Five days into COP30 and a key stand-off is holding up progress: at the start of the summit, parties proposed extra agenda items. While the official agenda was adopted, the four most difficult issues were pulled out into a separate “consultation track” — and so far, none of them has moved forward.
On one side, the European Union and Small Island States are pushing to talk openly about the mitigation gap: the fact that current national plans are nowhere near enough to keep global warming below 1.5 °C. On the other hand, many developing countries are insisting on a discussion about the provision of climate finance, something developed countries are not keen to discuss.
“Both the mitigation gap and the finance gap must be addressed. Parties should move out of their fixed positions to unlock this stalemate.” says Mattias Söderberg, Global Climate Lead at DanChurchAid.
The climate crisis is happening now — there are no excuses for delay.Mattias Söderberg, Global Climate Lead, DanChurchAid
With trust already stretched and the science demanding rapid action, the world is watching: if COP30 can’t get past the agenda standoff, time — and momentum — may slip away.
Momentum grows for adaptation finance
Amid the deadlock, momentum is building around adaptation finance, as more countries join the Least Developed Countries’ call to triple current commitments.
“This is great news,” says Söderberg. “Adaptation is vital — especially for communities in some of the most vulnerable countries, where the effects of climate change are already devastating livelihoods and lives. I do hope that COP30 can deliver an adaptation finance target.”
The Baku–Belém Roadmap: Time to deliver
Just before COP30 began, the Baku–Belém Roadmap was launched to guide the mobilisation of the 1.3 trillion USD needed annually to manage the climate crisis. Yet since then, it has gone quiet.
“Saturday’s discussion on the Baku-Belém Roadmap must bring action,” Söderberg adds. “The roadmap must become a concrete plan to scale up funding in the coming year. Without climate finance, there will be no climate action.”
CONTACT
Mattias Söderberg, Global Climate Lead, DanChurchAid
WhatsApp: +45 29 700 609
Email: msd@dca.dk
