STRENGTHENING ADAPTATION ACTION: AAI STANDS IN THE GAP FOR AFRICA

At COP30, which is currently under way in Belem, Brazil, adaptation remains central to Africa’s climate agenda.

Here in Belem, Africa is stressing the need to finalise and adopt means of implementation indicators under the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA), close the widening adaptation finance gap, and ease access to funds for developing and implementing NAPs.

“The indicators must be guided by Articles 9, 10 and 11 of the Paris Agreement, without shifting burdens onto developing countries,” said Kulthoum Omari Motsumi, AGN Lead Coordinator on the GGA, who also serves as Africa Adaptation Initiative Technical Advisor. Motsumi underscored that adaptation is a “global responsibility, not a national one.”

And AAI Special Advisor, Kamal Djemouai emphasised the importance of not ‘dropping the ball’ on adaptation, pointing out that finance for adaptation remains a critical component to enable climate action for developing countries.

“We urge developed country Parties to triple their collective provision of climate finance for adaptation to developing country Parties from 2025 levels by 2030, reaching to at least USD 120 billion per year by 2030, in the context of achieving a balance between mitigation and adaptation in the provision of scaled-up financial resources, recalling Article 9, paragraph 4, of the Paris Agreement and paragraph 18 of decision 1/CMA.3,” said Kamal. “And such financing must be new and additional, primarily in the form of grants, and provided in a manner that responds to the specific needs and special circumstances of developing country Parties, particularly least developed countries, small island developing States and Africa.”

Escalating Losses Underscore the Need for Complementary Adaptation Support

Climate-induced disasters continue to intensify globally, with projected economic losses ranging between USD 128 billion and 937 billion in 2025 alone. Behind these numbers are African farmers losing crops to drought, coastal communities watching their homes disappear to rising seas, and pastoralists struggling to find pasture as ecosystems shift.

These realities affirm that adaptation and loss-and-damage responses must work hand in hand. Strengthening early warning systems, climate-resilient infrastructure, sustainable water systems, and risk-informed social protection will reduce the scale of future losses—ensuring that funds like the FRLD can be used strategically, not only reactively.

Thus, the launch of the first funding proposal request for the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage (FRLD) has been hailed as a historic and welcome development for Africa.

As an established adaptation capacity supporting initiative, AAI is strategically placed to support African countries in developing robust, evidence-driven, and community-rooted proposals as the continent’s adaptation realities are closely connected to climate losses and damages.