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The Adaptation Initiative for Climate Vulnerable Offshore Small Islands and Riverine Charland in Bangladesh Project, a collaborative effort between the Department of Environment (DoE) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), was launched on Wednesday with an inception workshop at Charfesson Upazila Parishad in Bhola. 

This five-year project, initiated in January 2023 and funded by the Adaptation Fund through UNDP, aims to significantly enhance climate resilience at both household and community levels. The project encompasses a multifaceted approach to address the diverse challenges posed by climate change, with a focus on vulnerable communities living on coastal islands and riverine chars in Bangladesh.  

Stories UNDP

Fiji Government representatives, United Nations (UN) agencies and other key stakeholders have convened in Suva to lead an important initiative aimed at strengthening Early Warning Systems (EWS) in Fiji. Spearheaded by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Pacific Office in Fiji, the core objective of the initiative is to develop a Green Climate Fund (GCF) proposal that will address challenges and improve the effectiveness of Fiji’s EWS.

Despite the acknowledged efficacy of EWS in mitigating disasters, global deficiencies persist, particularly in translating warnings into timely actions. In response to this pressing need, the Early Warning for All (EW4All) initiative was launched by the United Nations Secretary-General in 2022.

In his opening address, Minister for Rural and Maritime Development and Disaster Management, the Honorable Sakiasi Ditoka, emphasized the pressing need for Pacific Island Countries to confront the dual challenges of frequent natural hazards and limited risk management capacity. “The Advancing Early Warning for All project is more than just a project; it's a commitment to the safety and well-being of every Fijian. Through our collective efforts, we can ensure that our nation is better prepared, more resilient, and capable of thriving in the face of adversity,” Minister Ditoka stated.

Stories UNDP

A national consultation workshop on the Green and Resilient Debt Platform (GRDP) organized by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Dhaka has focused on mobilizing debt capital for sustainable initiatives through innovative financial instruments.  

In light of the growing climate crisis and Bangladesh’s national and international commitments on climate actions, there is an escalating need for climate finance.

Despite a global increase in climate finance - to $940 billion in 2021 - there remains a significant gap in reaching the most vulnerable nations. In response, the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the Nordic Development Fund, in collaboration with UNDP, are launching a multi-country project proposal to the Green Climate Fund (GCF) called the Green and Resilience Debt Platform (GRDP).

Stories UNDP

The Government of Uganda has officially gazetted all wetlands in the country, recognizing their critical role in protecting communities from climate change and providing essential benefits for millions. This landmark decision is aligned to the Ramsar Convention and comes after years of collaboration between the Government, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and partners on restoration of wetlands and associated catchments. 

On behalf of the President of the Republic of Uganda, Hon. Kasule Lumumba, the Minister for General Duties and focal point minister for the Sustainable Development Goals called upon all leaders at all levels in the country especially the local councils to wake up and protect all wetlands.

Through the Green Climate Fund-funded project "Building Resilient Communities, Wetland Ecosystems and Associated Catchments in Uganda", UNDP has played a pivotal role in revitalizing these fragile ecosystems. The project has empowered communities surrounding the wetlands especially women, girls and youth with alternative livelihood and economic opportunities, while simultaneously enhancing the technical capacity of relevant institutions under the Ministry of Water and Environment, the Uganda National Meteorological Authority, the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries and selected District Local Governments.

PreventionWeb

French organisation, Association la Voûte Nubienne (AVN), has enabled the construction of over 7,000 of ‘Nubian vault’ climate-friendly houses in Burkina Faso, Mali, Senegal, Mauritania, Ghana and Benin since the year 2000, using the 3000 year-old Nubian Vault traditional technique originating in Upper-Egypt.

Anne-Cécile Ragot, the project lead at AVN, says every one of these arched homes built in the Sahel saves on the carbon emissions usually associated with construction and indoor cooling. A few years ago, Ragot and her team began wondering if they could use this fact to scale up construction: could the carbon savings from one family’s Nubian Vault fund the construction of another?

They managed to secure support from the UNDP-Adaptation Fund Climate Innovation Accelerator (AFCIA) to answer this question. AFCIA grants are intended to help accelerate innovative technologies, practices and business models for local adaptation, by tapping into the incredible potential of NGOs, civil society, women and young innovators.

 

Stories UNDP

“Climate justice means providing a safe environment now for people, and for action now and not later. Scientists have predicted Tuvalu will be uninhabitable by 2050. This is why we are advocating for social justice alongside climate justice,” says Teresa Lifuka-Drecala.

Under the Tuvalu Coastal Adaptation Project, implemented by UNDP and financed by the Green Climate Fund, 7.3 hectares of new, raised land has been installed in the Tuvalu capital of Funafuti, providing flood-free areas for island communities. Now, plans are underway to safeguard the long-term future of the island, with barriers stretching 665 meters along the coast on the outer island of Nanumaga and 1,330-meters on the island of Nanumea.  

These “Berm Top Barriers” consist of bags filled with local sand and water, revegetated to fit in with the natural environment. The barriers will protect communities from salt intrusion in food and water, and from large cyclone events and waves overtopping road infrastructure and buildings.  

The vision is not only to protect the island, but the community and wider identity of the people of Tuvalu.  

ReliefWeb

The costs of transitioning to a low-carbon, climate-resilient future are immense (although it the cost of inaction is even greater) and governments alone are unable to shoulder them. It is estimated that the agriculture and land use sectors alone require 26 times more than current levels of funding.

Until now however, the private sector has not been fully engaged in climate action, and especially in climate adaptation. Shovon Kibria, Private Sector Engagement Specialist at UNDP outlines four key reasons, as well as how the challenges can be turned into opportunities, and promising examples of progress.

Stories UNDP

In a pivotal moment for countries supported by UNDP, the Global Environment Facility (GEF) has approved US$208 million in finance to fast-track global action on nature and biodiversity loss, climate change and pollution control.

The funding will be deployed by UNDP to 20 countries, including eight Fragile States, seven Least Developed Countries (LDCs), and two Small Island Development States (SIDS), to tackle urgent and complex environmental challenges in a holistic way.

The new funds, overseen by UNDP, are anticipated to benefit over five million people –with a special focus on vulnerable populations– and to crowd in additional financing. Alongside the GEF, the private sector, Non-Governmental Organizations and local communities, UNDP will focus on aiding countries to curb coastal pollution, transform food systems, and bolster wildlife and biodiversity conservation efforts. 

ReliefWeb

UNDP's Deputy Resident Representative for the Federated States of Micronesia, Kevin Petrini, blogs on the challenges associated with climate change and water security in the North Pacific and what UNDP is doing to help.

Stories UNDP

Opening remarks from Ms. Alissar Chaker, Resident Representative at UNDP Cambodia, at SDG Investor Map deep-dive on climate change adaptation: "Today we are taking a step forward with the deep dive on private investment opportunities in climate change adaptation. This is key for Cambodia, as it ranks amongst the most vulnerable countries to climate change... Climate change is also expected to affect the private sector in the country. It is against this background that we are starting this dialogue to raise awareness on investment opportunities in climate change adaptation, share ideas on fostering private sector engagement, advocate for enabling conditions for scalable investments, and identify the incentives for the development of a solid adaptation pipeline. Building on the SDG Investor Map, the discussion today will focus on 4 sectors: healthcare, food and beverage, renewable energy, and infrastructure." 

Stories UNDP

Despite the challenges posed by conflict and climate change, farming remains a vital sector of Iraq’s economy, ​​providing livelihoods for millions and ensuring the country's food security.

To support farmers in Iraq adapt to climate change, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is providing training programs and financial grants to enable them to adopt sustainable agriculture practices. The Building Resilience through Employment Promotion (BREP) programme - funded by the German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) provided through the KfW Development Bank - will provide more than 1,000 small farmers across Iraq with training on sustainable agriculture practices and grants to boost farm productivity and enhance agro-enterprises.
 

New Age Bangladesh

Bangladesh's Minister for the Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Saber Hossain Chowdhury, said that the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) will increase its activities in Bangladesh for the development of the country’s overall environment and forests and to combat climate change.  The minister said the incumbent government will work closely with UNDP to implement the National Adaptation Plan (NAP) and the Mujib Climate Prosperity Plan.

Chronicle
In Zimbabwe, members of the Queen of Reds Farmer Field School in Umzingwane District in Matabeleland South Province have introduced the cross-breeds of Kalahari bucks and Matabele Boer goats, aiming to produce pure stud breeds for export. The 27-member group which is based in Msizini Village, has a herd of 184 goats. 
 
The Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development in partnership with the Green Climate Fund and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) under the Building Climate Resilience of Vulnerable Agricultural Livelihoods in Southern Africa programme has rolled out the farmer field schools concept to promote peer to peer learning. More than 230 farmer field schools have been established under the programme.
New Vision Uganda
In Uganda, farmers in Kamuli, Kaliro, Buyende, Bugiri, Busia, Budaka, and Namutumba districts have benefitted from support from UNDP and the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry, and Fisheries to take up climate-smart agricultural best practices.  Betty Tigawalana, a resident of Nalimawa, now earns three times her previous income from agriculture.
UNDP

"As the ‘COP28’ climate negotiations in Dubai concluded, the final declaration agreed to by more than 190 countries and territories shows some serious strides forward, while many frustrations remain.

The outcome of COP28 has secured the 1.5 degree Celsius goal as the ‘North Star’ for collective climate ambition. Given 2023 is the hottest year on record, reaffirming that goal underscores the urgency of climate action at speed and scale, aligning with what the science is telling us. For the first time, nations have formally agreed to transition away from fossil fuels in a just and equitable manner. These are at the very core of humanity’s climate problem, as the UN Secretary-General reiterated in his closing remarks.  

Some are understandably frustrated that the agreed language could have been stronger on this issue. But it remains the most unequivocal signal to date that the world is moving beyond the fossil fuel era. The declaration should be considered the starting point for more ambition, not the endpoint. Fundamentally, countries have agreed that successful economies of the future will be net zero." Read the statement in full.

Prensa Latina
Dubai, Dec 6 (Prensa Latina) Cuba's Pavilion at the 28th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) launched the Adaptation Plan for the Havana Coastal Zone on Wednesday.
 
According to the Ministry of Science, Technology and the Environment (CITMA), this project will benefit more than 700,000 citizens living on Havana’s northern coast, a zone vulnerable to rising sea levels and extreme weather events.

Announced in 2022, the initiative will identify the risks and vulnerabilities of each sector and population group, take adaptation measures, and make investment decisions.

The plan covers from Santa Ana, in Havana’s Playa municipality, to Rincón de Guanabo, in Havana del Este municipality.

With a budget of three million dollars, the project will be implemented over four and a half years. It is supported by the Green Climate Fund, and is implemented by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in Cuba in partnership with the Environment Agency (AMA) at CITMA.

 

Climate Home News
The Adaptation Fund was created to support communities against the impacts of climate change. Disaster risk reduction coupled with early warning systems now account for around 18% of all the projects it funds. 
 
Among the many projects which are now building out early warning systems, one in Colombia stands out. This small-scale, innovative example, implemented by UNDP with the Colombian Government, shows the benefits of a tailored approach working closely with local people. The La Mojana region in northern Colombia is an area of around 500,000 hectares, rich in wetlands and biodiversity. But it is also incredibly vulnerable to climate impacts and has frequently experienced bouts of severe flooding and drought.
 
The project aimed to protect and strengthen local communities to future climate impacts. It managed to achieve this, in part, through creating stronger flood infrastructure, restoring damaged wetland areas, and the creation of an early warning system. A hydro-meteorological forecast and alert centre was created to monitor water levels, map flood threats, and provide safe evacuation routes. This provided 100% coverage for thousands of people in the affected regions, up from zero a few years earlier.
ReliefWeb

With the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28), currently taking place in the United Arab Emirates, our news feeds are filled with reminders of the dramatic effects of climate change, from sinking islands to extreme weather events. All of that is, of course, true.  But what would happen if the world community would step up climate actions to the level required? A blog by Dr Jun Gao, Acting World Health Organization Representative to the South Pacific, and Christophe Bahuet, Deputy Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific, United Nations Development Programme.

UNDP
Climate change poses a ‘profound existential threat’ for Asia and the Pacific, with the potential to disrupt decades of progress and burden future generations with the costs of unsustainable economic development, warns the latest Human Development Report covering the region.  
 
Launched in November, the Making our Future: New Directions for Human Development in Asia and the Pacific report sees natural disasters, forced migration, the risk of pandemics and worsening poverty as some of the threats that could coalesce as the climate crisis worsens.  
Financial Express
During the ongoing climate conference (COP28) in Dubai, Bangladesh has secured the Global Center on Adaptation (GCA) Locally Led Adaptation (LLA) championship Award in the category of Innovation in Developing Finance.
 
The initiative is carried out under the Local Government Initiative on Climate Change (LoGIC) Project, a joint endeavor implemented by the Local Government Division, supported by the European Union, Sweden, Denmark, United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF), and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
 
The Awards Ceremony, held at the Resilience Hub on Tuesday, December 5, 2023, marked the recognition of Bangladesh’s stellar contributions to local adaptation and resilience building.