3 September 2009: On the occasion of the World Climate Conference-3 (WCC-3), which convened in Geneva, Switzerland, from 31 August-3 September 2009, UN Development Programme (UNDP) Administrator Helen Clark spoke on the need to improve climate prediction for climate risk management to safeguard progress made towards the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and poverty reduction in general.

Helen Clark highlighted the need to ensure that climate risk management strategies are built into development strategies to build-up resilience to the impact of climate variability and change. Helen Clark noted that about forty percent of development investment from official development assistance (ODA) and concessional lending is sensitive to climate risk, making climate proofing a pre-requisite.
Clark indicated that UNDP supports the Global Framework for Climate Services, called for under the WCC-3 Declaration, and said the organization supports capacity building and institutional strengthening in developing countries, particularly in least developed countries and small island States. She said that, with the support of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and other partners, UNDP has developed a methodology for countries to analyze their climate outlook, recognize the impacts on human development, and identify risk management priorities that are based on the best available scientific evidence. Based on this analysis, countries can then more effectively target resources where they are needed most to protect development. [UNDP Newsroom][WCC-3 Declaration]