Healthy ecosystems are at the heart of development, underpinning societal well-being and economic growth. Through nature-based solutions, such as the sustainable management and protection of land, rivers and oceans, we help ensure that countries have adequate food and water, are resilient to climate change and disasters, shift to green economic pathways, and can sustain work for billions of people through forestry, agriculture, fisheries and tourism.

A long-standing partner of the Global Environment Facility, and now with the second-largest Green Climate Fund portfolio, UNDP is the primary actor on climate change in the United Nations. Our aim is to help build the Paris Agreement and all environmental agreements into the heart of countries’ development priorities. After all, the food, shelter, clean air, education and opportunities of billions of people depend on getting this right.

Due to its highly diverse geology and geography, the region is exposed to many natural hazards including earthquakes; dry and wet land-mass movements; droughts; floods; storms; extreme temperatures; wildfires; and epidemics. Climate change is likely to further exacerbate the already existing problem of water scarcity in this region.

Long standing crises such as State failure in Somalia and protracted conflicts in Iraq, Lebanon, occupied Palestinian territory and Sudan have led to massive displacement, deprivation and systematic human rights violations, negatively impacting human development and fuelling public frustration, anger and violence.