UN report: wealthy nations falling short on climate adaptation funding
UNEP warns the world is not adapting fast enough to the climate crisis, and says only a fraction of the billions pledged at COP summits has reached developing nations.
At a glance
- UNEP says the world is not adapting quickly enough to the growing human and economic costs of the climate crisis.
- The UN singles out wealthy countries, responsible for most carbon emissions, for failing to meet their financial pledges.
- Billions earmarked at COP meetings to help developing nations become more resilient remain largely unpaid, with only a fraction paid out.
A new United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) report warns that the world is not adapting quickly enough to keep pace with the growing human and economic costs linked to the climate crisis, and singles out wealthy countries for failing to meet their financial pledges.
Wealthy countries are responsible for the bulk of carbon emissions, according to the UN's assessment. At successive Conference of the Parties (COP) climate summits, billions of dollars have been earmarked to help developing nations become more resilient. Only a fraction of that money has been paid out.
The report does not treat the shortfall as an accounting problem alone. It frames adaptation — the work of preparing countries and communities for climate impacts — as a race against rising human and economic costs, one that current funding levels are not keeping up with.
The gap between pledges made at COP meetings and money actually delivered is the central question raised by the findings: what happens to developing nations when promised support does not arrive?
The discussion
Al Jazeera's Inside Story programme examined the report and the consequences of the funding shortfall with three guests:
- **Sandrine Dixson-Decleve**, honorary president of the Club of Rome
- **Avantika Goswami**, climate change and green economy programme manager at the Centre for Science and Environment
- **Danny Sriskandarajah**, chief executive of the New Economics Foundation
The episode, titled "Why are wealthy countries failing developing nations?", was published by Al Jazeera as part of its Inside Story video series.
What the report says
The core findings, as set out by the UN:
1. The world is not adapting quickly enough to keep pace with the growing human and economic costs of the climate crisis.
2. Wealthy countries, which are responsible for the bulk of carbon emissions, have failed to meet their financial pledges.
3. Billions of dollars earmarked at successive COP meetings to help developing nations become more resilient have largely not been paid out — only a fraction has been.
The report and the discussion around it place the focus on whether financial commitments made at international climate negotiations translate into money that reaches the countries that need it.
Source: Al Jazeera.
Questions and answers
- What does the new UNEP report say about climate adaptation funding?
- It warns the world is not adapting quickly enough to the growing human and economic costs of the climate crisis, and singles out wealthy countries for failing to meet their financial pledges.
- How much of the pledged climate adaptation money has been paid out?
- According to the UN, only a fraction of the billions of dollars earmarked at successive COP meetings to help developing nations become more resilient has actually been paid out.
- Who discussed the report on Al Jazeera?
- Al Jazeera's Inside Story spoke with Sandrine Dixson-Decleve of the Club of Rome, Avantika Goswami of the Centre for Science and Environment, and Danny Sriskandarajah of the New Economics Foundation.
