UN Climate Change News, 20 February 2025 - The 6th Capacity-building Hub at COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, drew over 1,500 attendees across 42 specialized sessions during its week-long programme. A flagship initiative of the Paris Committee on Capacity-building (PCCB), the Hub served as a platform to highlight the importance of capacity-building for climate action.
"Capacity building is essential to unlock access to finance, enable effective deployment of funds, and facilitate technology transfer," emphasized Sophie De Coninck, Director of Means of Implementation at UN Climate Change, during the Hub's opening session on the Finance for National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) Day.
The Hub brought together 55 diverse organizations, from UN and affiliated organizations to NGOs and the private sector. Key partners included the United Nations University (UNU), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the Global Capacity Building Coalition (GCBC), and the Raoul Wallenberg Institute (RWI), as well as companies like Iberdrola, Rio Impact and Onepoint5.
Matthew Scott, a human rights expert from RWI, stressed the importance of co-producing knowledge for effective climate action: "It is really critical that when we think about capacity-building, we think about knowledge and learning co-production - this is critical to human mobility action and also wider action on climate."
The Hub featured diverse sessions, including workshops, panel discussions, world café-style meetings, and roundtable dialogues, fostering dynamic exchanges among participants.
A particular focus was placed on the potential of emerging technologies like AI for climate action and the importance of inclusive capacity-building efforts that involve all stakeholders, from academia to youth.
PCCB member Kerricia Hobson highlighted the need to bridge capacity gaps to ensure all countries can harness emerging tech to its full potential: "Building capacity alone isn't enough - it must be continuously developed and retained to support technological innovations and scale solutions critical to achieving the Paris Agreement goals."
Key outcomes from the Hub included recommendations to:
- Strengthen national coordination between finance and environment ministries to align fiscal policies with national climate plans (nationally determined contributions or NDCs) and NAPs.
- Foster dialogue across the Rio Conventions - the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) - to promote synergies and address trade-offs between biodiversity and climate action.
- Amplify the voices of women, youth and Indigenous communities by ensuring women's equal engagement and leadership, supporting youth participation in climate finance and technology, and promoting locally led adaptation solutions.
- Leverage innovative climate finance mechanisms such as blended finance and Climate and Disaster Risk Finance and Insurance (CDRFI).
- Ensure an equitable and transparent use of emerging technologies, including AI, while integrating STEM education and training initiatives.
