New York – The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Cassa Depositi e Prestiti (CDP), the Italian National Promotional Institution and Financial Institution for International Development Cooperation have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen collaboration on sustainable finance, climate action, and energy transition initiatives. The agreement marks a significant step forward in addressing global challenges such as climate change and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The partnership will focus on:

• Facilitating investment opportunities in green, low-carbon projects.
• Promoting innovative financing solutions to close the SDG financing gap.
• Strengthening cooperation in international networks and multilateral forums to align global finance with the SDGs and the Paris Agreement.
• Empowering youth through the Youth4Climate initiative, fostering the next generation of climate leaders.

Marcos Neto, UN Assistant Secretary General and UNDP’s Director of the Bureau for Policy and Programme Support stated, "Partnering with CDP is a crucial step forward in our mission towards the vision set by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and beyond. Through this collaboration, we are creating pathways to innovative financing solutions to unlock new opportunities for climate action, sustainable finance, and youth empowerment, ensuring that no one is left behind.”

Paolo Lombardo, Director of International Development Cooperation at CDP, echoed these sentiments, “Fostering collaboration between CDP and the UN Development Programme is essential to driving impactful projects that directly contribute to achieving the 2030 SDGs. By strengthening our work together, we can further unlock innovative financing solutions, ensuring that global efforts in climate action and sustainable development are both scalable and far-reaching. Empowering the youth through initiatives like Youth4Climate is crucial, as they are the catalysts of future climate resilience and sustainability. Their active involvement and leadership will shape a greener, more sustainable world for generations to come".

This MoU is the latest example of UNDP’s commitment to building partnerships that accelerate progress toward the SDGs by leveraging the strengths of public and private institutions.

About UNDP:

UNDP is the leading United Nations organisation 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  @UNDP.

About CDP:

CDP is the Italian National Promotional Institution and the Financial Institution for International Development Cooperation entrusted by the Italian State to foster the sustainable development of Italy and partner countries. CDP supports economic growth, social inclusiveness and ecological transition by investing in innovation, business competitiveness, infrastructures and local development. For more information visit: www.cdp.it.

About UNDP Rome Centre:

UNDP Rome Centre acts as the principal, integrated global platform for the strategic partnership between the Government of Italy and UNDP for delivering on three main programmes: the Youth4Climate initiative (empowering young leaders in driving climate action and innovation),  the Italy-UNDP Energy Partnership (advancing clean energy transitions in Africa), and the Platform for Investment and Technical Assistance (PISTA, aimed at supporting climate efforts by providing technical and financial assistance to developing economies globally, with a large portion of resources directed to Africa). It focuses on the critical policy areas of climate action, youth engagement, energy transition and climate finance. Learn more at undp.org/romecentre or follow on LinkedIn @UNDP Rome Centre.