Monday, September 1, 2025, marked the official start of Climate Week, a milestone United Nations event aimed at accelerating real-world climate solutions and advancing critical discussions ahead of the COP30 global climate conference scheduled for November in Belém, Brazil.
Organized by UN Climate Change and hosted by the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, Climate Week is bringing together governments, financiers including development banks, businesses, civil society groups, and Indigenous Peoples to accelerate the implementation of climate pledges and practical actions across Africa and the world.
The event also serves as a preparatory platform for the second Africa Climate Summit (ACS2), which will take place in Addis Ababa from September 8 to 10, 2025.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, UN Climate Change Executive Secretary Simon Stiell stressed the urgency of action, noting that Climate Week provides an opportunity to scale up real-world solutions and extend the benefits of climate action to more communities globally.
“We are at a vital moment in the world’s climate journey. Climate Week in Addis Ababa is a chance to share and scale up real-world solutions, and help spread the real-life benefits of climate action to more people across Africa and around the world: more resilient economies, more jobs, better health and quality of life, more secure and affordable clean energy for all,” Stiell said.
UN Climate Change Deputy Executive Secretary Noura Hamladji added that the event is designed to connect international climate processes to people’s daily lives and local economies. Central to the program is the Implementation Forum, running from September 3 to 4, which will bring together negotiators, policymakers, financiers, businesses, civil society, and Indigenous communities.
This year’s Climate Week is also introducing new Implementation Labs aimed at tackling key challenges such as adaptation finance, public-private partnerships, agricultural and forestry initiatives, and community empowerment. These collaborative platforms will focus on turning ideas into actionable solutions that drive measurable impact.
Ethiopia’s Minister of Planning and Development, Fitsum Assefa, highlighted the strategic timing of Climate Week ahead of ACS2, emphasizing the importance of aligning Africa’s climate priorities with global climate goals. “This strategic alignment ensures that Africa’s climate priorities do not remain regional aspirations but are elevated into the global agenda. What we build in Addis Ababa through both the Africa Climate Summit 2 and Climate Week will strengthen implementation, unlock finance, and set the stage for COP30 and beyond,” she said.
Mosses Vilakati, Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy and Sustainable Environment at the African Union Commission, underscored the significance of connecting these platforms.
“By strategically connecting Climate Week, the Climate Change and Development Conference in Africa, and the Second Africa Climate Summit, we establish a unified platform that turns dialogue into practical, scalable climate solutions and funding, fostering a resilient and green continent,” he said.
Climate Week is seen as a pivotal step in ensuring that Africa’s voice and priorities are central to global climate action, particularly in shaping the discussions and outcomes at COP30 later this year.
