The United Nations (UN) has called for urgent, collective action and higher ambition to combat climate change, including through nature-based solutions that can play an important part in limiting global warming and in meeting the goals of the Paris Agreement. During COP28, Parties are expected to conclude the first Global Stocktake under the Paris Agreement, which will inform future climate action by Parties as well as international cooperation for climate action.  

 In this context, heads of UN entities will engage in a high-level Dialogue on joint messaging in which they will reflect on strengthening support, cooperation and solutions the UN system is offering Parties to the UNFCCC in terms of effective climate action and its interlinkages with other key areas of sustainable development, including in interagency settings, global advocacy, normative frameworks, regional collaboration, and national implementation.

 Programme and format

The Dialogue will consist of an opening statement and a panel discussion divided into two parts among UN entity heads who will underscore the significance of UN climate action for the implementation of the SDGs and scaling up streamlined interagency efforts and partnerships in support of countries’ efforts to implement the UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement.

 In their panel interventions, UN entity heads will be invited to take stock of their individual and collective actions supporting Parties with mitigation, adaptation, just transition, loss and damage, and the delivery of the means of implementation, including finance, technology transfer and capacity building.

 Panelists will have ca 2-3 minutes each to share 1-2 key priorities in response to the following questions:

·       In what areas of work could/should UN entities strengthen their support to Member States to enable stronger climate action (financing, technology, capacity building, science, etc.)? In what areas is system-wide collaboration particularly important?

·       What barriers are UN entities experiencing in providing support to Member States’ climate action? How can these be addressed?

·       How can the UN system work better together to effectively support Parties to implement climate, nature including desertification and the pollution agenda more synergistically?  What can the EMG offer to support these efforts?