UN EMG High-Level Roundtable Discussion - Strengthening Action for Change: Promoting Coherence and Scaling Up Support to Address Climate Change

This high-level roundtable, co-organized by the United Nations (UN) Environment Management Group (EMG) and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), aligned with COP 29’s central theme of demonstrating leadership for complementary action to address the intertwined crises of climate change, biodiversity loss, and land degradation. Building on the outcomes of a High-Level Roundtable, which took place at the 2024 UN Biodiversity Conference, and the recently launched Rio Trio Initiative—a partnership between the host countries of this year’s Rio Convention COPs (Colombia, Azerbaijan, and Saudi Arabia)—the event brought together Heads of UN entities and multilateral environmental agreement (MEA) Secretariats to explore opportunities for strengthening coordination within the UN system. Discussions focused on: enhancing the synergistic implementation of MEAs; maximizing collective impact; and generating actionable recommendations to improve cooperation across UN agencies, support Member States, and align decisions under the Rio Conventions.

Opening the event, Hossein Fadaei, Head of the EMG Secretariat, explained the EMG promotes coordination on environmental matters across the UN system. Noting this Roundtable is taking place “midway” between Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) COP 16 in Cali, Colombia, and UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) COP 16 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, he stressed discussions should focus on how to tie the agendas of the three Conventions together, and what role the EMG could play.

Via video message, Inger Andersen, Executive Director, UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and EMG Chair, said the strength of the UN system was in potential synergies and called for greater linkages among the three Rio Conventions, as well as with the pollution agenda. She stressed the UN system “must embody the change we need to see” through, among others, a “truly coordinated” approach to environmental problems.

Dechen Tsering, UNEP, then moderated two panel discussions, the first of which addressed pathways for greater UN-wide collaboration on the triple planetary crisis, as well as for greater UN support for Member States in implementing the climate agenda in an integrated manner. This included possible contributions by the EMG in both areas.

During the panel, Tatiana Molcean, Executive Secretary, UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), said cooperation happens through various MEAs and cited transboundary water cooperation through the Water Convention as a positive example of joint coordination across policy areas.

Pamela Coke-Hamilton, Executive Director, International Trade Center (ITC), called for addressing fragmentation in how the UN works with countries, notably through cooperation mechanisms such as the EMG. 

Alvaro Lario, President, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), emphasized the importance of understanding each agency’s business model to enhance cooperation, a priority identified by the UN Chief Executives Board (CEB). He cited the Global Environment Facility’s Food Systems Integration Program, led by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) and IFAD, as an effort to integrate diverse efforts across sectors.

Ivana Živković, Assistant Administrator, UN Development Programme (UNDP), highlighted the importance of Integrated National Financing Frameworks to enable cross-cutting solutions, including public-private partnerships, as well as the need to support countries’ climate pledges through, for example, UNDP’s Climate Promise.

Claver Gatete, Executive Secretary, UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), emphasized the dual challenge of rising debt nearing USD 1 trillion and climate change costing Africa up to 5% of GDP. He called for innovative financing, such as green bonds and cost-efficient carbon registries, to address Africa’s minimal share—just 2%—of global energy transition investments.

Jorge Moreira da Silva, Executive Director, UN Office for Project Services (UNOPs), warned of risks, including high implementation costs due to suboptimal policies, misaligned financing that neglects those most in need, and a gap between capacity and funding.

Daniele Violetti, UNFCCC, stressed the need for unity and coordination in implementing MEAs and preparing for the next round of National Determined Contributions (NDCs) at a critical juncture in the climate agenda. He reminded the audience that “We need to harness this COP as the next ones will be very, very complicated.”

The panel then heard reactions from the floor. Jemimah Njuki, UN Women, stressed gender equality is central to all Rio Conventions. Benjamin Schachter, UN Human Rights (OHCHR), said anchoring actions in human rights enhances policy effectiveness and ensures finance reaches those most affected. Luz María de la Mora Sanchez, UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), said addressing misaligned trade rules and collaborating on tools like carbon pricing are essential to support sustainable value chains and NDC updates. Mark Manly, UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), underscored refugees and internally displaced people in climate-affected areas receive minimal climate finance, requiring joint programming, NDC inclusivity, and solarized infrastructure for sustainable solutions. Aik Hoe Lim, World Trade Organization (WTO), said strengthened multilateralism is needed for, among others, a cohesive global framework on carbon pricing and sectoral decarbonization of value chains.

A second panel built on insights from the first, and addressed the question: Why is cooperation not happening on the ground?  Vladanka Andreeva, Resident Coordinator, Azerbaijan, said collaboration through Resident Coordinators is crucial for delivering integrated solutions across climate, biodiversity, and land agendas. Reflecting on crises as opportunities for unity, she emphasized the importance of joint programming and leveraging cooperation frameworks to engage host governments effectively.

Felipe Paullier, Assistant Secretary-General for Youth Affairs, UN Youth Office, said prioritizing youth perspectives is essential, as young people bring critical thinking and push institutions to innovate. He called for youth inclusion in NDC processes, urging institutions to “walk the talk” in advancing meaningful engagement.

Tomas Lamanauskas, Deputy Secretary-General, International Telecommunications Union (ITU), noted digitalization is a critical enabler of climate action, and collaboration is essential for leveraging its potential. He pointed to successful models like the Early Warnings for All initiative as examples of the UN system working together effectively and stressed that digital tools must be integrated into the climate agenda.

Aarti Holla-Maini, Director, UN Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), said satellite data plays a transformative role in addressing challenges like disaster preparedness and deforestation, but its accessibility remains constrained by high costs. She highlighted inefficiencies in the UN system, where agencies independently procure satellite imagery, leading to unnecessary expenses.

Andrea Meza, Deputy Executive Secretary, UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), highlighted the gap between rhetoric and action, urging the UN to address structural issues like harmful subsidies and disjointed approaches. She emphasized the need for systemic strategies that prioritize nature, rebuild trust with countries, and deliver tangible outcomes through collaboration with Resident Coordinators.

Valerie Hickey, Global Director for Environment, World Bank, called for the UN to rethink its competitiveness, noting multilateral efforts are lagging due to fragmented approaches and inefficiencies. Stressing the UN must learn from past failures, she said the organization, as a bastion of multilateralism, must refocus on helping countries by collaborating effectively through EMG.

Pradeep Kurukulasuriya, Executive Secretary, UN Capital Development Fund (UNCDF), expressed frustration with superficial coordination efforts, and emphasized the need for genuine, sustained commitment to unified action. Reflecting on missed opportunities, he stressed that the time for change is now, starting with actionable strategies and serious follow-through.

To conclude, Fadaei said key points raised during the Roundtable included the need to, among others: do better in cooperating, including through integrated approaches to MEAs; identify cross-cutting threads that connect the climate agenda with other areas such as human rights, finance, youth, and gender; bring a unified UN voice to the country and local levels; focus on fragile states and conflict areas; work with high-impact sectors; improve multilateral outcomes at a difficult time for the UN; and identify priorities to better deliver environmental goals.

Contact: Jannica Pitkanen I jannica.pitkanen@un.org

Organizers: EMG and UNFCCC

Website: https://unemg.org