In the media

"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.

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.

New York / Chicago, 28 November 2023 – The extent of coastal flooding has increased over the past 20 years as a result of sea level rise, meaning 14 million more people worldwide now live in coastal communities with a 1-in-20 annual chance of flooding, new data reveals. Continuing our current course of global greenhouse gas emissions (SSP2-4.5) is projected by the end of the century to expand this 1-in-20 floodplain to areas today populated by nearly 73 million people.

New hyperlocal data released today by Human Climate Horizons, a collaboration between the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Climate Impact Lab (CIL), maps in detail this fivefold increase in susceptibility to flood damage along the world’s densely populated coastlines. The data platform makes it possible to see where sea-level rise impacts may most threaten homes and infrastructure.

Hundreds of highly populated cities will face increased flood risk by midcentury, relative to a future without climate change. This includes land home to roughly 5 percent of the population of coastal cities such as Santos, Brazil, Cotonou, Benin, and Kolkata, India. Flood risk exposure is anticipated to double to 10 percent of the population by the end of the century.

Many low-lying regions along the coasts of Latin America, Africa, and Southeast Asia may face a severe threat of permanent inundation, part of an alarming trend with the potential to trigger a reversal in human development in coastal communities worldwide. By 2100, climate change is expected to cause the submergence of a significant share of land (>5 percent) in the following Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and Associate Members of United Nations Regional Commissions: Bahamas, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Turks and Caicos, Tuvalu, and Seychelles.

When glacial lakes overfill or their banks become unsound, they burst, sparking deadly floods that wash out bridges and buildings and wipe out fertile land throughout the Hindu Kush, Karakoram, and Himalayan mountain ranges that intersect in northern Pakistan.

Hassanabad is part of the UNDP-backed Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) II project to help communities downstream of melting glaciers adapt. “The needs are enormous,” said Karma Lodey Rapten, Regional Technical Specialist for Climate Change Adaptation at UNDP. Pakistan is the only country to receive adaptation funding from the Green Climate Fund - the Paris Agreement’s key financing pot - to ease the risk of such floods.

Underinvestment in climate adaptation in Asia Pacific could lead to growing populism, societal polarisation, social unrest and conflict, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has warned.  

Speaking at the launch of a new report, Making our Future: New Directions for Human Development in Asia and the Pacific, Philip Schellekens, UNDP’s chief economist, said that climate shocks could lead to rising inequality and “fan the flames of polarisation” in countries across the region.  Deteriorating social cohesion as the planet warms could in turn limit the political space for climate action.

The report noted that Southeast Asia is experiencing an erosion of democracy and limiting of public and civic spaces to a degree last seen in the late 1970s, which threatens the region’s capacity to tackle climate change.

The United Nations Development Programme and Pakistan's Ministry of Climate Change & Environmental Coordination kicked off the 'In-Country Process for the Global Shield', with a two-day multi-stakeholder consultation on climate-risk insurance and financing to reduce climate risks, and strengthen climate-adaptation mechanisms.  The Global Shield is an initiative launched at COP27 in response to the increasing threat of climate change by the Vulnerable Twenty (V20) Group and the G7; ensuring that the various programmes and stakeholders pursue a coordinated approach and mobilize additional funds to meet the growing need for financial resources.

Government of Japan says it is committed to improving the country’s resilience to the crisis by providing support through projects that focuses on peace building, economic empowerment as well as climate change adoption.

SWAT: The picturesque upper Swat was profoundly affected by climate change in 2022 when Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (Glofs) ravaged the area, creating a sad narrative of despair and devastation.

The calamitous occurrences transpired atop the high glacial peaks, encompassing the communities of Kamar Khwa, Serai, Badai, Mankiyal, Utror, Palogah, Matilitan, and Gbral, thereby causing extensive devastation.

The catastrophic floods destroyed more than 200 houses, vast tracts of agricultural land, expansive pastures, mosques, watermills, micro hydropower stations, irrigation channels and every bridge connecting the valley’s villages.

Locals said that the last flood was unprecedented, accompanied by enormous glaciers and boulders that destroyed everything in its course.

A ray of hope appeared with the implementation of “Scaling-up Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (Glof-II) in Northern Pakistan” initiative, which was funded by Green Climate Fund and implemented by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) through ministry of climate change.

 The Green Climate Fund-financed UNDP-supported Glacial Lake Outburst Flood in Pakistan, known as the GLOF-II Project, has completed construction of 750 feet protection walls, four irrigation channels, and one community centre in the Thal Kumrat area of Upper Dir.

The August flood last year badly affected the valley of Thal Kumrat and washed away thousands kanals of agricultural land, dozens houses, bridges and other infrastructures including other areas of the district.  After the flood, the the GLOF-II Project conducted a survey and initiated the flood rehabilitation work on Thal Kumrat, in Chitral, Swat and three other districts of KP and 24 areas of Gilgit-Baltistan (GB).

Under the project, so far 750 feet protection walls, four irrigation channels of at least 1000 feet length each and 1 CBDRMC Center at Thal Kohistan while 5,250-feet long protection walls have been built in Lower Chitral, Upper Chitral and Swat districts.

THE United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in the Philippines and the Australian Embassy handed over ground survey and office equipment to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) to support the generation of severe wind and storm-surge hazard and risk maps, as well as localized climate data for provinces.

As part of the Australian government-supported “Strengthening Institutions and Empowering Localities against Disasters and Climate Change (SHIELD)” program, one survey-grade drone, one high-end rangefinder, four high-end desktop computers, one high-end laptop computer, 10 tablet computers, and several other ground-survey equipment were provided to support Pagasa’s climate and disaster-resilience initiatives.

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has issued a report that explores the interconnection between climate and health. The 2023 State of Climate Services report reveals the need for tailored climate information and services to support the health sector as it works to address extreme weather, poor air quality, shifting infectious disease patterns, and food and water insecurity.

The State of Climate Services report has been published annually since 2019. Produced under the auspices of the WMO-led Global Framework for Climate Services, the 2023 report includes contributions from the Adaptation Fund, the Green Climate Fund (GCF), the UN Development Programme (UNDP), the World Health Organization (WHO), and numerous partners from regional organizations, government agencies, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and the academia.