Global South Calls for Justice-Driven Adaptation at COP30 

On 13 November 2025, a high-level panel discussion on climate finance brought together experts and activists who unanimously called for a radical overhaul of the global financial system to deliver justice for the Global South. Speakers stressed that climate finance must be framed as reparations owed by the Global North, not charity, highlighting that less than 1% of funds currently reach Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities. They demanded new, additional, grant-based, and non-debt-creating finance that ensures direct access for local actors without bureaucratic hurdles. Innovative community-centric models such as Indonesia’s Dana Nusantara, Bangladesh’s EcoCash, and the Balance Unit initiative were presented as practical alternatives that prioritize trust, rights, and sovereignty. The discussion concluded that climate finance and rights are inseparable, and achieving climate justice requires tying funding to land rights, gender equality, and community leadership, ensuring that vulnerable groups are not treated as mere beneficiaries but as central actors in shaping the global response. 

On 19 November 2025, a side event titled “Strengthening Adaptation Action for the Global South: Priorities for LDCs, LLDCs, and SIDS” was held at COP30 in Belém, Brazil, organized by LDC Watch, SAAPE, and APMDD. The session underscored the urgent need to move from adaptation planning to real implementation, particularly for vulnerable countries in the Global South. Speakers highlighted that while many nations have prepared National Adaptation Plans and integrated adaptation into their climate commitments, progress remains slow due to severe financing gaps. With developing countries projected to require USD 310–365 billion annually for adaptation by 2035, participants called for predictable, grant-based finance and stronger commitments from developed nations. Contributions from Nepal, Rwanda, Thailand, and Indonesia emphasized community-led adaptation, youth engagement, gender justice, and the protection of human rights, stressing that less than 10% of current adaptation finance reaches local communities and much of it comes as debt-creating loans. The event concluded with a strong call for adaptation to be recognized as a right, rooted in justice, equality, and community leadership, and for COP30 to deliver ambitious, needs-based financial commitments that ensure inclusive, people-centered implementation.