Snapshot: Least Developed Countries

Least developed countries (LDCs) are low-income countries confronting severe structural impediments to sustainable development. They are highly vulnerable to economic and environmental shocks and can have limited levels of human assets.

Globally there are currently 46 countries recognized as part of the LDC group – 30 in Africa, four in the Arab States, 11 in Asia and the Pacific, and one in the Caribbean region – collectively constituting around 880 million people, or 12 percent of the world population. Eight are Small Island Developing States (SIDS).

The State of Climate Ambition: Snapshot for Least Developed Countries (LDCs), provide analysis for this group of Climate Promise-supported countries, surrounding their NDC status and implementation readiness.

The Snapshot builds upon, and updates information, from UNDP’s The State of Climate Ambition (Oct 2021). It explores NDC submission, ambition and quality status while assessing progress on key systems and architecture for NDC implementation.

It also looks at areas of past and future Climate Promise support and showcases champion countries.