United Nations Institute for Training and Research

The United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) is an autonomous body within the United Nations with a mandate to enhance the effectiveness of the UN through training and research. 

UNITAR Climate Change Programme (CCP) is addressing the major challenges of global climate change by helping governments, organizations, and individuals, especially from climate vulnerable countries, to better understand the negotiating issues under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), to contribute to shaping international agreements on climate change, and to benefit from these agreements at national level. 

The CCP executes training, supports learning strategies and promotes knowledge sharing so that developing countries are better prepared for a future of more extreme weather events and increasing sea level rise, while also taking advantage of the opportunities provided by low carbon economic growth. Currently the CCP provides its support through two major initiatives: 

• One UN Training Service Platform on Climate Change (UN CC:Learn) which is a collaboration of 33 multilateral organizations comprising: global knowledge sharing platform (introductory climate change learning modules and advanced learning packages); and country support to implement national climate change learning strategies (currently working in 5 countries). 

• Capacity Development for Adaptation to Climate Change and Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Mitigation Programme (C3D+): which helps training and research organisations and individuals in developing countries to acquire and apply training modules and analytical tools that support both climate risk management and GHG emissions reductions.

Through these programmes the CCP has helped to deliver learning to more than 4500 individuals (globally), enabling better developing country participation in international climate change meetings and processes. At the national level, learning strategies in Benin, Dominican Republic, Indonesia, Malawi, and Uganda, are laying a foundation for these countries to have the human resources that they need to be able to ‘implement action’ on climate change in the future.