Vienna, 6 June 2024 ―  UNIDO Director General Gerd Müller and Kirsten Dunlop, Chief Executive Officer of EIT Climate-KIC, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)  aiming to leverage the strengths and expertise of both organizations to promote climate adaption technology and innovation models. UNIDO and EIT Climate-KIC will collaborate in fields ranging from   decarbonization and sustainable energy technologies, to the water-energy-food nexus,  and systems transformation through digital technologies including artificial intelligence.

“I am very glad to be expanding our partnership with EIT Climate KIC. We will combine our expertise to bring climate adaption solutions with innovative technologies and techniques, and accelerate the transition to circular and green economies in communities worldwide. To achieve this, we need to mobilize new investments especially from the private sector, support new financing and business models, and extend knowledge sharing with our partner countries in the Global South” said Gerd Müller.

Dr. Kirsten Dunlop added: “EIT Climate-KIC is excited to take our partnership with UNIDO to the next level. What began as a programme to bring the private sector into the forefront of climate adaptation, has now expanded into a joint effort to achieve our common objectives to support global efforts to combat climate change and its impacts. We hope that through this partnership, we can leverage our collective expertise, knowledge and communities to foster systems innovation and drive significant investment in sustainable industrial development and climate action through innovation ecosystems and through locally relevant regenerative business models. We have a shared objective to foster innovative financing mechanisms that will mobilise private capital for the transition towards just, net-zero and climate-resilient economies.”

The agreement outlines a framework for joint initiatives that will support the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Key areas of cooperation include:

• Conducting joint research and analysis on issues related to climate change and sustainable development;
• Identifying, designing, and executing joint training programs and capacity-building initiatives as well as technical assistance projects in developing countries and in countries with economies in transition;
• Pursuing joint resource mobilization;
• Identifying investment opportunities and innovative financing mechanisms to mobilize private capital for sustainable development and climate action;
• Developing a platform for knowledge sharing, facilitating the spread of experience, expertise and best practices.

At COP28 in Dubai, UNIDO and the Global Environment Facility (GEF) launched the “Climate Adaptation Innovation Learning (CAIL)” project, which is being implemented in collaboration with EIT Climate-KIC, the Global Adaptation and Resilience Investment Working Group (GARI), and the United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI). This project accelerates innovation and private sector engagement in climate change adaptation by creating a unique knowledge sharing platform and establishing three Communities of Practice (on investment funds; micro-, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) incubation and acceleration; and climate change adaptation measures). Additionally, further joint climate adaptation projects in Sierra Leone and Madagascar are in the pipeline.

EIT Climate-KIC is Europe’s leading climate innovation agency and community, using a systems approach to shape innovation to support cities, regions, countries and industries meet their climate ambitions. Together with partners across the globe, EIT Climate-KIC acts to bridge the gap climate commitments and current reality by enabling decision makers to investors to act. They find and implement solutions in integrated ways and mobilize finance, build skills to accelerate learning and explore innovation, opening pathways to shift mindsets and behaviours.

For more information about the collaboration with EIT Climate-KIC, please contact:
Alois Mhlanga, Chief, Climate Technology Innovation Unit, UNIDO
email