Tunisia has unveiled a significantly more ambitious climate plan, according to a preliminary draft of its updated national contribution published by the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. The document, released as global leaders gather for the COP30 climate conference in Belém, Brazil, marks a major escalation in the country’s efforts to combat global warming.
The draft of Tunisia’s third Nationally Determined Contribution sets a new primary goal of reducing carbon intensity by 62% by 2035, a substantial leap from the 45% overall reduction target by 2030 outlined in its 2021 pledge. An interim target of a 46.2% reduction is set for 2030. The plan also introduces a more conservative, domestically-funded scenario aiming for a 31% reduction.
In a first for the country’s climate planning, the document outlines a clear mitigation trajectory through 2035, projecting a drop in net emissions to 24 million metric tons of CO₂ equivalent by 2035. This would avoid approximately 152 million metric tons of cumulative net emissions over the 2026-2035 period, with the energy sector accounting for 81% of these savings.
The strategy’s adaptation component has also been strengthened, expanding beyond the previous focus on water, agriculture, and health to include biodiversity, education, social inclusion, and youth, with plans to establish quantified targets.
However, this heightened ambition is contingent on substantial international support. The estimated financial requirement has risen to approximately $28.22 billion by 2035, a significant increase from the $19.4 billion estimated for 2021-2030 in the previous plan. The strategy aligns the country’s development model with new climate realities, integrating both low-carbon transition and resilience building in line with the Sustainable Development Goals.
TunisianMonitorOnline (NejiMed)
