FEATURES
Loving Nature through Restoration, Strengthening Communities in Timor-Leste
In Timor-Leste, a new climate initiative is working to restore ecosystems while strengthening rural resilience. The project, led by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) with national partners, aims to help communities adapt to climate change by rebuilding the natural systems they depend on.
When Climate Vulnerability Becomes Personal
Damage to infrastructure and agriculture, disruptions to transport and services, and the costs of emergency response ripple across the economy. When such shocks recur year after year, recovery becomes partial and fragile. Each rebuilding effort begins before the last has fully ended.
From the outside, climate impacts are often described as temporary setbacks. On the ground, they feel structural. Resources that could support education, healthcare, industrial development, or job creation are repeatedly redirected toward response and repair. Public debt grows not through poor decisions, but because climate shocks leave governments with few alternatives.
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.
From Ambition to Implementation: Kiribati’s Climate Investment Pathway
Efforts are now underway to update Kiribati’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) Investment Plan, with the support of the Regional Pacific NDC Hub. First developed in 2021. the investment plan provides a structured roadmap for translating national climate targets into concrete investment opportunities.
Advancing Climate Investment Pathways in Pakistan
In February, a series of engagements with key institutions across Pakistan explored ways to strengthen the investment pipeline under the country’s Climate Prosperity Plan (CPP). The CVF-V20 South Asia team met with a range of stakeholders to discuss how sector reforms, research initiatives, and large-scale programs can be translated into bankable projects that attract international investment across infrastructure, renewable energy, agriculture, and the blue economy.
Fiji Strengthens Ocean Governance with 30×30 Targets
Fiji is taking its ocean governance to new heights with a revitalized commitment to protect 30% of its water by 2030. At the heart of this conservation initiative lies a rigorous, evidence-based, data-driven discussion among experts and government officials. With the Ministry of Fisheries at the forefront of this movement, Fiji is ensuring that its country-wide efforts align with the global 30×30 Initiative and international obligations under the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission.
Empowering Communities: Accelerating Local Renewable Energy Transition in the Philippines
Subnational governance and local community participation emerges vital in realizing the ambitious renewable energy targets of the Philippines—achieving a 35% renewable energy share in the power generation mix by 2030, 50% by 2040, and more than 50% by 2050.
Care for the Blue Economy: Saint Lucia Charts a Sustainable Course
Saint Lucia is championing sustainable ocean governance with comprehensive blue economy strategies designed to strengthen economic resilience and foster inclusive growth.
The Coastal and Marine Spatial Plan, developed under the Caribbean Regional Oceanscape Project, provides a roadmap for the sustainable and equitable use of the coastal and marine spaces, protection of coastal and marine ecosystems, and management of land-water interactions.
The Right Union: Gabon Proves Conservation and Economic Growth Can Coexist
The Gabonese Republic has been classified as a high-forest low-deforestation country, with a recorded deforestatizgreon rate of just 0.6%. This remarkable outcome highlights the impact of forward-looking national policies and ambitious government commitments amid mounting threats of forest degradation across Africa.
