• Overview
  • Action Track Events
  • UNEP Affiliated Events
  • UNEP Side Events

When: 8-12 October 2023

Where: Boulevard Riyadh City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Registration is closed.

The Middle East and North Africa Climate Week (MENACW) is an annual event that brings together leaders from governments, businesses, international organizations and civil society to explore ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while adapting to the mounting fallout from the climate crisis. This year, MENACW 2023 is taking place from 8-12 October in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, hosted by the government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. 

Second of four Regional Climate Weeks held this year, MENACW 2023 builds momentum ahead of the UN Climate Change Conference COP 28 in Dubai and the conclusion of the first Global Stocktake, designed to chart the way for fulfilling the Paris Agreement's goals and provide region-focused contributions to inform the Global Stocktake. 

MENACW 2023 is organized into four systems-based tracks, each focusing on specific themes: 

  • Energy systems and industry 
  • Cities, urban and rural settlements, infrastructure and transport 
  • Land, ocean, food and water 
  • Societies, health, livelihoods, and economies 

MENACW 2023 is organized by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC),  United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the World Bank, with support from the Islamic Development Bank, the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) and the League of Arab States.

Representatives from UNEP are organizing/taking part in the events as outlined in the respective tabs. Time zone: Arabian Standard Time (AST).

Explore the full programme of MENACW 2023.

Representatives from UNEP are organizing/taking part in the following events during MENA Climate Week. Time zone: EAT.

Action Track Events

9 October, 9:30-11:15 hrs | Track 3 | The Impact of Climate Change in the MENA Region

10 October, 10:30-12:00 hrs | Track 1 | Critical Minerals for a Just Clean Energy Transition in MENA

10 October, 14:00-15:15 hrs | Track 2 | Forging Pathways for Sustainable and Resilient Buildings in the MENA Region 

10 October, 16:00-17:30 hrs | Track 4 | Circular Carbon Economy Solutions and Policies for Resilient Societies and Sustainable Economies

11 October, 9:00-10:00 hrs | Track 1 | Reducing Methane Emissions in the Oil and Gas Value Chain

Representatives from UNEP are organizing/taking part in the following events during MENA Climate Week. Time zone: EAT.

UNEP Affiliated Events

9 October, 9:30-11:00 hrs | Understanding the Value and Limits of NBS in MENA: Harnessing Social-Ecological Resilience

9 October, 11:00-12:00 hrs | High-Level Dialogue: Towards a Cool CoP

11 October, 14:30-17:00 hrs | Mitigating Climate Change through Energy Efficiency and Transformative Actions: UN Tools to Support the Saudi Vision 2030

Representatives from UNEP are organizing/taking part in the following events during MENA Climate Week. Time zone: EAT.

UNEP Side Events

8 October, 15:00-16:00 hrs | Towards Integrated Planning - Accelerating Urban Resilience in a Changing Climate

8 October, 16:30-17:30 hrs | Celebrating Ten Years of the Capacity Building Programme on Climate Change Negotiations for the Arab Region

8 October, 16:30-17:30 hrs | Saida as an Environmentally Sustainable City

12 October, 9:00-10:00 hrs | Urban Ecosystem-based Adaptation: Mainstreaming and Examples for Healthy Arab Cities

12 October, 10:30-11:30 hrs | Cities as Drivers of Climate Action: Transforming MENA Cities

12 October, 11:00-13:00 hrs | Mobilising Islamic Finance for Climate Action

12 October, 12:00-13:00 hrs | Advancing Sustainable Development through Climate Adaptation in the MENA Region

12 October, 13:30-14:30 hrs | MENA Race to Zero: Opportunities and Challenges Towards CoP28

UNEP Action Hub Events

9 October, 12:00-12:30 hrs | Protecting Forest Ecosystems for Climate Resilience

10 October, 16:00-16:30 hrs | Recipe of Change: Action for Climate-Resilient Food Systems