18 November: Human Development, Children and Youth, Health, Education Day
9 am – 9.30 am: Humanitarian Hub Launch Event; (Organizer) OCHA
10 am – 11 am: Minimizing and addressing climate-related shocks: CERF’s role in climate action; (Organizer): OCHA
11.30 am – 12.30 pm: Anticipatory Action: Using Innovation to Safeguard Education from Climate Change; (Organizers) Education Cannot Wait, UN's Global Fund and UNICEF
Official Opening of the Humanitarian Hub at COP29
Organizer: OCHA
By Irakli Malania
The official opening of the Humanitarian Hub at COP29 marked the launch of a dedicated platform for showcasing the critical role of humanitarian actors in addressing climate-related crises. Managed by OCHA with support from USAID/BHA, the hub provides a unique space within the Blue Zone at the venue, where negotiations take place for engaging with COP29 attendees, raising awareness of the humanitarian impacts of the climate crisis, and influencing global climate negotiations.
Moderated by Farah Kabir, Country Director of ActionAid Bangladesh, the event featured high-level speakers, including Lisa Doughten, Director of Financing and Partnerships at OCHA; Ann Vaughn, Deputy Assistant Administrator for Resilience, Environment, and Food Security at USAID; Ambassador Leila Lora-Santos, Deputy Permanent Representative of the Philippine Mission in New York.
The session began with opening remarks from Lisa Doughten, who emphasized the importance of humanitarian perspectives in climate discourse, followed by USAID’s Ann Vaughn, who highlighted the critical need for resilience and climate adaptation in vulnerable communities. A powerful short video illustrated the devastating impacts of climate change on at-risk populations, setting the stage for further reflections.
Ambassador Leila Lora-Santos underscored the pressing need for global collaboration, drawing from the Philippines' frontline experiences with climate-related disasters. The event concluded with interventions from panelists and audience members, driving home the message that humanitarian action is indispensable in the fight against the escalating climate crisis.
The Humanitarian Hub will continue to serve as a platform for engaging visitors, sharing innovations, and advocating for stronger climate action aligned with humanitarian priorities throughout COP29.
Minimizing and Addressing Climate-Related Shocks – CERF’s Role in Climate Action
Organizer: OCHA
By Irakli Malania
This compelling session highlighted the critical role of the UN Secretary General’s Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) Climate Action Account in addressing the humanitarian impacts of climate-induced disasters. Hosted at the Humanitarian Hub, the event provided insights into CERF’s transformative work over the past year, showcasing its $10 million investment in climate-smart programming and introducing its new online donation platform to mobilize broader support for vulnerable communities.
Moderated by Megan Rowling, Editor of Climate Home News, the panel featured influential speakers, including OCHA’s Doughten, Qiyamud Din Ikram from Refugees International, Eamon Ryan, Ireland’s Minister for the Environment, Climate, and Communication; Roxanne Graham from Grenada’s Ministry of Climate Resilience; and Oliver Rentschler, Division Director for Climate Foreign Policy at Germany’s Federal Foreign Office.
Doughten highlighted CERF’s role in supporting anticipatory action and addressing immediate needs while fostering resilience. Ireland’s Minister Ryan emphasized how CERF complements the Loss and Damage Fund, showcasing collaboration between humanitarian and climate financing mechanisms.
Qiyamud Din Ikram, representing Refugees International, provided a critical perspective on the needs of communities in Afghanistan, highlighting the importance of dedicated funding for anticipatory action in regions facing complex crises driven by both conflict and climate shocks. His remarks underscored the urgency of providing timely support to prevent and mitigate the impacts of disasters.
A video from Grenada underscored the challenges faced by Small Island Developing States post-disaster, with Graham illustrating how adaptation and humanitarian funding can work together to fill critical gaps. Rentschler discussed the scaling up of anticipatory action through CERF’s support.
The session concluded with a dynamic Q&A, where panellists reflected on how CERF’s innovations, including the Climate Action Account and anticipatory action initiatives, are driving impactful, localized responses to climate shocks. Attendees left with a deeper understanding of how CERF bridges the gap between humanitarian and climate financing, ensuring vulnerable communities are better prepared for and resilient to climate crises.
Anticipatory Action – Innovating and Acting Early to Safeguard Education from Climate Change
Organizer: Education Cannot Wait
By Irakli Malania
This session brought together global leaders to highlight the transformative potential of anticipatory action in protecting education systems from the devastating impacts of climate crises. Organized by Education Cannot Wait (ECW), the event offered a glimpse into innovative approaches that prioritize early action to mitigate climate shocks and sustain learning for vulnerable children.
The discussion opened with a warm introduction by the moderator, ECW’s Dianah Nelsen, setting the stage for the hour-long exploration of how anticipatory action can be harnessed to reduce disruptions to education in emergency contexts. Nelsen emphasized the urgency of acting early in an era of escalating climate disasters, stressing that anticipatory action is not only a cost-effective solution but also a life-changing intervention for children living on the frontlines of the climate crisis.
ECW introduced the organization’s groundbreaking $5 million anticipatory action pilots in Pakistan and Somalia, launched with support from the Government of Denmark. Nelsen explained that these pilots are a first in systematically applying anticipatory action to the education sector, with the aim of reducing school disruptions, minimizing damage to infrastructure, and ensuring children can continue learning despite severe climate events. "By leveraging modern climate modelling," she noted, "we can act before disasters strike, keeping classrooms open and futures intact."
Adding to this, Ms. Zulekha, Advisor and Program Manager at Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority, shared firsthand insights from the anticipatory pilot in her country. She highlighted the disproportionate impact of climate change-induced disasters on children, particularly in flood-prone regions, and underscored the importance of integrating protection, gender, and inclusion into these interventions. Her remarks illustrated the tangible benefits of acting early, from reducing vulnerabilities to preserving educational continuity for the most marginalized.
Bringing a humanitarian perspective, Lisa Doughten, Director of Financing and Partnership at OCHA, delved into the transformative role of technology in anticipatory. Doughten shared how predictive modelling, enables humanitarian actors to identify vulnerabilities, allocate resources efficiently, and respond proactively to anticipated crises. "Anticipatory action saves lives and safeguards futures," she remarked, emphasizing its potential to drive resilience-building efforts across sectors.
The conversation also featured Adenike Oladosu, ECW’s Climate Champion, who passionately advocated for cross-sector collaboration to scale up anticipatory initiatives. She stressed the importance of engaging local communities, governments, donors, and private sector partners to create sustainable systems that protect education amid mounting climate pressures.