Kigali, Rwanda, June 2, 2025-The Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) in collaboration with the Rwanda Environment Management Authority (REMA), is implementing an initiative to enhance the integration and tracking of gender responsive and inclusive actions in the plan, in line with the ongoing process to update Rwanda’s Climate Action Plan (known as the Nationally Determined Contribution – NDC 3.0). This project is being supported by the NDC Partnership and the Government of Canada through the federal Department of Environment and Climate Change.

Through a consultative process, the project aims to develop a Gender Equality and Social Inclusion(GESI) Index and Simulation Tool to advance the integration and tracking of GESI in Rwanda’s Climate Action Plan. The tool is modeled after GGGI’s Green Growth Index, which measures sustainability performance across various dimensions, including social inclusion and gender equality. For Rwanda’s NDC 3.0, the tool will integrate sectoral system dynamic models and AI-based gender models to project how key gender and social indicators may change under Business as Usual (BAU) and NDC policy scenarios, supporting Rwanda to identify pathways that advance gender and social-related SDGs.

Through a two-day consultative workshop, government officials, development partners, NGOs, the private sector, academia, and youth organizations reviewed preliminary findings from the thematic GESI assessments and explored the proposed sectoral indicators. They also discussed the conceptual framework of the GESI Index and Simulation Tool, which assesses past and current GESI performance and showcases the potential impact of NDC policy interventions on key SDG indicators through 2050.

“This initiative reflects our shared resolve to ensure we leave no one behind in our journey towards climate resilience and sustainable development. It is a major step toward inclusive climate governance, where every voice shapes the future.” Stated Faustin Munyazikwiye, Deputy Director General of REMA, commending GGGI, the NDC Partnership, and the Government of Canada for their commitment to work alongside Rwanda to implement inclusive and impactful climate solutions.

Faustin Munyazikwiye, Deputy Director-General of the Rwanda Environment Management Authority (REMA), speaking at the opening of the consultative workshop to enhance Gender Equality and Social Inclusion in Rwanda’s NDC 3.0. ©GGGI Rwanda

Today’s consultation marks a critical milestone in the collective effort to ensure Rwanda’s climate ambitions are not only bold but also equitable, inclusive, and transformative. Integrating GESI into climate action is not a ‘nice-to-have; it is a fundamental enabler of effectiveness, resilience, and sustainability. By creating a clear, evidence-based framework of indicators and decision-support tools, we aim to catalyze more responsive and inclusive climate action,” said Ms. Caroline Raes, GGGI’s Country Representative in Rwanda.

According to preliminary findings, women, youth, persons with disabilities, and marginalized groups often bear the brunt of climate change, while at the same time playing critical yet frequently unrecognized roles in adaptation and mitigation. Data availability to back these observations and inform decision-making remains a challenge that this tool will address.

“With this initiative, we are saying loud and clear: everyone matters. Women, youth, persons with disabilities – every voice must shape the future we are building. If our Climate Action Plan is to be truly effective, we must ensure that it accounts for differentiated needs, capacities, and contributions of everyone in our society,” said Faustin Munyazikwiye.

Caroline Raes, Country Representative of GGGI Rwanda, speaks during the consultative workshop to enhance Gender Equality and Social Inclusion in Rwanda’s NDC 3.0. ©GGGI Rwanda

Following the workshop, GGGI will lead the development and roll out a dedicated AI-powered GESI Index and Simulation Tool, an innovative initiative leveraging the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support evidence-based climate action. The tool measures, tracks, and projects gender-equality and social-inclusion (GESI) outcomes in key NDC sectors, building on the Rwanda’s Climate Change Gender Action Plan (ccGAP) and aligned with Vision 2050 and the National Strategy for Transformation (NST2). It will also enable policymakers to measure how inclusive the proposed NDC mitigation and adaptation measures are, and to identify where gaps exist.

During the consultations, GGGI unveiled a conceptual framework of the Gender Equality and Social Inclusion Index Simulation Tool. Participants shared reflections and assessed the tool’s relevance and identified capacity needs for gender-responsive climate action in Rwanda’s NDC 3.0. ©GGGI Rwanda

During the consultation workshop, participants reviewed the preliminary findings from the thematic Gender Equality and Social Inclusion assessments and explored the proposed sectoral indicators. ©GGGI Rwanda

Group discussions to review the preliminary findings from the thematic Gender Equality and Social Inclusion assessments and explore the proposed sectoral indicators. ©GGGI Rwanda

Participants shared reflections and assessed the Gender Equality and Social Inclusion Index Simulation Tool’s relevance and identified capacity needs for gender-responsive climate action in Rwanda’s NDC 3.0. ©GGGI Rwanda

During the consultation workshop, participants reviewed the preliminary findings from the thematic Gender Equality and Social Inclusion assessments and explored the proposed sectoral indicators. ©GGGI Rwanda

Note to Editors

The Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) is a treaty-based international, intergovernmental organisation dedicated to supporting and promoting strong, inclusive and sustainable economic growth in developing countries and emerging economies. GGGI is supporting the Government of Rwanda with its ambitions to reach Upper Middle-income countries by 2035 and High-income country status by 2050, respectively, as well as become a climate-resilient and low-carbon economy by 2050.

The Rwanda Environment Management Authority (REMA) is the national authority responsible for facilitating coordination and oversight of the implementation of national environmental policy and subsequent legislation. REMA’s mission is to promote and ensure the protection of the environment and sustainable management of natural resources, thus ensuring that environmental issues and climate change are integrated into Rwanda’s development.

The nationwide consultations to develop Rwanda’s updated Climate Action Plan (Nationally Determined Contribution – NDC 3.0) under the Paris Agreement began in January 2025, marking a crucial step in Rwanda’s climate journey, particularly as the country faces increasing extreme weather events and experienced its hottest year on record in 2024. This updated plan, informed by in-depth analysis and extensive stakeholder consultation, aims to further strengthen Rwanda’s commitment to a low-carbon, climate-resilient future, aligning with the country’s Vision 2050 and long-term Green Growth and Climate Resilience Strategy.

About GGSim

The Green Growth Simulation (GGSim) tool was developed by GGGI to support countries in their green growth planning and decision-making, especially in the context of carbon neutrality. The GGSim tool was presented during the 2024 AI for Good Global Summit in June 2024. The tool was one of the 17 winning use cases to advance the SDGs, selected from 219 submissions from 38 countries at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference and High-Level Meeting for Global AI Governance (WAIC) that took place in July 2024 in Shanghai, China.

Photos

• View and download photos from the workshop here.

Media Inquiries

• Innocent Muvunyi, Senior Communications and Knowledge Sharing Associate, GGGI Rwanda
  • innocent.muvunyi@gggi.org | +250 788 353 906
• Germaine Mukasibo, Communications and Public Relations Officer, REMA
  • gmukasibo@rema.gov.rw | +250 788 775 456