United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
Categories: Access to climate change funding for health, Climate Change & Health Vulnerability & Adaptation Assessments, Health National Adaptation Plans, GHG emissions baseline assessments, Action Plans for sustainable low carbon health systems

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the UN’s global development network, advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience, and resources to help people build a better life, as envisaged by 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. We are on the ground in more than 170 countries and territories. UNDP works with countries to understand the social and economic factors that play a crucial role in driving health and disease, and to respond to such dynamics with appropriate policies and programmes. Building on its expertise in connecting health, climate change, environment, governance and poverty reduction, UNDP’s technical work focuses on enhanced risk knowledge; health, climate and pollution data and early warning systems; integrated and risk-informed climate-health policies; fiscal and institutional frameworks; and enhanced service delivery capacities. UNDP’s Climate
Promise is the world’s largest offer of support to countries on national climate pledges under the Paris Agreement. These pledges, or Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), are crucial stepping stones towards net-zero emissions and meeting the Paris goals. The initiative supports over 120 countries, in collaboration with over 35 partners and is as major contribution to the NDC Partnership. The actions on the ground are further supported by a number of signature initiatives. Key among them is the Sustainable Health in Procurement Project which, together with partners such as Healthcare Without Harm, promotes sustainable procurement in the health sector. As a Global Fund Principal recipient in 21 countries and 2 regional programmes, UNDP is working with partners to promote smart healthcare facilities and sustainable health procurement.
Supporting the following commitments:
- Conduct climate change and health vulnerability and adaptation assessments (V&As) at population level and/or health care facility level.
- Develop a health national adaptation plan (HNAP) informed by the health V&A, which forms part of the National Adaptation Plan.
- Use the V&A and HNAP to facilitate access to climate change funding for health.
- Deliver a baseline assessment of greenhouse gas emissions of the health system (including supply chains).
- Develop an action plan or roadmap by a set date to develop a sustainable low carbon health system (including supply chains).
Country experience:
Through the Climate Promise, UNDP supports over 120 countries across five regions to develop ambitious and inclusive NDCs, including integrating sectors outside of energy and environment. – COMMITMENT 2
In the framework of the ‘Sustainable Health in Procurement Project’ UNDP supported 10 countries – Argentina, Brazil, China, India, Moldova, South Africa, Tanzania, Ukraine, Zambia to reduce toxicity of chemicals and materials in health products, reduce greenhouse gases in the supply chain and to conserve resources - COMMITMENT 5
Since 2017, UNDP has supported 16 countries – Angola, Chad, Eswatini, India, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Malawi, Namibia, Nepal, South Sudan, Sudan, Uganda, Yemen, Zambia and Zimbabwe – to reduce carbon emissions in over 1,000 health and storage facilities through the installation of solar panels – COMMITMENT 1
UNDP and partners are working on the development of a climate and health co-investment facility to finance climate and health work at the country level and integrate health into their nationally determined contributions (NDCs). Target countries include Argentina, Bhutan, Cabo Verde, Cote d'Ivoire, Georgia, Ghana, Guinea, Indonesia, Jordan, Madagascar, Morocco, Nepal, Sri Lanka, State of Palestine, Thailand, Togo, Uganda, Vietnam, Yemen – COMMITMENT 2, 3 and 6
Links:
Site in English: https://www.undp.org/
Site in French: https://www.undp.org/fr
Site in Spanish: https://www.undp.org/es