Connecting Country Needs with the COP31 Action Agenda: Trends in Requests for Support
The latest round of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) is the strongest yet, setting a clear direction of travel for country-led climate action. Countries are now focused on implementation, and the support they request through the NDC Partnership offers insight into what is needed to deliver on their commitments, including priorities across the COP31 Presidency Action Agenda.
A new brief by the NDC Partnership Support Unit draws on 2,637 requests from 109 developing countries to highlight growing areas of demand and persistent gaps in support. A companion paper applies the same lens to each of the 10 priority themes of the Action Agenda, from finance and clean energy to health and oceans.
A snapshot of findings from the two papers is as follows:
Key Findings
Countries are quickly shifting from developing NDCs to implementing them. Requests to develop ambitious NDCs peaked in 2024 as countries prepared NDCs 3.0. Since then, needs have shifted toward delivery. The number of countries requesting support for whole-of-government capacity has nearly doubled since 2022, and demand for NDC-aligned investment planning remains high. Countries are also strengthening the foundations that effective climate action depends on, such as NDC implementation planning and whole-of-society approaches. The complexity of countries' needs are also increasing. In 2025, on average, countries requested support across six “building blocks” for effective climate action, up from four in 2021.
Sector-specific requests are rising. In 2025, more countries requested sector-specific support than in 2024 across every sector. Energy, agriculture and forestry and other land use are the most common sectors overall. The number of countries requesting non-sectoral support decreased sharply in recent years, driven by an increased focus on targeted implementation. Energy-related requests have increased steadily and are on track for a new high by the end of 2026, following the launch of the Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels Roadmap at COP30 and echoing the increased focus on electrification through the Action Agenda.
Finance and investment features in more country requests than any topic. All but six countries of the 109 actively seeking support through the NDC Partnership have requested finance and investment support, underscoring the strong demand for assistance in mobilizing capital for climate action. Yet 31% of requests to develop bankable projects and pipelines and 34% of requests for project and program financing remain unsupported. As countries continue to prioritize finance and investment support through the Partnership, it is imperative that support is efficiently deployed to meet these growing needs.
Adaptation needs are growing, and support is not keeping pace. Adaptation requests have the largest support gap across focus areas, with 21% unsupported. Unmet adaptation needs are concentrated in the water and agriculture sectors and in adaptation-focused studies and capacity development.
Three Action Agenda themes share the lowest support rate. Health, oceans and seas and youth and education are each 68% supported, compared against an 86% overall support rate. Meanwhile, health-related requests are likely to reach a new high by the end of 2026. Ocean requests are also rising, particularly for ocean observation and data partnerships, and requests for youth engagement have grown steadily.
Taken together, the findings point to where demand is strong and where more support is needed. Countries are setting priorities through their NDCs, and partners have helped meet 86% of their requests, in part or in full, through the NDC Partnership. However, significant gaps persist in areas such as adaptation, finance and sector-specific areas, including Action Agenda themes of health, oceans and youth and education.
Both briefs are designed to give partners an evidence base for targeting support where countries' unmet needs are greatest. Partners and members can draw on them for meetings and speaking engagements at COP31, as well as for ongoing programming discussions.
Explore global trends in “NDC Partnership Trends in Country Priorities and Partner Support” and insights from across the Action Agenda themes in “NDC Partnership Trends in Country Needs and Partner Support Across the COP31 Presidency Action Agenda.”