UNEP highlights $310 billion climate adaptation finance gap ahead of COP30
A recent United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) report warns of a $310–365 billion annual gap in climate adaptation finance needed by developing countries until 2035. In 2023, developed nations provided just under $26 billion, highlighting the urgent need for increased investment from public and private sources. UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen stressed that without immediate action, costs will escalate each year.
Ahead of COP30 in Brazil (10–21 November), Brazil’s COP30 summit president, Andre Correa do Lago, said a “package of resources” will be mobilised to close the financing gap, drawing on contributions from rich countries, philanthropy, and multilateral development banks.
The United States experienced its costliest first half of 2025 for climate disasters, with 14 billion-dollar weather events causing $101.4 billion in damages. The Los Angeles wildfires in January accounted for over $60 billion, the costliest US wildfire on record.
By 2025, countries were expected to submit their third generation of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), yet only 64 have done so, according to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. The synthesis report emphasized the need for faster and deeper emissions reductions to ensure climate action benefits all countries.
Other notable climate news includes:
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Rising heat has caused a 63% increase in heat-related deaths since the 1990s, averaging 546,000 annual deaths between 2012–2021, according to the 2025 Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change.
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The world’s largest multilateral climate fund is financing a $6 billion desalination project in Jordan, expected to provide 300 million cubic metres of water annually by 2030.
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The European Commission has eased deforestation reporting requirements for smallholders, with the law now set to take effect on 30 December 2025.
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Hurricane Melissa, a Category 5 storm, struck the northern Caribbean, causing widespread power outages, infrastructure damage, and fatalities.
COP30 in Belém will focus on countries’ NDCs, adaptation and nature financing, and transforming food systems. Experts continue to advocate for a “nature positive” approach, urging governments and businesses to restore more than they destroy to ensure sustainable development.
