Enhancing NDC 3.0 in the Marshall Islands: Building Capacity, Policy, and Investment Pathways

The Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) is among the world’s most climate-vulnerable nations, with a population of less than 40,000. Yet it continues to demonstrate climate leadership through its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) 3.0, published in February 2025, which builds on its 2018, Tile Til Eo ("Lighting the way") long-term low greenhouse gas emission development strategies (LT-LEDS).

With support from the NDC Partnership and implemented UNEP-CCC, this new project will help translate ambition into action by strengthening awareness, policies, and investment readiness.

Specifically, the project aims to:

• Raise awareness around the NDC 3.0 through national and community-level outreach, ensuring that citizens, policymakers, and stakeholders understand the country’s climate commitments and the pathways to achieving them
• Review and update the Development Assistance Policy to streamline donor coordination and align external support with RMI’s climate finance needs
• Build national capacity on climate finance, equipping government institutions with knowledge and tools to access and manage international resources effectively
• Develop a resource mobilization strategy and pipeline of concept notes, supporting the identification and preparation of bankable projects under the RMI Electricity Roadmap and broader climate priorities

The initiative combines national launch events, awareness campaigns, community visits, and targeted communication tools with technical work on policy review, training, and investment planning. A strong focus on inclusivity ensures that local voices, remote communities, and multiple sectors are engaged throughout.

To be delivered within 12 months, the project is designed to deliver high-quality, practical outputs without overburdening national institutions. Collaboration with the Climate Change Directorate, National Energy Office, utilities, development partners, and regional organizations will anchor the work in existing national strategies, such as the Tile Til Eo 2050 Climate Strategy.

By enhancing capacity, strengthening coordination, and mobilizing resources, this project will position the Marshall Islands to take forward its NDC 3.0 with confidence, transforming international commitments into tangible, on-the-ground climate action.

 This work is funded by the NDC Partnership Action Fund, a funding mechanism for countries to have greater access to technical and financial resources to respond to climate action needs.  

Since 2023, UNEP and the UNEP Copenhagen Climate Centre have supported developing countries in fast-tracking their NDC implementation and bridging gaps in support with funding from the NDC Partnership Action Fund.