Countries' climate plans announced ahead of the UN summit reveal unparalleled efforts to tackle climate change. However, an ambitious global climate deal needs to lay the foundations for further efforts to keep global warming in check, a high-level Forum co-hosted by the European Commission has concluded.

Experts gathered at the high-level INDC (Intended Nationally Determined Contributions) International Forum in Rabat, Morocco, concluded that the intended climate action plans put forward by countries demonstrate governments' strong commitment to cut greenhouse gas emissions.

The forum focused on the overall effect of countries' contributions to the new international climate agreement, which is due to be concluded at the Paris climate conference (COP21) in December. The plans outline how each country intends to participate in the global efforts to tackle climate change and contribute to the internationally agreed objective of keeping global temperature rise below 2°C in order to avoid dangerous climate change.

So far, 149 countries, representing almost 90% of global greenhouse gas emissions, have communicated their intended greenhouse gas reduction plans to the United Nations. According to expert estimates, the proposed contributions mean that emissions would peak and start to decrease at global scale during the next decade. The Commission said that while this represents progress, it falls short of what is needed to put the world on the most cost-effective pathway to the below 2°C objective.

EU Commissioner for Climate Action and Energy Miguel Arias Cañete said:

"Countries have done serious work, approved at the highest political level, to design comprehensive climate strategies, many for the first time. This is unprecedented. The initial contributions on the table make a significant difference, but these alone will not be enough to keep global warming below 2 degrees. That's why in Paris we need to agree a long-term goal to guide our efforts, a process for taking stock of the progress made and raising ambition, and robust transparency and accountability rules. The new deal must show to the world that governments are united, determined and serious when it comes to fighting climate change."

The forum comes just before the last session of UN climate talks before Paris which take place in Bonn on 19-23 October and the publication on 1st November of the UN synthesis report on the aggregate effect of countries' intended contributions.