South Sudan's Second Nationally Determined Contribution.

This Second Nationally Determined Contribution is a multisectoral document updating the first NDC to include the country’s changing climate and its development considerations. The main features of the document are (i) it reiterates its commitment to the Paris Agreement goal of limiting global temperature; (ii) increases the sectoral coverage and institutes additional mitigation and adaptation measures in the concerned sectors; (iii) it aims at ensuring that South Sudan adopts a sustainable and low-carbon growth pathway while also supporting the country’s Vision to transition from a least developed country to a middle-income country by 2030 supported by inclusive, stable and sustainable economic growth to alleviate poverty; (iv) it covers energy and emission-intensive sectors such as petroleum and mining, which are key economic drivers for the country; (v) adopting a holistic approach, it goes beyond the element of emission reductions but accounts for impacts on various social aspects, such as gender responsiveness and employment opportunities, for each NDC sector. The measures propsed regard the following sectors 1. Agriculture, livestock and fisheries; 2. Infrastructure (construction and buildings); 3. Forestry; 4. Biodiversity, ecosystem and sustainable wetland management; 5. Electricity; 6. Water 7. Waste; 8. Tourism and recreation; 9. Mining and quarrying; 10. Transport; 11. Industry; 12.Petroleum, chemicals and non-metallic mineral products; 13. Health; 14. Disaster risk management.
Agriculture, livestock, and fisheries are considered a priority from both climate change mitigation and adaptation standpoints. The aims are to cumulatively reduce agricultural emissions by 23% by 2030 focusing on (i) promotion and implementation of activities like crop rotation, reduced tillage, zero grazing, and rotational grazing to allow carbon to remain in the soil, thereby reducing GHG emissions; (ii) creation of targeted agricultural hubs to enable waste management and recycling; (iii) promotion of proper management of livestock; (iv) water harvesting and diversification of livelihoods of pastoralists and communities dependent on agriculture; (v) promotion of activities like the cultivation of indigenous fish species, fish farming as an alternate livelihood option, and restoration of fishery habitats. In the forestry sector, the NDC will support initiatives such as (i) forest management activities, including implementing policies and plans to reduce deforestation; (ii) encouraging regular monitoring of forest cover; (iii) sustainable management of forest through community involvement; (iv) increased participation in international frameworks, such as the REDD+ program; (v) introducing a community-based forest management approach for conserving forests and providing alternate livelihood options to communities. As regards biodiversity, ecosystems, and sustainable wetland management, the document proposes (i) protection of biodiversity, natural ecosystems, and wetlands; (ii) development of wetland inventory and ground research to monitor changes and promote measures for sustainable management of wetlands for improved carbon sequestration; (iii) biodiversity mapping and measures to reduce the deforestation rate by introducing alternate sources of energy and livelihood; (iv) development of policies for effective waste management to prevent discharge of untreated waste into water bodies. The energy sector will see (i) an increase in the share of renewable energy in the total energy mix; (ii) the use of energy-efficient technologies and decentralized renewable energy grids to increase electricity access in rural areas. The water sector requires multiple interventions such as (i) restoration of rivers and wetlands; (ii) development of wastewater and effluent treatment plants; (iii) installing proper water supply infrastructure; (iv) promotion of the reuse and recycling of wastewater; (v) water harvesting measures, rehabilitation of irrigation schemes and integrated water catchment management for ensuring adequate availability of water, especially in sectors such as agriculture and livestock. Regarding waste management, the NDC promotes (i) the development of solid and liquid waste treatment facilities to reduce the vulnerability of communities to negative health impacts by providing proper sanitation facilities and hygienic surroundings; (ii) waste prevention, minimization, recycling, and reuse in different sectors, such as agriculture, hotels and restaurants, construction, and industry. The NDC will ensure that activities in the mining and quarrying sector are controlled and regulated, and developed efficient institutional and governance mechanisms to restrict illegal mining. In disaster risk management, is deemed necessary to enhance early warning systems and develop education, and raise awareness among stakeholders regarding climate risks and response action, together with building the capacity of communities for response preparedness, especially among women.