New York, 23 April 2024 – The UN Development Programme (UNDP) today unveiled the next stage of the Climate Promise – an initiative to support developing countries on their climate action.

Climate Promise 2025 - introduced by the UN Secretary-General António Guterres and UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner at an event at UN Headquarters in New York City - marks the beginning of renewed efforts on climate action across the UN System ahead of 2025, a critical year as countries enter into a new 5-year cycle of commitments to limit global warming.

UNDP’s Climate Promise 2025 builds on the organization’s continuing support for more than 125 developing countries to align the next generation of their national climate pledges – known as ‘Nationally Determined Contributions’ or ‘NDCs’ – to the goals set forth under the 2015 Paris Agreement to limit global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius and increase resilience to climate impacts.

The launch of Climate Promise 2025 is a major milestone on the road to the COP30 climate negotiations which will be held in Brazil in 2025. COP30 will mark the ten-year anniversary of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change and is a critical opportunity to get the world on a path aligned with limiting global temperature rise to 1.5° C and increase climate resilience, as countries submit a new round of NDCs, which are at the very heart of the global fight against climate change.

To date, the Climate Promise is the world’s largest offer of support to developing countries on NDC enhancement and implementation. 

“It’s make or break for the 1.5 degree limit. In 2025 all countries need to submit new and ambitious Nationally Determined Contributions to avert climate calamity,” said United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. “These new national climate plans must align with the 1.5-degree limit and cover all greenhouse gases, all sectors, and the whole economy. If done right, these climate plans can double as National Investment Plans, and reinforce National Development Plans. They can catapult sustainable development – connecting billions to clean power, boosting health, creating clean jobs, and advancing equality. But they are complex, technical documents. And developing countries have consistently asked for support in making them as ambitious, inclusive, and comprehensive as possible. Through the Climate Promise, the entire UN system is coming together to help developing governments to seize the opportunity, and create new national climate plans aligned with the 1.5-degree limit.”

“The next two years are critical to put the world on a 1.5° pathway. UNDP has committed to bring the UN system together to support developing countries to scale-up climate action,” Achim Steiner, UNDP Administrator, said. “UNDP’s Climate Promise 2025 will support countries around the world to develop and deliver their pledges under the Paris Agreement and take bold steps toward a net zero, resilient, and inclusive future."

“UNDP has the largest climate portfolio in the UN system, supporting climate action in nearly 150 developing countries,” Cassie Flynn, Global Director of Climate Change at UNDP, explained. “With a proven track record of supporting the first and second generation NDCs, including over 85 percent of developing countries’ NDCs in 2020, we’re bringing together the UN system behind this effort, and linking climate diplomacy and thought leadership with climate action and sustainable development at the national and local levels.”

Climate Promise 2025 draws on UNDP’s newly established Climate Hub, which delivers the UN system’s largest portfolio of support on climate action. This portfolio draws on UNDP’s expertise on gender equality, energy, poverty, health, climate security, nature and biodiversity, among others. 

The launch event was hosted by UNDP as a critical convenor and trusted partner both within the UN system and beyond helping countries achieve country-driven action to deliver the goals of the Paris Agreement. 

To learn more, visit: http://climatepromise.undp.org 

Media contacts: 

For more information on the initiative or to request an interview, please contact:

dylan.lowthian@undp.org           I +1 646 673 6350

mehmet.erdogan@undp.org       I +1 917 256 9945

About UNDP

UNDP is the leading United Nations organization fighting to end the injustice of poverty, inequality and climate change. Working with our broad network of experts and partners in 170 countries, we help nations to build integrated, lasting solutions for people and the planet. Learn more at undp.org or follow at @UNDP.

About UNDP’s Climate Hub

UNDP’s newly established Climate Hub delivers the UN system’s largest portfolio of support on climate action. This portfolio is worth over US$2 billion in grant financing and draws on UNDP’s expertise on gender equality, energy, poverty, health, climate security, nature and biodiversity, among others. 

About UNDP’s Climate Promise 

UNDP’s flagship Climate Promise initiative is the world’s largest offer of support to developing countries on NDC enhancement and implementation. Under the last revision cycle, it supported 85 percent of all developing countries on their NDC submissions. As a result, 91 percent of the supported countries raised mitigation ambition and 93 percent raised adaptation ambition. Nearly 95 percent of all NDCs supported included gender equality considerations and referenced youth inclusion.