By Abdullahi Lukman
Developing countries will require between $310 billion and $365 billion annually by 2035 to manage escalating climate impacts, according to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
In its 2025 Adaptation Gap Report, titled Running on Empty, UNEP warned that adaptation finance is falling far short of global needs, with developing nations receiving only $26 billion in public international funding in 2023 — just a fraction of what is required.
The report revealed that adaptation costs are now 12 to 14 times higher than current financial support levels.
UNEP said that even with commitments made under the Glasgow Climate Pact to double adaptation finance to $40 billion by 2025, the target is unlikely to be met if current trends persist.
The agency cautioned that the widening gap leaves poorer nations increasingly vulnerable to climate shocks such as floods, heatwaves, wildfires, and droughts.
Inger Andersen, UNEP’s Executive Director, said climate change impacts are intensifying worldwide but are disproportionately affecting developing countries.
“Every nation is facing climate impacts — but the poor and vulnerable are dying, suffering poor health, and losing their livelihoods,” she said.
Andersen urged wealthy nations to scale up investments in adaptation and resilience without increasing the debt burden of low-income countries.
UNEP’s report also noted a decline in adaptation finance flows from $28 billion in 2022 to $26 billion in 2023, while global needs continue to rise.
The agency warned that without a drastic increase in funding, both the Glasgow Pact goal and the new collective target of $300 billion annually for climate mitigation and adaptation by 2035 will remain out of reach.
Looking ahead to COP30 in Belém, Brazil, UNEP said the “Baku to Belém” roadmap could help mobilize $1.3 trillion annually for developing nations if new financial mechanisms and private sector contributions — estimated at up to $50 billion a year — are activated.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres called for urgent global action to close the adaptation finance gap, describing it as a matter of “climate justice” essential for protecting lives and livelihoods.
Adaptation finance is expected to take center stage at COP30, where nations will finalize measurable indicators under the Global Goal on Adaptation to track progress in food systems, health, infrastructure, and early warning systems.
