Uruguay presents its Third Nationally Determined Contribution for 2035

Uruguay has released its Third Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC3) to guide its national policies with its climate engagements with a 2035 horizon. The NDC3 extends from 2030 to 2035 the unconditional cap on energy-related CO₂ emissions set in the NDC2 of 9.3 MtCO₂ and the additional effort of 0.96 MtCO₂ conditional on aid. As well, it extends to 2035 the 2030 cap on CH₄ emissions (at 818 Mt) and N₂O emissions (32 Mt). In its first NDC (2017), Uruguay had targeted a 24% reduction in CO₂ energy-related emissions by 2025. 

To cut emissions in the energy sector, the NDC focuses on energy efficiency measures, including in the industrial sector (cement branch), in transports (accelerated rollout of electric vehicles) and in refining. Conditional measures includes replacing fuel oil and petroleum coke consumption in industry by renewables in industry, raising renewable blends in oil products and boosting green hydrogen consumption, including in transports. Since most of its power mix relies on renewables (wind, hydropower and biomass), Uruguay doesn't plan any change in its power supply to mitigate CO₂ emissions. On decarbonisation, Uruguay aims to optimise the supply and demand management to ensure the complementarity of solar and wind sources, the hybridisation of its generation parks, the installation of Power to X systems, and the creation of new business models for surplus electricity. 

Within the energy sector, Uruguay expects to implement the National Energy Adaptation Plan (PNA Energía) by 2035, which seeks to improve the adaptive capacity of the Uruguayan energy system, strengthen its resilience and reduce its vulnerability to climate hazards. Hence, the plan has two objectives: the identification and detailed assessment of climate vulnerabilities in the energy sector, as well as the creation of a robust Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) system.