WASHINGTON (September 25, 2015)– South Africa formally submitted its national climate plan to the United Nations’ climate talks today. The plan includes a pledge to arrest its rising greenhouse gas emissions between 2020 and 2025 and plateau emissions for a decade for beginning to cut them. South Africa also had a robust adaptation section that compared the need for adaptation to potential levels of global emissions.

Following is a statement from David Waskow, director, International Climate Initiative, World Resources Institute:

“It is encouraging that South Africa has taken to the global stage with a commitment to peak its emissions between 2020 and 2025. South Africa’s plan is the latest in an important trend of developing countries announcing when their emissions will stop climbing.

“South Africa’s target for its peak is a wide range. To increase the chances that the world will stay below 2 degrees of warming, it will be important for South Africa to achieve the higher end of emission reductions in its plan. Cooperative efforts among countries to hasten the uptake of low-carbon technologies will help South Africa get there.

“South Africa should be commended for its innovative approach to linking the level of emissions with the need for adaptation. The country is the first to concretely highlight the inseparable link between global emissions trajectories and future climate impacts in its climate plan.”