Energy and Climate

Our work areas

Energy and Climate

75%

of global greenhouse gas emissions come from the energy sector.

3.5 billion

people, approximately, live in contexts that are highly vulnerable to climate change.

Our focus

Sustainable energy is critical to support both climate change mitigation by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and climate change adaptation by helping communities build resilience across key sectors, including agriculture and health.

Through our Climate Promise, UNDP works with over 120 countries to help them develop and implement ambitious climate mitigation and adaptation goals – also called Nationally Determined Contributions, or NDCs – under the Paris Agreement.

Sustainable energy for climate change mitigation

The way we produce and consume energy is the leading driver of the climate crisis. Three-quarters of global greenhouse gas emissions come from our current fossil-fuel based energy sector. Transition out of fossil fuels and towards sustainable energy sources is the only way to stop the rise in global temperatures and its devastating effects on people and the wider natural world that we depend on.

The three pillars of the Sustainable Energy Hub’s work climate change mitigation are:

Climate Promise

UNDP’s Climate Promise works with 120 countries to enable them to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and meet the challenges of climate change.

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Energy transition

Assisting governments to achieve a just energy transition.

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Carbon Finance for Development

Harnessing new carbon markets mechanisms under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement to support countries achieve local development and global climate goals.

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Sustainable energy for climate change adaptation

Climate change is here, and it impacts the world’s poorest the hardest. UNDP’s climate change adaptation work supports locally-driven climate-resilient pathways, uniting efforts across nature, climate and energy to help protect people and the planet from the impacts of the climate crisis. We have an opportunity, as UNDP, to advance integrated, holistic solutions.

Sustainable energy solutions are a powerful means to enhance community resilience in the face of climate change. Key energy-climate change adaptation-resilience nexus areas include:

UNDP's ABADEI programme reaches underserved Afghanis with business support,

Energy Access for Resilience

access to energy, especially when it supports the productive uses of energy, enables socio-economic development. The productive use of energy enhances the quality and productivity of sectors that require energy input such as agriculture, healthcare, education, and small businesses.

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Agriculture and Food Security

Climate and energy-smart agricultural practices, such as solar-powered irrigation systems and cold-storage for seeds, support farmers’ livelihoods and a community’s food security.

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Climate information and early warning systems

Providing people with the information they need and enhancing evidence-based decision-making saves lives and protects livelihoods. Decentralized renewable energy solutions helps to power the information and communications infrastructure and technologies needed.

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Water Management

Sustainable energy solutions help to enhance access to clean water across sectors. In particular, solar-powered water pumps support crop irrigation systems and help to bring clean water to health centers and villages.

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Health

Climate change has far-reaching impacts on human health and well-being. Sustainable energy solutions help to protect people’s health by both reducing air pollution and enhancing access to healthcare through the electrification of health centres.

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Women training to be solar engineers in Peru

Gender

Because women and girls are disproportionately impacts by the climate crisis and by the lack of access to energy, sustainable energy solutions are critical to advancing gender equality and improving women’s resilience.

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UNDP Climate Change Adaptation Portal

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