Youth for Adaptation Finance (YAF) Africa Initiative, in a statement on COP30 outcome, says that Africa should not have to shoulder the escalating costs of climate impacts while receiving only a fraction of the support required to respond
The Youth for Adaptation Finance (YAF) Africa Initiative welcomes the progress made at COP30 on adaptation finance. At the same time, we must emphasise that the continent’s real needs remain far beyond what current commitments will deliver.
The decision to increase adaptation finance to twice its current level by 2025 and to triple it by 2035 is a meaningful shift. For many years, adaptation has consistently received a small share of global climate finance, even though African countries face some of the most severe climate impacts anywhere in the world. The recognition of this imbalance is overdue and aligns with our call for more than doubling adaptation finance.
Despite this, the new pledges still fall short of what is required. Current estimates show that Africa needs between $52 billion and $88 billion each year by 2030 just to meet its adaptation needs. Actual finance flows are far below that range. Many African economies are already losing a significant portion of their annual growth due to droughts, floods, rising temperatures, and climate-related disruptions. In this context, the promised increase, while important, does not match the scale of the challenge.
For adaptation finance to serve its purpose, it must be transparent, predictable, and delivered in forms that do not worsen debt burdens. It must be guided by the priorities set out in national adaptation plans and other country-led processes. It must also be tracked carefully to ensure that the commitments translate into real resources reaching the communities that need them.
YAF Africa Initiative also emphasizes that young people are not passive recipients of adaptation efforts. We are active contributors who shape policies, monitor implementation, and hold decision- makers accountable. The outcomes of COP30 must create space for youth-led participation and oversight, particularly as countries move toward implementing the Global Goal on Adaptation and the New Collective Quantified Goal.
As preparations begin for COP31 and COP32, we call for a finance system that actually meets the needs on the ground, recognises Africa’s specific vulnerabilities and development priorities, and ensures that adaptation receives the attention and funding it deserves.
COP30 delivered progress, but not yet justice. Africa should not have to shoulder the escalating costs of climate impacts while receiving only a fraction of the support required to respond. YAF Africa Initiative will continue to advocate for adaptation finance that reflects the urgency of the moment and the realities of the continent.