inclusion
- Acknowledge young people' vulnerability to the climate crisis and role as change agents.
- Create a decision-making platform to engage young people in the planning and implementation of climate-related policies and decisions.
- Foster intergenerational dialogues to inform climate policies
- Deploy tailored environmental education programs in schools and universities and allocate budgetary resources for youth-led climate initiatives to enhance their engagement and capabilities
- Establish tailored programs for rural youth to bolster climate resilience
NDC Ambassador - Author
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