Belém: At the 30th Conference of the Parties (COP30), fragile states are raising concerns about being excluded from crucial climate finance, despite being home to over a billion of the world’s most vulnerable people. COP30 President André Corrêa do Lago emphasized the importance of prioritizing people in climate actions this year, yet the Improved and Equitable Access to Climate Finance Network argues that countries suffering from conflict and fragility are being overlooked in the distribution of climate adaptation funds.
According to African Press Organization, the Network, comprising 10 countries with fragile governance and conflict, including Burundi, Mauritania, Somalia, and Papua New Guinea, is urging climate funds and COP30 to address this “urgent blind spot at the heart of climate finance.” Despite over a billion people living in such countries, they received only 10% of global climate finance in 2022, although they are among the most vulnerable to climate impacts.
Countries face multiple challenges in accessing these funds, including lengthy application processes and stringent requirements. Yemen’s Minister of Water and Environment, Tawfiq Al-Sharjabi, highlighted the complexity of procedures and limited technical capacity as significant barriers to securing climate finance during a UNFCCC side event. Somalia’s Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Bashir Mohamed Jama, pointed out the ease of accessing humanitarian aid compared to climate finance, noting a stark discrepancy in funding amounts.
Complex procedures, limited technical capacities, and the absence of flexible financial instruments are cited as constraints hampering the ability to secure climate finance. Negotiations at COP30 aim to increase climate finance flows, lending urgency to the issue. Mauricio Vazquez from ODI Global stressed the need for ambition in ensuring that existing funds reach those in greatest need.
The Improved and Equitable Access to Climate Finance Network was established in 2024 to draw attention to the climate finance blind spot. Recently, Mauritania, Papua New Guinea, and South Sudan joined the Network, reinforcing calls for reform in climate finance allocation to support long-term resilience-building projects in conflict-affected regions.
At COP30, climate adaptation is a key focus, with efforts to finalize indicators for the Global Goal on Adaptation. However, experts warn that excluding fragile countries will exacerbate the impacts of climate change on vulnerable populations and economies. Asif R. Khan from the UN Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs emphasized the linkages between climate change and conflict, stressing the need for comprehensive support to prevent crises and foster peace.
Collaboration among peacebuilding, development, and climate adaptation sectors is crucial, according to donor governments. Neale Richmond, Ireland’s Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs, highlighted Ireland’s commitment to an inclusive approach that prioritizes peace and resilience in international development policy.
