UN Climate Change News, Phnom Penh, Cambodia, 13 October 2026 - Upendo Ernest Lyimo from the United Republic of Tanzania has been named winner of the AI for Climate Action Award 2026 for CLIMAID, an innovative platform that brings together artificial intelligence, satellite observations and local vulnerability data to support climate risk management and decision-making.
The winner was announced at the AI for Climate Action Forum 2026, held on 13-14 October in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, bringing together policymakers, technology experts, innovators and development partners to explore how artificial intelligence can accelerate climate action in developing countries.
"Winning this award is an extraordinary honour, and a powerful recognition of the potential of innovation to address global climate challenges. It gives CLIMAID greater visibility and an opportunity to build partnerships with governments, research institutions, technology partners and climate finance actors," said Upendo Ernest Lyimo. "Tanzania is our starting point, not our boundary. My ambition is to scale CLIMAID into a trusted, adaptable decision-support solution that helps turn climate data into adaptation action across Africa and beyond."
Organized by the UN Climate Change Technology Executive Committee (TEC), in partnership with the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and the Royal Government of Cambodia, the Forum focuses on practical AI applications, responsible innovation and the partnerships needed to bring emerging technologies to scale.
Turning climate data into practical decisions
CLIMAID is an open-source, AI-powered platform designed to help countries and communities better anticipate, understand and respond to climate impacts.
"Growing up in Tanzania and conducting research among climate-vulnerable communities, I witnessed how droughts, floods and environmental changes affect not only livelihoods and income but also cultural identity, traditional knowledge and ways of life," said Upendo. "Yet the evidence needed to respond often remains fragmented and disconnected from decision-making. This inspired me to develop CLIMAID, an AI-powered platform that transforms climate, satellite and vulnerability data into actionable intelligence for early warning, adaptation planning, and economic and non-economic Loss and Damage assessment, making climate intelligence more accessible to those who need it most."
By combining climate and satellite data, geospatial information and household vulnerability assessments, the platform generates insights to support district-level climate risk mapping, drought prediction, early warning and adaptation planning.
It also supports assessments of climate-related loss and damage, helping decision-makers identify vulnerable households, prioritize climate finance and strengthen reporting.
Designed to be scalable and adaptable, CLIMAID has the potential to support climate-vulnerable countries beyond Tanzania, particularly where access to timely, reliable climate information remains a challenge.
Recognizing locally driven AI innovation
The 2026 Award attracted innovative solutions demonstrating how artificial intelligence can address pressing climate challenges, particularly in least developed countries (LDCs) and small island developing States (SIDS).
Five teams were selected as finalists, with four other innovations recognized alongside CLIMAID:
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Ai-Moris, led by Benedikta Anindya Bernadi (Indonesia)
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FirePredict, led by Cesilia Mambile (Tanzania)
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ClimateVoice AI, led by Djeneba Doumbia (Mali)
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Climate Action Copilot, led by Faria Islam Sara (Bangladesh)
The finalists presented their solutions to an expert judging panel in September and were invited to showcase their innovations at the Forum in Cambodia.
"Used equitably and sustainably, AI can be a powerful tool for accelerating climate action" said Sophie De Coninck, Director, Means of Implementation Division, UN Climate Change. "CLIMAID shows how locally driven innovation can put AI to practical use, helping vulnerable communities better understand and respond to climate risks. Our priority must be to make solutions like these more widely accessible - ensuring AI helps bridge the global technology divide, rather than widen it."
Supporting AI for climate action
The Award is jointly organized by the TEC and the Climate Technology Centre and Network (CTCN), in partnership with KOICA, under the UN Climate Change Technology Mechanism's AI for Climate Action Initiative.
Building on previous editions, the Award seeks to identify and promote promising AI applications, connect innovators with expertise and partnerships, and encourage wider adoption of technologies that support climate change adaptation and mitigation.
Through the Award and the wider AI for Climate Action Initiative, the Technology Mechanism is helping bridge the gap between technological innovation and practical implementation in developing countries.
