At the forty-seventh session in November 2017, the Subsidiary Body for Implementation’s (SBI) Draft Conclusions included an invitation to the parties to submit their views on common timeframes for Nationally Determined Contributions (Towards Emission Cuts) by March 31, 2018. The SBI48 Session is to be held in April-May 2018.

One of the reference points that is a part of the Nationally Determined Contributions is the ‘Emission Peaking Target,’ which refers to the year when a country proposes to be the Peaking of Emissions to be followed thereupon by falling emissions. China has indicated that its peaking target will be achieved before 2030.

China (the largest emitter) seems to be leading in actions to move towards lowering emissions by adopting renewables at a faster pace than by any other country. It has dropped plans to develop new coal-fired power plants. China is also moving towards electric automobiles at a faster rate than any European country or the USA. France has taken a major decision to close all coal-fired power plants by 2021. Though Coal was only a miniscule portion of French power generation, not having even a small input from coal-based power is a big indicator of the possibilities to phase out coal. Germany on the other hand is probably not going to meet its projected cuts for 2020 as it is going through government formation issues.