By Seif Gracien Hasingizwimana
ActionAid has called on governments to increase investment in climate adaptation and move beyond promises, warning that continued inaction on climate change threatens billions of people already facing growing climate risks.
Ahead of the 31st United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP31), ActionAid said governments must prioritise substantial adaptation financing to protect communities on the frontlines of the climate crisis, stressing that the world cannot afford another round of empty rhetoric without meaningful action.
Teresa Anderson, Global Lead on Climate Justice at ActionAid International, said rising global temperatures, Nepal’s catastrophic glacier collapse and the intensifying Super El Niño were signs that the world was entering a dangerous new era of climate consequences.
“Shattering temperature records, Nepal’s catastrophic glacier collapse and the intensifying Super El Niño all signal that we are entering a frightening new era of climate consequences,” Anderson said.
She referred to a recent adaptation report by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), which shows that global investment in climate adaptation remains far below the amount needed to protect people from climate-related risks.
Anderson warned that climate-vulnerable countries are increasingly being pushed into debt by the rising costs of disasters, forcing them to spend much of their public resources repaying debt instead of investing in climate action.
“The world is failing to invest in its own survival, with adaptation spending levels just a fraction of what is needed to keep humanity safe,” she said.
She added that COP31 must make climate adaptation financing a central priority in international climate discussions to protect billions of people facing climate risks.
“COP31 needs to get serious about protecting the billions of people who are now at risk by putting real financing for adaptation at the centre of the climate conversation,” Anderson said.
ActionAid calls for a people-centred just transition
Anderson also highlighted the importance of ensuring that climate policies protect people’s livelihoods, particularly those of workers, women and communities affected by the transition towards greener economies.
She said negotiations on the Just Transition Mechanism offer hope to millions of people concerned that climate policies could threaten their employment or increase their cost of living.
“No one should be forced to choose between a secure job and a safe planet,” Anderson said.
She explained that COP31 presents an opportunity to establish a Just Transition Mechanism that protects and supports workers, women and communities as they navigate the opportunities and challenges of climate action.
“To do this, COP must establish a new body with the powers to track and boost approaches that ensure green transitions are really people-centred,” she added.
ActionAid representatives to highlight climate justice issues
ActionAid has identified several representatives who will be available to engage with the media during COP31, bringing perspectives on climate finance, adaptation, human rights and the experiences of communities affected by climate change.
Teresa Anderson will lead ActionAid International’s delegation during both weeks of the conference. She has 25 years of experience in the NGO sector, covering climate, finance and agriculture. Her work includes climate impacts, adaptation, climate finance, just transition, land, agriculture and net zero.
Sujeeta Mathema, Executive Director of ActionAid Nepal, will participate during the first week. She has more than 22 years of experience in human rights and women’s rights and is currently leading ActionAid’s response to Nepal’s recent catastrophic floods.
Mathema will highlight the challenges facing frontline communities affected by climate change and the need for a new climate finance goal that reaches those communities at the scale required by the crisis.
Flora Vano, Country Program Manager for ActionAid Vanuatu, will participate during both weeks. She has played an important role in establishing platforms that support women to organise, share experiences and participate in climate action.
She also played a leading role in establishing Women Wetem Weta, a network of young women who monitor weather conditions using mobile phone technology to support early warning and preparedness.
Brandon Wu, Director of Policy and Campaigns at ActionAid USA, will participate during the second week. He has followed United Nations climate negotiations since 2012 and specialises in climate finance, fairness and equity in international climate agreements, as well as the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage.
Andrew Mamedu, Country Director of ActionAid Nigeria, will attend during the first week. Appointed in September 2023, he has more than 23 years of experience in project management, resource mobilisation and strategic advocacy, including work in Tanzania, Cameroon and other West African countries.
Hamdi Benslama, EU Advocacy Advisor, will participate during both weeks. His work focuses on climate finance and the role of the European Union in international climate negotiations, particularly adaptation finance and loss and damage.
Niranjali Amerasinghe, Executive Director of ActionAid USA, will attend during the first week. She specialises in climate finance, economic justice and human rights, and has previously led climate finance advocacy at the World Resources Institute.
Michelle Higelin, Executive Director of ActionAid Australia, will also participate during the first week.
Zambian farmer to share community adaptation experiences
ActionAid will also bring the perspective of African smallholder farmers through Mary Sakala, a farmer from Mumbwa, Zambia, with more than 30 years of experience in agriculture.
Sakala grows maize, sorghum, millet, groundnuts and beans, and also rears cattle and goats. She advocates for agroecology as a sustainable response to climate change-related challenges.
Across Southern Africa, she trains women farmers in soil-restoring agricultural practices aimed at protecting harvests against severe droughts and floods.
At COP31, Sakala will share her experiences on why international climate finance should prioritise African smallholder farmers and community-led adaptation approaches, as well as the impacts of El Niño.
Debt identified as a barrier to climate action
ActionAid’s latest report, Debt Fuels the Climate Crisis: How the Finance Flows, identifies debt as a major but solvable barrier to climate action.
The report highlights how addressing debt-related challenges could become one of the most impactful and achievable solutions for strengthening climate action.
ActionAid is a global federation working to eradicate poverty, promote social justice and advance gender equality. The organisation advocates for a fair and sustainable world in which everyone enjoys dignity and freedom from poverty and oppression.
