UNDP and Climate Change: Zero Carbon, Sustainable Development

UNDP and Climate Change: Zero Carbon, Sustainable Development

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UNDP and Climate Change: Zero Carbon, Sustainable Development

December 8, 2015

Climate change is one of the defining challenges of our time. Over the past 100 years, fourteen of the hottest summers have occurred since 2000 and the world is already facing climate change-induced impacts, such as rising sea levels, changing rainfall patterns, increased droughts, and more erratic storms. These stresses have exacerbated existing economic, political and humanitarian issues around the world. Hard-won gains that have helped communities increase access to food, health, education and other needs are at risk. In particular, for the poorest and most vulnerable, climate change can undo decades of development.

However, the global response to climate change has never been stronger. 2015 has ushered in a new era of action on climate change and development. The outcomes of the Sendai World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction, the Financing for Development Conference in Addis Ababa, the approval of the Sustainable Development Goals, and the forthcoming COP21 of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) present new opportunities for countries to transition their economies toward zero-carbon, sustainable development.

Highlights

  • Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) are targets countries have agreed to publicly outlining the post-2020 climate actions they intend to take under a new international agreement to be reached in Paris in December 2015.
  • Since 2008, UNDP has supported more than 140 countries to access more than $2.3 billion in grant finance to develop and implement climate change initiatives.
  • UNDP remains the largest service provider in the UN system supporting countries on climate change adaptation and mitigation.
  • UNDP's support on climate change action spans across 115 countries with an investment of USD 853 million.
  • UNDP's support on climate change mitigation reaches 90 countries through a USD 643 million portfolio targeting protection of forests and energy access.
  • UNDP embraces a partnership approach to delivering climate actions at the local, national, regional and global levels.
  • UNDP has invested USD 666 million in 31 countries across the Asia and the Pacific region
Document Type
Regions and Countries