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Spotlight on climate action

Credit: UNEP

At a time of profound geopolitical and economic uncertainty—when governments and societies are navigating multiple, overlapping crises—keeping climate action at the top of the global agenda is more important than ever. The world cannot afford further delays or inaction, especially when climate solutions can deliver wider benefits for economies, jobs, public health and resilience.

Climate Live Feed is your daily pulse on climate action—tracking how progress is being made across sectors, finance, technology and resilience. It brings together the latest science, policy developments and practical solutions, from clean energy expansion and climate finance to adaptation efforts and innovation on the ground.

Explore the latest climate news, announcements, reports and events from the United Nations and partners—because when it comes to climate, the heat is on to deliver solutions.

 

7 hours ago

The message from Bonn is clear: the world doesn't need more promises. It needs progress.

Credit: Lara Murillo/UN Climate Change

As governments meet ahead of COP31, new Action Agenda targets, announced yesterday, are helping shift the focus from ambition to implementation: 

  • Increase electrification from just over 20% of final energy demand today to 35% by 2035.

  • Halve the growth of global waste by 2035.

  • Reduce energy consumption intensity in buildings by at least 25% by 2035.

These targets reflect a broader reality highlighted throughout the Bonn Climate Change Conference: the solutions already exist. The challenge now is deploying them at speed and scale.

From accelerating clean energy and modernizing grids, to cutting waste, improving efficiency and building resilience, the path forward is increasingly clear.

The decisive question is no longer what needs to be done. It's how quickly we can do it.

Read more: From promises to progress: why the Bonn conference must push the needle on climate change

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8 hours ago

What are standards for a climate-resilient planet?

Credit: GettyImages/UnsplashPro

UNEP participated in the IEC's (International Electrotechnical Commission) Academy webinar of the IEC and the SDGs series exploring how international standards and conformity assessment systems can accelerate progress toward SDG 7 (affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all),  SDG 13 (Climate Action), SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), and SDG 15 (Life on Land).

IEC develops standards and conformity assessments to support organizations achieve a minimal impact on the environment and optimal use of resources.

UNEP argued that while the world is still off track on climate goals, there is growing optimism due to rapid progress in clean energy and emerging “positive tipping points” where low‑carbon technologies become cheaper and scale quickly. However, faster and more inclusive action is needed. Standards play a key role by enabling trust, guiding markets, and accelerating the transition, but stronger collaboration, equity, and alignment with long‑term climate goals are essential to speed up system‑wide change. 

To learn more about IEC standards, find the recording of the webinar here.

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9 hours ago

From lived experience to implementation: Advancing Nature-based Solutions in SIDS

A powerful keynote by Sarita Meeheelaul of the Ministry of Environment in Mauritius opened yesterday’s #SB64 side event on urban Nature-based Solutions in Small Island Developing States, grounding the discussion in the lived realities of climate change in Mauritius. Her message was clear: the urgency to move from ambition to implementation is immediate and tangible.

Supporting climate resilience with Nature-based Solutions in urbanizing Small Island Developing States, organized by the Republic of Mauritius and University College Dublin with support from UNEP, the event brought together policymakers, researchers, and private sector actors to examine how NbS can address rising risks, including sea-level rise, coastal erosion, and urban climate pressures.

Panelists from GIZ, UNU-EHS, and Air Mauritius highlighted the role of partnerships and financing. Air Mauritius underscored growing private sector engagement, including exploring carbon markets to support climate action and offset emissions.

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All speakers emphasized that NbS offer cost-effective, multi-benefit solutions; integrating them into NDCs and urban planning must accelerate; and innovative, blended finance will be critical to scaling impact.

The event reaffirmed a clear takeaway: nature is central to resilience in SIDS, but success now depends on bridging the gap between commitments and implementation.

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09 Jun 2026 17:46

CTCN celebrates 1,000 Members as partnerships drive climate technology action at Bonn Climate Change Conference

Global collaboration took center stage in Bonn, Germany, as the UNFCCC Technology Mechanism convened key stakeholders to accelerate climate technology deployment. During the session, the UNEP-hosted Climate Technology Centre & Network marked a major milestone, reaching its first 1,000 Network members.

This achievement highlights the rapid growth of a diverse, global community working to support climate technology development and transfer. The network now brings together governments, research institutions, private sector actors and international organizations, all contributing expertise and resources to scale solutions where they are most needed.

Discussions at the event emphasized the critical role of partnerships in unlocking finance, overcoming deployment barriers and accelerating innovation. Key themes included industrial decarbonization, adaptation finance and collaboration under the Cement and Concrete Breakthrough Agenda, illustrating the breadth of ongoing climate efforts.

Participants also underscored the importance of emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, in enhancing climate action outcomes. The #AI4ClimateAction initiative was highlighted as a growing area of focus, with potential to transform data-driven decision-making and implementation.

As climate ambitions intensify, the expanding CTCN network and strengthened partnerships are positioning the Technology Mechanism as a central driver of impactful, scalable climate solutions.

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09 Jun 2026 17:42

CTCN joins Digital Public Goods Alliance to advance open climate solutions

Digital

At the UN Climate Change Bonn Conference, the UNEP-hosted Climate Technology Centre and Network (CTCN) announced its official entry into the Digital Public Goods Alliance (DPGA), marking a significant step in advancing open, accessible climate technologies worldwide.

Joining the alliance alongside UNFCCC, the CTCN is reinforcing its commitment to promoting open-source software, open data and responsible artificial intelligence as tools for climate action. The move is expected to strengthen collaboration across digital and climate communities, enabling wider dissemination of solutions that can be adapted and scaled, particularly in developing countries.

Speakers at the event highlighted the growing role of digital public goods in driving innovation, improving transparency, and accelerating the deployment of climate technologies. By aligning with the DPGA, the CTCN aims to bridge gaps between technology development and implementation, ensuring that critical solutions remain accessible and inclusive.

The announcement reflects a broader shift toward leveraging digital ecosystems to support climate goals, with initiatives like #AI4ClimateAction gaining traction. As countries face rising climate challenges, the integration of open digital tools is increasingly seen as essential to delivering effective, scalable and equitable responses.

 

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09 Jun 2026 14:28

Electrification takes centre stage as the missing link in the energy transition

At the Bonn Climate Change Conference (SB64), electrification emerged as a central theme during the side event “The electrification imperative: winning the demand-side race” and its panel “Fast-tracking our clean electric future.” Discussions highlighted growing momentum to position demand‑side electrification as a key lever of the clean energy transition.

Speakers stressed that scaling electrification will only succeed if power systems can keep pace. Rising demand from electric mobility to cooling and digital infrastructure is placing increasing pressure on grids, with major renewable capacity still waiting for connection.

A whole‑of‑system approach is needed, aligning electrification with grid expansion, storage, and improved planning. Demand‑side flexibility is a key enabler but remains significantly underutilised. 

Ruth Coutto, Deputy Director, Climate Change Division, UNEP, emphasized that electrification must be measured not just by volume, but by impact. Growth driven primarily by large industrial loads or data centres may not deliver equitable outcomes. Instead, electrification should prioritize:

  • Cooling for vulnerable populations
  • Clean, accessible mobility
  • Reliable energy for households and services
  • Productive uses that strengthen local economies

The discussions at SB64 reinforced UNEP’s core message: the energy transition will not be won on supply alone. Success depends on transforming how energy is used across buildings, transport, industry and cities while ensuring systems are:

  • Integrated, linking demand with clean supply and infrastructure,
  • Flexible, able to manage peaks and variable renewables, and
  • Affordable and inclusive, delivering real benefits to people.
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09 Jun 2026 11:05

The silent melt: A crisis unfolding in Pakistan’s peaks

“Melting Away – The Silent Collapse of Pakistan’s Glaciers,” a short film by Nyal Mueen produced by UN Pakistan and Aga Khan Foundation, highlights an escalating environmental crisis: as climate change accelerates glacier melt across the country’s northern mountain ranges.

Pakistan’s glaciers, located in the Hindu Kush, Karakoram, and Himalayas, are a vital freshwater source feeding the Indus River system. This water supports agriculture, drinking supply, and hydropower generation. However, rising temperatures are causing glaciers to retreat at alarming rates, threatening future water security. 

The video highlights a growing danger called glacial lake floods. As glaciers melt, they leave behind large pools of water that are often unstable. These lakes can suddenly burst, sending powerful floods rushing down valleys. This puts nearby villages, roads, and infrastructure at serious risk.

Despite contributing minimally to global emissions, Pakistan remains highly vulnerable to climate change. Experts are calling for improved monitoring systems, sustainable water management, and stronger climate adaptation efforts.

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09 Jun 2026 10:13

Editorial: UN's Mohamed Yahya on why cities must prioritise sustainable cooling

photo of Karachi city

As extreme heat tightens its grip on Pakistan’s cities, a new editorial by Mohamed Yahya, UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, sounds the alarm: urban life is becoming dangerously hot and action can no longer wait.

With temperatures in Karachi, Lahore and beyond now regularly soaring into the high 40s and even touching 50°C, Cooling Cities paints a stark picture of how unplanned growth, vanishing green spaces and concrete-heavy development are turning cities into heat traps. What was once occasional is now the new normal.

But the message is not just one of warning  it is also one of solutions. From Karachi’s life-saving Heat Action Plan to Lahore’s push for urban greening, the editorial highlights real examples that are already making a difference. It also points to simple, cost-effective measures like cooler building designs, shaded streets and more trees that can dramatically reduce heat exposure.

Read the editorial and learn why cities must be redesigned with sustainable cooling at the centre. Not as an afterthought, not as a luxury but as a necessity for survival, health and equity.

Discover our Beat the Heat Interactive. 

Last updated at
09 Jun 2026 09:19

A national push begins in cities: Brazil’s fight against food waste

Photo of two women from Rio from feeding cities programme

Food waste is moving to the top of Brazil’s urban and climate agenda and UNEP is helping drive the shift from ambition to action.

In Rio de Janeiro, a new partnership is turning the city into a testing ground for change. UNEP is joining forces with local authorities, universities and civil society to co‑design a bold municipal strategy to cut food waste at its source. The goal: to stop food waste before it happens and create a model that cities across Brazil can quickly adopt. Meanwhile, classrooms are becoming catalysts for change, as a pilot with the Federal University of Rio brings practical food waste solutions directly into schools.

But the momentum doesn’t stop in Rio. Across the country, UNEP is supporting Brazil’s national food loss and waste strategy, helping cities turn commitments into concrete action. Through targeted technical training, municipalities are gaining the tools to design, finance and implement their own food waste reduction plans.

This effort is feeding into the rapidly growing Alimenta Cidades (Feeding Cities Strategy) which is connecting more than 1,000 municipalities committed to building resilient, low‑carbon food systems.

Recent workshops have sharpened the focus: cutting food waste is not just about food, it’s about climate. UNEP-led sessions brought together city leaders to align policies and accelerate local strategies, with particular attention to the North and Northeast, where climate impacts are already disrupting food supply chains.

At the same time, UNEP is helping take the message to the public. In partnership with a national organization, a city‑level awareness campaign is being rolled out starting in Rio to shift behaviours and make food waste visible, urgent and actionable.

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05 Jun 2026 12:27

On the ground at the Zero Waste Forum 2026 in Istanbul

From 5 to 7 June at the Zero Waste Forum, UNEP is joining forces with governments, cities, businesses and leading experts to drive forward real solutions that curve waste and accelerate the shift to a circular economy. And the message is clear: tackling food waste is a climate opportunity.

As custodian of SDG indicator 12.3.1and through reports and initiatives like the Food Waste Index Report and the Food Waste Breakthrough, UNEP is spotlighting how halving food waste by 2030 can significantly reduce methane emissions - by up to 7% - while delivering powerful co-benefits for food security, jobs, and resilience.

What’s on the agenda?

  • UNEP is contributing to key discussions on:
  • Food waste reduction, responsible for 8–10% of global emissions and around $1 trillion in annual losses (combined with food loss)
  • Smart pricing signals in waste systems (like PAYT, landfill taxes, and incentives) to prevent waste before it happens
  • Organic waste diversion as one of the fastest ways to cut methane emissions
  • Zero waste as climate action—and how it fits into NDCs and the road to COP31

Why this matters?

  • Right now taking place during World Environment Day week, the Forum comes at a crucial moment for global climate ambition. The numbers speak for themselves:
  • 19% of food available to consumers was wasted in 2022
  • An additional 13% was lost earlier in supply chains
  • Food loss and waste together generate 8–10% of global greenhouse gas emissions
  • Food waste alone contributes up to 14% of methane emissions

Reducing food waste isn’t just a waste-management issue, it’s a climate solution, an economic opportunity, and a fast and cost-effective way to cut emissions and build more sustainable food systems. Let’s turn waste into action.

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Topics

Related Sustainable Development Goals

Goal 1

Goal 1: No Poverty
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Goal 7

Goal 7: Affordable and Clean Energy
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Goal 11

Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
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Goal 12

Goal 12: Sustainable Consumption and Production
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Goal 13

Goal 13: Climate Action
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Goal 14

Goal 14: Life Below Water
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Goal 15

Goal 15: Life on Land
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