UNOPS

Nepal is being devastated by climate impacts. The international community must step up… To support recovery. To accelerate climate action. To help those on the frontlines build long-term climate-resilience. 🎥 Watch

9 years ago in Marawi City, Philippines, nearly 1000 people lost their lives and more than 300,000 were displaced following the 2017 Marawi Siege. UNOPS Executive Director, Jorge Moreira da Silva, visited the ‘Ground Zero’ site to reflect on the devastation the tragic event caused and the progress that has been made towards helping people recover and rebuild their lives. With support from the European Union in the Philippines, we’ve been working with local communities to strengthen the justice system, support reconstruction and rehabilitation of public buildings, and facilitate the peacebuilding process. 🎥 Watch his reflections from the ground 👇

Reflections on my mission to #Nepal 🇳🇵 As a climate veteran - who has been deeply involved since 1999 in international negotiations and on policy reforms and implementation at international, european and national level - this visit to Nepal, a few weeks after one of most devastating climate disasters, was full of emotions. I will never forget the massive devastation I witnessed in my visit in the most affected areas - Rasuwa and Nuwakot - by the 26 August flash floods. But, specially, I will never forget what I learned from the most affected populations, the many women, men and children with whom I spoke. They shared sobering memories of the flash flood which was caused by the glacier outburst: a massive water wall of more than 100 meters high, travelling at a speed of more than 180km/h from the glacier on the top of Himalayas down to the valley. In a matter of seconds, everything on the valley was destroyed: 👉 1,500 people lost their lives and 5,600+ missing 👉 80 bridges and 13 hydro power dams destroyed 👉 2.2 Million tonnes of debris and sediments are now occupying what used to be houses, roads and rivers. But I won’t forget either the people’s tenacity, resilience and solidarity. Now they are deeply committed in rebuilding their own communities. But they can’t do it alone. The recovery and climate-resilient reconstruction of Nepal requires 4.8 billion dollars. Nepal – which only emits 0.08% of global greenhouse gases – can’t pay alone the cost of the recovery from a massive climate disaster that the country is not responsible for. The international community must step up: 👉to help people recover and rebuild in Nepal; 👉honouring the commitment to provide yearly 1.3 trillion dollar of climate finance to developing countries; 👉revising the national targets (NDCs) bring us back to the 1.5°C rather than the current path to 2.3-2.5°C. This a defining moment for Nepal but it is also a defining moment to all of us. UNOPS, alongside all United Nations system, is ready to scale-up our efforts. I want to thank my amazing UNOPS team - in Nepal led by Sasha Radetic, in the SAMCO led by Charles Callanan, and in the Asia and Pacific Region led by Sara Netzer - for their remarkable work supporting the communities, including through the programme Cities for Women. And I want to thank the UN Resident Coordinator Lila Pieters Yahia for the great work coordinating and bringing all UN agencies together in the response in Nepal.

Over 1,500 lives lost. More than 5,000 missing. Homes, bridges, energy facilities – decimated. Around 100,000 people affected.  The flash floods and mudslide in Nepal have left communities devastated and essential services wiped out.   From the sites of flood-affected areas, UNOPS Executive Director Jorge Moreira da Silva called on the international community to renew its climate commitments and bring a renewed solidarity with developing countries to help build resilience, mobilize climate finance and support critical adaptation and mitigation efforts. As communities begin the long road to recovery, we stand ready to scale up support and deliver for the people of Nepal. 🎥 Watch now 👇

“How can we ask Nepal to do it alone? This level of devastation requires partnership.” On NTV World’s Geo Pod, UNOPS Executive Director Jorge Moreira da Silva reflected on his visit to flood-affected areas in Nepal, the severe impact of the damage to critical infrastructure on communities and why the international community must support recovery and help build back better. He underscored the harsh consequences of climate change impacts, particularly for developing countries on the frontlines, and what is needed to help build long-term climate resilience. “It's a defining moment,” he said. The international community must honour global climate commitments and work together to accelerate climate action with urgency. 🎥 Watch the full interview: https://bit.ly/4iqFabp

“It contributes 0.08% to global greenhouse gas emissions. And despite that, it's been affected by the climate crisis. More than 1500 lives have been lost.” Surrounded by devastation in Rasuwa and Nuwakot in Nepal, UNOPS Executive Director Jorge Moreira da Silva spoke with CNN's Brian Abel on the scale of destruction caused by the flash floods and mudslides and the impact on local communities.  He called on the international community to step up to support the government's response and to help people recover and rebuild. 🎥 Watch the full interview 👇

"Even when crises are global, developing countries are disproportionately affected." Speaking to TNN on the sidelines of the IMF and World Bank Annual Meetings, UNOPS Executive Director and coordinator of the UN Strait of Hormuz Task Force, Jorge Moreira da Silva, highlighted how overlapping crises, from climate impacts to disruptions in key shipping routes, are hitting the most vulnerable hardest. With one-third of the world's fertilizer previously transiting through the Strait of Hormuz, the disruptions threaten food security and could push millions of people into extreme poverty Building on our experience in Yemen and Gaza, a UN mechanism can help keep essential goods moving. 🎥 Watch his full interview 👇

"This is a defining moment for the international community." UNOPS Executive Director, Jorge Moreira da Silva, spoke to Channel News Asia on the impacts of climate change and disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz on developing countries – and how we're working to deliver practical solutions to support people across Asia and beyond 👇

In countries across Asia, climate impacts and ongoing disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz are leading to a compounding crisis that threatens lives, livelihoods and food security. In conversation with the Atlantic Council, UNOPS Executive Director Jorge Moreira da Silva highlighted the devastating impact of the flash floods in Nepal, the importance of the international community upholding their climate commitments, and the urgent need to get fertilizers and other essential goods moving through the Strait. 🎥 Watch his full interview from the International Monetary Fund-The World Bank Group meetings in Bangkok 👇

Rebuilding Ukraine starts with putting people at the centre 💙 Joining Ambassador Jesper Møller Sørensen, Denmark in USA, and Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, UNOPS Regional Director for Europe and Central Asia, Tim Lardner, contributed to discussions on turning high-level policy into lasting impact on the ground. In close partnership with Denmark, we are helping restore communities across Ukraine – from repairing damaged schools, hospitals and multi-apartment buildings to safeguarding energy infrastructure and delivering essential municipal equipment 🏫 🛠️ 🔗 More on our work with Denmark in Ukraine: https://lnkd.in/e5gF5yYP