By Cecilia Chiluba/Zambia/Lusaka
Minister of Green Economy and Environment has said Zambia is well positioned to benefit from increased climate finance, forest conservation funding and carbon market investments following key outcomes of the 30th Conference of the Parties (COP30) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
COP30 was held in Belém, Brazil, from 10th to 21st November 2025, and was preceded by the World Leaders’ Summit from 6th to 7th November 2025.
The 56 Heads of State and Government who attended the World Leaders’ Summit set a high level of ambition, and called for a transition from commitments to implementation.
Addressing the media in Lusaka, Mike Mposha said the global summit marked a decisive shift from negotiations to implementation.
Mr. Mposha, who led the Zambian delegation on behalf of President Hakainde Hichilema, expressed gratitude to stakeholders that supported Zambia’s participation.
He noted that the summit was widely characterized as an implementation COP, aimed at catalysing a decade of action through enhanced ambition, increased climate finance, stronger forest protection and inclusive participation.
“The summit also produced the Belém Declaration on prioritizing the most vulnerable populations, and supported the launch of the Tropical Forests Forever Facility, which received over US$5.5 billion in pledges. Zambia was among the 53 countries that endorsed this historic initiative,” he said.
Mr. Mposha disclosed that Zambia played an active role at the conference, delivering national statements during both the World Leaders’ Summit and the high-level segment of COP30, and participating in ministerial roundtables on climate finance, adaptation, energy transition and the Just Transition Work Programme.
Among the major outcomes of COP30 was a political signal by countries to significantly increase adaptation finance.
“Countries sent a political signal to triple adaptation finance from the current approximately US$26 billion to at least US$120 billion by 2035. Though not yet a binding commitment, this signal guides international financial institutions and donors towards scaling support for countries like Zambia,” he stated.
On carbon markets, Mr. Mposha described Zambia’s progress under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement as a major milestone.
“Zambia signed a bilateral cooperation agreement with Switzerland under Article 6, making Switzerland an off-taker of carbon credits from Zambian projects. We are also at an advanced stage of negotiating similar agreements with Singapore and Norway,” he said.
He further stressed that Zambia’s endorsement of the Tropical Forests Forever Facility marked a turning point for forest conservation financing.
“Zambia endorsed the Tropical Forests Forever Facility, which received US$5.5 billion in pledges. This marks a new era of global forest conservation led by the Global South,” Mr. Mposha asserted.
The Minister also announced that Zambia will host the Board Meeting of the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage in April 2026, becoming the first African country to do so.
He noted that the country is also preparing to submit bankable projects under the Fund’s first call for proposals.
Mr. Mposha said the outcomes of COP30 present significant benefits for Zambia, including improved access to adaptation finance for water security, agriculture and climate-resilient infrastructure, expanded forest conservation funding, enhanced technology transfer and new business opportunities.
Looking ahead, he said government will prioritise implementation to ensure tangible benefits are realised.
