The Bangladesh-developed Climate Action Copilot aims to help governments identify vulnerable communities and prioritize climate adaptation investments. The winner will be announced in Cambodia on October 14.
A Bangladesh-developed artificial intelligence solution designed to help governments identify climate-vulnerable communities and make better-informed adaptation investments has been selected among five global finalists for the 2026 UN Climate Change AI for Climate Action Award.
The Bangladeshi innovation, Climate Action Copilot, is competing alongside projects from Indonesia, Tanzania and Mali for the international recognition, which highlights locally developed technologies addressing climate change.
The five finalists will showcase their innovations at the AI for Climate Action Forum 2026, scheduled for October 13–14 at the Shangri-La Phnom Penh in Cambodia. The winner will be announced on October 14.
The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) confirmed the finalists in a media advisory issued on Friday, October 9.
The Bangladeshi project uses artificial intelligence and geospatial data to identify communities and infrastructure exposed to climate risks, helping governments prioritize cost-effective investments in adaptation.
The initiative is associated with a Bangladeshi team led by Faria Islam Sara, according to a separate announcement circulated by UN climate technology representatives.
By combining AI with location-based information, the proposed system aims to support decisions about where adaptation interventions may be most urgently needed and where limited public resources could have the greatest benefit.
The approach is particularly relevant to climate-vulnerable countries such as Bangladesh, where governments face mounting pressure to finance flood protection, disaster-resilient infrastructure and other measures while working with limited resources.
The UNFCCC’s description establishes the tool’s intended purpose, although it does not provide independent evidence of its performance, implementation scale or measurable adaptation outcomes.
Five innovations addressing different climate threats
The five finalists demonstrate how AI technologies are being developed to respond to different environmental and climate challenges, including forest restoration, wildfire prediction, disaster warnings, adaptation planning and climate finance.
Indonesia’s Ai-Moris combines artificial intelligence, satellite imagery and drones to identify suitable native tree species for restoring degraded watersheds in Timor-Leste. Its precision reforestation approach aims to make ecosystem restoration more effective.
Tanzania’s FirePredict uses AI, satellite observations and weather information to forecast forest fires and provide early warnings, potentially helping communities and authorities protect ecosystems and reduce emissions.
Mali’s ClimateVoice AI focuses on improving access to climate information by translating alerts into local languages and distributing warnings through voice messages, SMS, WhatsApp and radio.
Bangladesh’s Climate Action Copilot concentrates on identifying climate-vulnerable communities and infrastructure to support more effective adaptation investment decisions.
Another Tanzanian innovation, CLIMAID, uses artificial intelligence and climate data to assess climate risks, predict droughts, evaluate loss and damage, and inform adaptation planning and climate finance decisions.
Together, the projects illustrate the potential for developing countries to create AI applications that respond to their own environmental challenges rather than relying entirely on technologies designed elsewhere.
UN climate chief calls for responsible AI development
UN Climate Change Executive Secretary Simon Stiell has urged governments, innovators and development partners to ensure that artificial intelligence accelerates climate solutions without deepening existing global inequalities.
“AI can fast track climate action but only if it is used with purpose and responsibility,” Stiell said in a video message prepared for the forum.
He warned that the global transition is already progressing at different speeds, creating the risk that developing countries could fall further behind if access to emerging technologies remains unequal.
Stiell emphasized the importance of making AI technologies affordable, accessible and responsive to local needs, particularly in vulnerable developing countries.
He also cautioned against treating artificial intelligence as a universal solution, noting that appropriate technologies should deliver results without unnecessary energy use, financial costs or complexity.
The UN climate chief called for greater attention to AI’s environmental footprint, including its energy consumption and other environmental and social risks. He stressed that expanding AI applications should go hand in hand with renewable energy and responsible technology governance.
His message comes as policymakers increasingly consider how digital technologies could strengthen climate resilience while managing the resources required to operate them.
Strengthening climate technology in developing countries
The AI for Climate Action Award is organized through the UNFCCC Technology Mechanism, comprising the Technology Executive Committee (TEC) and the Climate Technology Centre and Network (CTCN), in partnership with the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA).
The initiative focuses on innovative, open-source AI solutions supporting climate change mitigation and adaptation, particularly in least developed countries and small island developing states.
According to the UNFCCC, the award seeks to increase international visibility for promising local innovations while connecting their developers with technical expertise, partnerships and support needed to expand their applications.
The competition has generated substantial international interest. In 2025, it attracted more than 600 submissions from 110 countries.
Beyond recognizing individual innovations, the initiative seeks to encourage technologies that can be scaled up or replicated in other climate-vulnerable countries.
The UN Climate Change Technology Mechanism’s AI initiative also supports international dialogue on technology development, responsible deployment and access to AI-based climate solutions.
Phnom Penh forum to address AI opportunities and risks
The two-day forum will bring together policymakers, researchers, innovators, development partners and technology specialists to explore how artificial intelligence can support practical climate action.
Discussions will examine AI applications for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improving adaptation planning, strengthening institutional capacity and expanding access to climate technologies.
Participants will also consider the limitations and risks of AI, including unequal access to data, digital infrastructure gaps, energy and water consumption, and the importance of effective governance.
The official programme includes sessions on locally developed AI solutions, policy and financial support, data availability, infrastructure requirements and the environmental costs of emerging technologies.
The winner of the 2026 AI for Climate Action Award is scheduled to be announced during an afternoon session on Wednesday, October 14.
For Bangladesh, the selection of Climate Action Copilot offers an opportunity to demonstrate how locally developed digital tools could contribute to more informed climate adaptation planning.
Its longer-term significance, however, will depend on whether the technology can move beyond recognition and demonstrate practical benefits for the communities facing the greatest climate risks.
The forum will be held in a hybrid format, with in-person participation by invitation. Online audiences can follow the proceedings through the official webcast and find programme updates on the UNFCCC forum website.
