Background

The 29th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP29) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) concluded in Baku, Azerbaijan, with several landmark decisions advancing the processes under the Paris Agreement.

While the adoption of a new quantified goal on climate finance garnered substantial attention, COP29 also achieved notable progress on adaptation and resilience. Progress on the UAE-Belem Roadmap, outlined in decision 2/CMA.5 (Global Goal on Adaptation), stood out as a particularly important outcome. Other key outcomes included enhanced guidance on National Adaptation Plans and strengthened support for adaptation focused bodies such as the Adaptation Committee and the Least Developed Countries Expert Group (LEG). Translating these decisions into actionable country-level insights will now be critical to enable more accelerated and effective climate action.

The Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia regions collectively host some of the world’s most climate-vulnerable countries. Despite their exposure to a diverse range of climate-related hazards, these nations face common challenges in designing and implementing strategies to adapt effectively. Therefore, the decisions from COP29 hold great significance for this region. This post-COP29 webinar organized by RCC MENA and SA will provide regional stakeholders an inclusive platform to unpack and react to key decisions, discuss regional priorities, and strategize country level implications of the latest decisions.

Objectives

The webianr series aims to:

• Highlight COP29 outcomes on adaptation and resilience, particularly focusing on the global goal on adaptation, including region-specific opportunities and challenges.   
• Provide a platform for stakeholders to highlight regional priorities and link COP29 outcomes to existing initiatives in region.
• Highlight expectations for the upcoming year based on the COP29 decisions particularly related to the global goal on adaptation.
• Build capacity for implementing COP29 decisions, particularly for climate-vulnerable nations and communities. 

Target Audience

• Government representatives and policymakers;
• UN Country Teams;
• Regional centres and organizations;  
• Civil society and non-governmental organizations;
• Private sector and businesses;
• Youth, Indigenous Peoples and local communities, research organizations, and academic institutions.