On September 25, 2025, Colombia submitted a declarative version of its NDC 3.0 to the UNFCCC, outlining climate mitigation strategies and emissions reduction targets through 2035. The submission focused primarily on emissions reductions and deforestation control.
Further, Colombia committed to developing the tools and regulations needed to adopt Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, aligned with national capacities. The plan emphasizes emission reductions and climate justice, while leaving the option open for future participation in carbon markets.
NDC Submission Targets
Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) are the commitments submitted by each Party to the Paris Agreement, outlining national strategies to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and adapt to climate change. Countries are required to submit an updated NDC every five years, with each revision expected to demonstrate greater ambition than the previous submission.
Colombia’s NDC 3.0 was originally scheduled for submission in February 2025. However, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) extended the deadline to September 2025 due to the limited number of submissions anticipated by February. Due to ministerial instability and a major methodological shift, Colombia was unable to meet the initial deadline. Nonetheless, the country submitted a declarative version of its NDC 3.0 to the UNFCCC on September 25, 2025.
Main Reduction Goals
The central focus of Colombia’s NDC 3.0 is its national GHG reduction target. While NDC 2.0 sought to limit annual GHG emissions to 169.5 million tonnes of CO2 by 2030, NDC 3.0 set a more ambitious target of 155-161 million tonnes by 2035.
However, while the target is specified, the scope and implementation pathway remain undefined. The target is only presented as a national aggregate, with no sectoral breakdown provided (unlike the approach taken in NDC 2.0). As experts continue to call for greater clarity and sector-specific objectives in NDCs (as demonstrated by pushbacks due to the lack of details in Brazil’s commitments), a more comprehensive strategy is expected in the finalized version of NDC 3.0.
The reduction of black carbon emissions is also identified as a priority. According to the government, up to 85% of black carbon emissions (particles with a warming effect up to 1,500 times stronger than CO2) originate from the energy sector. Under NDC 2.0, Colombia committed to reducing emissions by 6,130 tonnes per year, but implementation has been notably limited. NDC 3.0 raises the ambition, targeting a reduction of 6,130 to 8,873 tonnes annually by 2035.
A further priority is the reduction of deforestation. In NDC 2.0, the country pledged to cap annual deforestation at 50,000 hectares by 2030. NDC 3.0 strengthens this commitment, aiming to reduce annual deforestation to between 37,500 and 49,999 hectares by 2035.
Article 6 & Use of Offsets
Colombia’s updated NDC also outlines its approach to Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. The country indicates that, based on its institutional, technical, and operational capacities, it will establish the frameworks necessary to leverage Article 6 as an implementation tool within its NDC.
Specifically, Colombia commits to developing the regulatory architecture required to enable participation in Article 6 mechanisms, while safeguarding environmental integrity, ensuring traceability and interoperability of national registries, and upholding international sustainable development standards.
The document does not clarify how Article 6 credits may interact with the Colombian Carbon Tax, nor how this fiscal instrument is integrated into NDC 3.0. This omission is consistent with recent policy shifts, as the Petro administration reduced the role of offsets in the Carbon Tax, first lowering the allowable share of taxable emissions covered by offsets from 100% to 50% in 2022, and further reducing it to 30% in 2023.
Importantly, Colombia specifies that avoided deforestation will not count toward its domestic reduction targets. This means that REDD+ credits could be transferred under Article 6 without the risk of double counting.
Adaptation Priorities & Vision for Climate Action
Following the submission of Colombia’s NDC 3.0 to the UNFCCC, Acting Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development Irene Vélez Torres emphasized that the NDC 3.0 should be understood not only as a framework for climate adaptation, but also as a strategy addressing environmental, social, and civilizational dimensions.
She highlighted that Colombia’s NDC establishes eight national adaptation priorities: biodiversity and ecosystem services, water resources, food security and agricultural production, human health, infrastructure, disaster risk management, cultural heritage, and human habitat.
Main Takeaways & Next Steps
Colombia’s new NDC places limited emphasis on offsets and market mechanisms, prioritizing direct emissions reductions and climate justice. The country has not yet defined how it will implement Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, but it has committed to creating the regulatory framework needed for future participation. By excluding avoided deforestation from domestic targets, Colombia also positions REDD+ credits for potential use under Article 6 without double counting.
In the coming month, Colombia will convene technical roundtables and stakeholder dialogues to refine and finalize NDC 3.0, ensuring wider sectoral alignment.