Vienna: The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) organized the first Climate Adaptation Week from 14 to 17 October 2024. The event featured training sessions that brought together leading global experts to discuss the fundamental principles of adaptation, equip UNIDO staff with the latest strategies and insights, and engage in a constructive dialogue on UNIDO’s response to the challenges posed by climate change in its Member States countries.
“We are living with a changed climate impacting society and the economy. The UNEP Adaptation Gap report indicates that while over $387 billion is needed annually for climate adaptation, only $21 billion was provided in 2021, with a mere 2% coming from the private sector. This widening adaptation finance gap highlights the urgent need for UNIDO to mobilize industry and private sector investment in climate adaptation and resilience. Investing in adaptation is now an imperative for industrial development,” said at his opening remarks Ciyong Zou, Deputy to the Director General and the Managing Director of the Directorate of Technical Cooperation and Sustainable Industrial Development.
Setting the scene, Olga Pilifosova, Manager at the Adaptation subdivision, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), shared insights on the most recent climate change adaptation requirements. ‘’UNFCCC calls upon all Parties to have their National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) in place by 2025 and make significant progress by 2030. Ambitious efforts within and outside the UNFCCC process are required to enable adaptation at all scales”, noted Pilifosova.
The discussions and insights from UNIDO’s first Climate Adaptation Week have established a solid foundation for future efforts in mainstreaming climate adaptation across UNIDO strategic programming areas. The Organization’s expertise and work in flagship programmes, such as blue industry and eco-industrial parks, were highlighted as an emerging niche on the role of industry in climate adaptation and resilience.
“The Climate Adaptation Week showcased UNIDO’s ongoing efforts in mainstreaming climate adaptation and underscored the potential for the Organization to expand its services in this area. Going forward, we should focus on harnessing the potential of the private sector, businesses, and industry in mainstreaming climate change into their operations, as mean to achieve sustainability. This can be achieved by further expanding UNIDO’s partnerships with such strategic funding partners as the Global Environment Facility, the Adaptation Fund and the Green Climate Fund,” noted Fatou Haidara, Deputy to the Director General and Managing Director of Global Partnerships and External Relations, and the UNIDO Focal Point for the Funds.
The UNIDO’s inaugural Climate Adaptation Week also featured experts and speakers from the Adaptation Fund, Cadlas, Climate-KIC, the Global Environment Facility (GEF), the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD).
