• A UNOPS delegation led by the Executive Director will participate in the 31st UN Climate Change Conference (COP31) alongside senior representatives of UNOPS and its hosted partnerships.
• The Executive Director will be available for media interviews ahead of COP and also in person in the COP31 venue from 11 to 14 November.
• UNOPS supports climate action through expertise in infrastructure, procurement, and project and fund management. Most of UNOPS work takes place in fragile, conflict-affected and complex settings. 

With extreme weather events escalating globally and the risk of temperature overshoot growing, COP31 will focus on urgent adaptation and accelerating the implementation of climate commitments. 

UNOPS supports countries in turning climate ambitions into action on the ground, delivering practical solutions in infrastructure, nature-based solutions, and sustainable procurement to strengthen climate resilience. UNOPS also enables the work of many multilateral initiatives that advance climate action, including Sustainable Energy for All (SEforAll), the NDC Partnership and the Initiative for Climate Action Transparency (ICAT). 

With acute risks – including potential El Niño impacts – threatening vulnerable communities, preparedness is critical. UNOPS supports governments and other partners to secure supply chains, protect critical infrastructure, and deliver solutions that help communities withstand climate shocks. 

At COP31, UNOPS will highlight practical approaches to climate-resilient infrastructure, energy access, resilient grids and secure supply chains, as well as partnerships that advance climate action, particularly in fragile and climate-vulnerable settings.

Jorge Moreira da Silva, UN Under-Secretary-General and UNOPS Executive Director, alongside senior leadership, will participate in high-level discussions and meet with global leaders during the conference.

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Notes to editors

Interview opportunities with UNOPS Executive Director:

Jorge Moreira da Silva, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and UNOPS Executive Director, will lead the UNOPS delegation at the conference. He will be available for interviews from 11 to 14 November on a range of issues, including: 

• Importance of putting the world back on track to limit global warming to 1.5°C. 
• Sustainable and resilient infrastructure and low-carbon supply chains.
• Energy transition and the importance of resilient grids. 
• Need to ensure that climate and development finance goes to fragile and conflict-affected settings that need it most.
• Climate justice. The Executive Director has recently returned from visiting flood-affected areas in Nepal. 

The Executive Director will be happy to give interviews in English, Portuguese and Spanish. 

Interview opportunities with other UNOPS leaders: 

UNOPS Regional Directors and climate and infrastructure specialists will also be available for media engagement. Please see a list of UNOPS spokespeople here. Please contact us if interested to request an interview during COP. 

About UNOPS: 

UNOPS offers practical solutions across peace and security, humanitarian and development operations. We help the United Nations, governments and other partners to manage projects, and deliver sustainable infrastructure and procurement across the world.