The climate emergency is a direct consequence of carbon-heavy land-use and agriculture, transport, buildings and industrial processes and polluting energy sources. Without profound changes to these sectors and a drastic cut to carbon footprints, there is little hope of protecting the planet from the devastating effects of a warmer world.
Below are climate-related news and events from the United Nations and partners.
The Climate and Clean Air Conference 2025 is set to take place from March 16–21, 2025, in Brasília, Brazil.
This year’s theme, “Accelerating Action on Super Pollutants: The Road to COP30,” highlights the urgent need for decisive action. The event will bring together country representatives, global experts, and changemakers, united with over 180 partners, to drive accelerated solutions for mitigating super pollutants and safeguarding our planet’s future.
From 12 to 13 March 2025, Bridgetown, Barbados emerged as a global stage for energy and climate action. Co-hosted by Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) and the Government of Barbados, the SEforALL Global Forum 2025 rallied leaders, policymakers, and industry innovators under the theme “Sustainable Energy for Equity, Security, and Prosperity.” Discussions spotlighted bold strategies to expand energy access, increase clean energy investments, and strengthen climate resilience.
A key highlight was the Small Island Developing States (SIDS) Ministerial Roundtable, “Small Islands, Big Solutions,” which underscored the urgency of securing climate finance and expediting sustainable energy transitions. UNEP's Global Cooling Pledge was showcased as a pivotal tool for climate resilience and energy equity, especially in heat-exposed regions like SIDS. With cooling demand projected to triple by 2050, delegates emphasized the need to embed cooling solutions in climate finance mechanisms and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). Having already gained over 70 Signatories committed to at least a 68% reduction in cooling-related emissions by 2050, the Pledge hinges on passive cooling, energy efficiency, and refrigerant transition to confront rising temperatures worldwide.
Looking ahead to the 2025 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30) in Brazil, the momentum sparked at SEforALL will guide stronger national climate action plans (NDCs 3.0) and ensure that sustainable cooling solutions remain front and center in global climate policy. UNEP, in partnership with SIDS and other international stakeholders, remains committed to weaving climate-friendly cooling into national energy strategies—securing a cooler, more resilient future for all.
According to the International Energy Agency, energy efficiency could provide around 40 per cent of the greenhouse gas reductions needed to meet the targets of the Paris Agreement on climate change.
TEVMOT, a project funded by the Global Environment Facility and implemented with technical assistance from UNEP’s United for Efficiency (U4E) has replaced 363 motors at 48 small businesses across Türkiye saving about 1.5 gigawatt hours of electricity a year, preventing the release of 685 tonnes of greenhouse gases.
Energy efficiency efforts like that are expected to be a topic of conversation when leaders gather in Barbados for the 2025 SEforALL Global Forum, co-hosted by the Sustainable Energy for All initiative and the Government of Barbados, led by Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley.
In commemoration of International Women’s Day, we highlight both the significant progress and the ongoing challenges in achieving gender equality within the Refrigeration and Air Conditioning (RAC) sector, known globally as HVACR (Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration). Initiatives from around the world, including countries such as Grenada, North Macedonia, Sierra Leone, Armenia and Peru, are paving the way for a more inclusive and equitable industry.
The RAC sector, traditionally male-dominated, is undergoing a major transformation thanks to the dedication and talent of women. It is crucial to break down existing barriers and foster opportunities for women to thrive in this field through specialised training and the development of advanced skills.
Today in Nairobi, UNEP and UN-Habitat Executive Directors revived the Greener Cities Partnership, which has driven sustainable urban development since 1990.
This renewed partnership highlights the complementary mandates of UNEP's environmental sustainability expertise and UN-Habitat's leadership in urban development, coming together to help cities become greener, more resilient, and more inclusive.
This partnership embodies the upcoming fundraising efforts focused on informality and climate within sustainable urban development, while also unfolding daily through ongoing projects, cooperation, and knowledge exchange on critical issues such as waste management, sustainable buildings, and urban mobility and transport. Together, they are shaping a comprehensive approach to the complexities of urban sustainability.
This complements the recent conclusion of the UrbanShift Africa Forum, which launched the Roadmap on Sustainable Finance for Global South Cities to help cities cut emissions, and an open letter from African mayors urging national governments to finance sustainable urban development and increase climate resilience.
📅 Date: 5 March 2025
⏰ Time: 14:30 – 15:30 CET
Join the first webinar of the series Cool Talks – The UNEP Cool Coalition Webinar Series!
The discussion will assess international trends in policy and the sustainable cooling ecosystem since the launch of the Global Cooling Watch 2023 and the Global Cooling Pledge, showcasing critical and available actions that can support achieving near-zero emissions from the cooling sector. It will also highlight investment opportunities in sustainable cooling based on the IFC-UNEP Cool Coalition Cooler Finance report, and insights from the Annual Global Cooling Pledge Progress Report 2024, which tracks country-level commitments and progress. The session will further introduce key priorities for the 2025 edition of the Global Cooling Watch, scheduled for launch later this year.
During the Green & Resilient UrbanShift Africa Forum, leaders from across the continent united to learn and share insights on accelerating transformative urban planning approaches—and the finance needed to implement them. Read more.
As African cities are set to double in population over the next few decades—and with one in every four people projected to be African by 2050—it's no exaggeration to say that people working now to advance sustainable and resilient urban planning hold both enormous responsibility and potential.
Register to attend this webinar on how to scale nature-based solutions for climate resilient cities.
Date: 4 March
Time: 14:00 -15:00 CET
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) finalized the outlines for the three Working Group reports that will contribute to its Seventh Assessment Report (AR7) during its recent 62nd Plenary session in Hangzhou, China. These reports will cover:
The Panel also approved the 2025 budget and will now begin selecting experts to serve as authors for these reports. Additionally, the Synthesis Report, which will integrate findings from these reports along with a Special Report, is expected to be released in late 2029.
The Seventh Assessment Cycle, which started in July 2023, includes:
The IPCC’s Sixth Assessment Report (AR6) was completed in March 2023, providing key scientific input to global climate policy discussions, including COP28. Read the closing press release.
Later this year, dozens of countries that have signed the Paris Agreement are due to submit new national climate plans, or Nationally Determined Contributions. Done right, experts say these plans could not only rein in the greenhouse gases driving climate change. They could also serve as blueprints for reducing poverty, improving human health, bolstering food security and expanding energy access, all while creating trillions of dollars in investment opportunities.
“When we talk about climate change, we usually talk about what we stand to lose as the planet warms,” says Martin Krause, Director of the Climate Change Division at the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). “But we need to talk more about the society-altering gains we could make by addressing climate change.”
Read about the biggest benefits of climate action, according to the experts.
