FEATURES

When Climate Reality Hits Home: CVF-V20 Secretariat in Madagascar as a Category 4 Cyclone Makes Landfall
As a Category 4 cyclone slams into Madagascar’s coastline, the force of climate change is no longer abstract, it is immediate, physical, and deeply human. The CVF Secretariat team on the ground is witnessing firsthand how climate vulnerability translates into real-time emergency response, institutional coordination, and community resilience under pressure.

High Seas Treaty Enters Into Force
The first legally binding ocean instrument to provide for inclusive ocean governance, known as the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement, entered into force on January 17, 120 days after at least 60 countries have ratified the treaty.

Liberia to Implement Carbon Levy on Maritime Shipping
The Republic of Liberia becomes the third African country to introduce a carbon levy on maritime shipping, after Djibouti’s and Gabon’s domestic implementation. Starting on March 1 this year, the country will impose a USD 25 per tonne fee on CO2 emitted by ships entering and leaving its ports.

Marshall Islands Pioneers Climate Resilience Strategy for Atoll Nations
The Blue-Green Atolls Project by the Republic of Marshall Islands begins its preparation phase after securing approval from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) Trust Fund and the Special Climate Change Fund. Initial stages include technical assessments, stakeholder engagement, and the mobilization of complementary public and private finance. With the United Nations Development Programme as the implementing agency, the project receives USD 38.5 million from co-financing and USD 8.537 million from the GEF Project Grant.

Fellowship Sessions Empower Climate Leaders to Drive Bold Action
January 2026 witnessed a transformative gathering of climate champions as the CVF-V20 Secretariat hosted a series of fellowship retreats and a residency to equip youth and mid-to-senior-level officials from the world’s most climate-vulnerable nations with co-learning and networking opportunities necessary to advance ambitious development-positive climate action.

CVF-V20 Backs Evidence-Based Climate and Economic Decisions in Pakistan
The CVF-V20 Secretariat met with Pakistan’s Minister for Climate Change, H.E. Dr. Musadik Malik, on January 8 to align on how CVF-V20 tools and approaches can support national decision-making and delivery on climate and economic priorities. The discussion focused on positioning the Green Economy Model–Prosperity (GEM-P) as a practical, evidence-based tool for the Prime Minister’s Task Force, alongside advancing the launch and implementation of Pakistan’s Climate Prosperity Plan (CPP).

Solomon Islands and Vanuatu chart vast indigenous-led Ocean Reserve in Pacific
June 30, 2025—The Solomon Islands and Vanuatu are stepping forward to create the Melanesian Ocean Reserve, a groundbreaking initiative to protect the waters of the

Nicaragua taps 70 MW solar project to boost water access
June 30, 2025—Work has begun on Nicaragua’s largest solar energy project, the 70 MW Enesolar-3 plant in Nindirí, with an $83 million investment support from

Major Reforms to IMF, Global Tax Rules Needed to Bridge Climate Investment Gap
June 30, 2025—A new policy brief authored by Daniel Titelman, Marilou Uy, and Amar Bhattacharya from the Task Force on Climate, Development, and the International

Why We Should Protect High Seas From All Extraction, Forever
June 30, 2025—As the UN Oceans Conference opened in Nice, France, in early June, a landmark paper published in the prestigious journal Nature, led by

Escaping the Debt Doom Loop: Unlocking $454 Billion for V20 Countries
June 30, 2025—The Third Edition of the V20 Debt Review reveals that V20 countries would have been 20% wealthier today in terms of GDP had

CVF-V20, UNOPS Mark Progress on JMDF Work Plan
June 17, 2025—Representatives from the CVF-V20 Secretariat and the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) convened in Vienna on June 17 to take stock



