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Global Network News
UNEA-7 charts a path toward a resilient planet – The 7th Session of the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA-7) will take place from 8 to 12 December 2025 at the UNEP Headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya, on the theme Advancing Sustainable Solutions for a Resilient Planet. UNEA sets the global environmental agenda, provides overarching policy guidance, and defines policy responses to address emerging environmental challenges. Read more.
GEF adaptation funds accelerate action across 20 countries – Representatives of Global Environment Facility (GEF) member states have approved $106 million in funding for urgently needed climate adaptation action in Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States. Spanning 20 countries, the 11 newly announced projects and programs will support governments to achieve national climate adaptation priorities.
Survey: Share your thoughts on the Adaptation Gap Report! – UNEP's Adaptation Gap Report is widely perceived as an authoritative reference point on the status of global adaptation action. However, with a constantly evolving policy context, UNEP has decided to take stock of how the reports can continue to best meet the needs of its core audience and positively influence the global adaptation process in the direction of more ambitious action on adaptation. Share your feedback and thoughts via this 5-10 minute survey!
Adaptation Fund Climate Innovation Accelerator: Second phase begins! – Experts say that innovation will be essential for adapting to climate change in developing countries. The UN Climate Technology Centre and Network is working to drive this innovation through the $10 million Adaptation Fund Climate Innovation Accelerator, which addresses the main barriers of transferring climate adaptation technologies in developing countries, such as a lack of capacity and access to finance. Learn more about the opportunities here.
Podcast: How AI is tackling climate change – From predicting floods before they happen to reforesting landscapes at lightning speed, AI is expected to revolutionize how we adapt to climate change. Himanshu Gupta, CEO of ClimateAI, shares his journey from rural India to Silicon Valley, revealing how AI is helping farmers grow climate-resilient crops. Plus, Eleonore Fournier-Tombs from the UN University shares some groundbreaking uses of AI and how to balance innovation with ethics.
6 ways technology is breaking down barriers in climate adaptation for global value chains – Extreme weather events, resource limitations, and shifting environmental patterns are increasingly challenging the resilience of global value chains. An article from the World Economic Forum looks at how innovations like Earth Observation, Internet of Things and drones, combined with AI, can be made more accessible, scalable and effective through collaboration between private and public stakeholders.
Successful climate adaptation strategies worldwide – A new report from The World Bank presents a wide range of examples of innovative adaptation and resilience strategies and programmes that are already helping communities and countries better prepare and respond to climate change impacts. These case studies also provide key takeaways and lessons learned, including information on how other countries can replicate or scale up climate adaptation.
Nature-based solutions can generate new jobs but investment in skills is needed – Investing in nature-based solutions (NbS) could create up to 32 million new jobs by 2030. This is according to a new report by the International Labour Organization (ILO), the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and UNEP. The report calls for increased and more targeted investments to the countries with most potential for use of NbS.
Danish Ministry provides funding to CTCN to ensure developing countries meet NDCs – The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark have announced the commitment of $4.3 million to support the UN Climate Technology Centre and Network. Denmark’s new funding will support the Centre’s Third Programme of Work, which runs until 2027 and aims to bolster the uptake of technology for climate action in developing countries, with a special focus on least developed countries, Africa and small island developing states.
Increase in climate-driven wildfires calls for more investment in prevention – The deadly wildfires that have swept through the Los Angeles area, destroying whole communities and causing billions in damage, reveal why countries must invest more in stopping these devastating blazes before they start. It’s much needed, as wildfires are rapidly increasing in intensity, frequency and duration due to the climate crisis and changes in land use, says Amy Duchelle from FAO.
News From The Regions
Africa
Community-based Adaptation in Southern Africa is gaining momentum. Here’s how to scale it up - Despite being around for over 20 years, there are still gaps in the policy context and limited resources available to realize the potential of community-based adaptation. Why? Experts from the International Institute for Sustainable Development reviewed over 50 policy documents from Southern Africa that revealed the gaps and the opportunities.
Scaling up climate resilience in African cities through the EPIC Model – In partnership with UNEP-GAN, the Educational Partnerships for Innovation in Communities (EPIC) Model was introduced to a number of African cities to strengthen climate adaptation and resilience. Four capacity-building workshops were organized in late 2024, bringing together city-university officials in Banjul, Lusaka, Mombasa, and Monrovia. These workshops sparked innovative projects to build climate resilience.
News from the Regions
Asia Pacific
In Bangladesh, brick houses provide shelter from the storms – To help communities cope with water-related disasters, UNEP and several partners launched a pilot project to build flood-resilient homes across the country. So far, the effort – also supported by the UNEP Copenhagen Climate Centre and BRAC, an international development organization – has built 37 residences. In a country where more than 7,000 cyclone shelters are estimated to be needed by 2025, these types of homes are essential.
How 1.4bn Indians are adapting to climate change (paywall) – India faces worsening climate challenges, including heatwaves, floods, and water scarcity. Adaptation efforts include migration, early-warning systems, and new construction techniques. Cities struggle with extreme heat, especially in slums, while over 100 jurisdictions have heat action plans. Despite obstacles, experts believe innovation will accelerate as the crisis intensifies, though India's adaptation needs remain underfunded and complex.
Top UN court to begin hearings on landmark climate change case – The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has begun hearings in a landmark climate change case, examining what countries worldwide are legally required to do to combat climate change and help vulnerable nations fight its devastating impact. After years of lobbying by Pacific island nations, the UN General Assembly asked the ICJ last year for an opinion on “the obligations of States in respect of climate change.”
News from the Regions
Latin America & the Caribbean
As drought sets in, farmers in Saint Kitts and Nevis turn to technology for help – Saint Kitts and Nevis—a twin-island nation—is increasingly vulnerable to the effects of climate change, including drought. To help farmers contend with drought, the Us Climate Technology Centre and Network – with tech company HR Wallingford and the Saint Kitts and Nevis Department of Environment – developed a system that can forecast droughts and predict groundwater availability.
Expression of Interest: Assessment Study on Developing Debt for Nature and Climate Swaps in the SICA Region – UNEP is inviting qualitied firms to submit Expressions of Interest to participate in the upcoming solicitation for an assessment to develop debt-for-nature and climate swaps and other innovative instruments to finance forest landscape restoration and conservation in the Sistema de la Integración Centroamericana (SICA) region.
Upcoming Events
February 13 - Water Management: Quantity vs Quality in Sponge Cities
February 19 - Webinar: Review of Nature-based Solutions in NAP Processes
February 23-28 - Gobeshona Global Conference 2025
March 14 - International Day of Action for Rivers
March 21 - International Day of Forests
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