Belém, Brazil, Nov. 20 – On the eve of the closing of COP30, the poorest countries are raising their voices to demand an increase in international funds that would allow them to face today’s rising costs of climate adaptation.
Negotiators from the Least Developed Countries (LDC) bloc warn about the growing shortage of resources reaching developing nations.
These states need the XXX United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30) to call for more capital to adapt to the impacts of global warming.
This message was conveyed by the group of LDC negotiators, which includes 44 nations.
“According to the latest UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme) report, the gap for adaptation funding amounts to $310 billion. Until 2023, only $26 billion had been delivered. This is nothing compared to the needs,” said Lina Yassin, representative from Sudan.
One of the expected advances at this COP lies in the Global Goal on Adaptation indicators — a set of metrics that allows for comparable measurement of how countries are preparing to face the impacts of the climate crisis.
This concept was created by the Paris Agreement, but in the ten years since, the topic has seen little progress.
“The indicators are useful. They allow us to measure our history, to know if Sudan and Senegal are doing well and what the challenges are. But the indicators do not rebuild our communities devastated by water, nor do they repair our lost crops,” emphasized Yassin.
Historical emissions from the 54 countries in the African continent (most of which are part of the LDCs, but also include emerging nations like South Africa) represent less than 18 percent of those of the 27 countries of the European Union.
The EU and the United Kingdom, in particular, want no more additional funding. “In fact, all developed countries insist that we already have the NCQG (New Collective Quantified Goal), and that this debate cannot be reopened,” the expert denounced.
The NCQG was defined in Dubai during last year’s COP29. According to this mechanism, rich countries must lead financing with $300 billion annually until 2035 for climate action in developing countries.
This amount falls far short of the $1.3 trillion considered necessary.
The group of vulnerable countries is requesting that adaptation financing be tripled at a minimum by 2030 and that this issue not be sidelined in favor of mitigation discussions (reduction actions).
