UNDP Rome Centre's entrance

UNDP Rome Centre

About us

UNDP Rome Centre for Climate Action and Energy Transition (‘UNDP Rome Centre’ for short), acts as the principal, integrated global platform for the strategic partnership between the Government of Italy (through the Italian Ministry of Environment and Energy Security – IMEES or Ministero dell'Ambiente e della Sicurezza Energetica - MASE in Italian) and UNDP for delivering on two critical policy areas: Youth and Climate, and Climate Finance.

  • Youth and Climate: Emphasise the critical role of youth in climate action, advocating for their meaningful participation in decision-making processes to address the climate crisis and achieve sustainable development.
  • Climate Finance: Identify, finance, and implement country-level actions to reduce the energy access gap and boost the energy transition, while supporting projects in developing economies to decarbonise and enhance climate resilience.
Images of the UNDP Rome Centre Office

Timeline and story

The Communique from the G7 Environment Ministers’ Summit in Bologna (June 2017) supported the proposal to establish an Africa Centre for Climate and Sustainable Development (ACSD) in Rome. The Centre was inaugurated on 28 January 2019 following an agreement between the former Italian Ministry of Environment, Land and Sea (IMELS) [now, Italian Ministry of Environment and Energy Security (IMEES)] and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). To face evolving global challenges and respond to a rapidly changing landscape, the initial concept has evolved into the UNDP Rome Centre for Climate Action and Energy Transition.

Since December 2022, UNDP's presence in Italy has expanded significantly. In 2024, the UNDP Rome Centre played a pivotal role in supporting the Italian G7 Presidency, focusing on climate, energy, and environmental issues, with a particular emphasis on the Italian context.

This expansion is driven by the strong alignment between UNDP's sustainable development priorities, particularly in Africa, and the Italian government's objectives. The ongoing dialogue between UNDP and Italian institutions has further strengthened these synergies, aligning UNDP's initiatives with Italy's strategic priorities.

This synergy is exemplified by UNDP's active participation in key events organised in Italy, including the Conference on International Development and Migration in July 2023, the Italy-Africa Summit in January 2024, the G7 Industry Ministerial in March 2024, and the G7 Climate, Energy, and Environment Ministerial in April 2024. Through these collaborations, the UNDP Rome Centre continues to foster significant progress in sustainable development and international cooperation.

UNDP Rome Centre Timeline Infographic