A consortium of think tanks and experts, Allied for Climate Transformation by 2025 (ACT2025) has laid out the needs and priorities of vulnerable developing countries in the lead up to and at COP29, which will deliver ambitious, balanced, just, and equitable outcomes at the UN climate negotiations.
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The group is mounting pressure on countries to deliver strong and positive outcomes at COP29 in Azerbaijan this year. According to them, success at COP29 hinges on whether the world will prioritise the needs of the 3.6 billion people living in climate-vulnerable countries whose lives and livelihoods are at risk.

ACT2025 partners are World Resources Institute (Global), Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (Belize), Centre for Climate Change and Development at Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu-Alike, Ikwo, AEFUNAI (Nigeria), International Centre for Climate Change and Development (Bangladesh), Manila Observatory (Philippines), Power Shift Africa (Kenya) and Transforma (Colombia)

Climate-vulnerable countries will be pushing for an ambitious, needs-based new climate finance goal, crucial for supporting the transition to low-emissions economies and building resilience against the impacts of climate change.

In its 16-page document, ACT2025 is proposing a set of solutions that can accelerate the transformation toward a low-emissions, climate-resilient future. With climate finance and support at the heart of climate action, the consortium calls for historic progress this year across four pillars – finance, mitigation, adaptation, and loss and damage, detailing solutions needed to address the climate crisis for climate-vulnerable developing countries.

ACT2025 demanded that COP29 must deliver an ambitious 1.5°C-aligned New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) that reflects the real financial needs of climate-vulnerable nations and must be accessible, concessional and transparent.

The group believes that the new fund is meaningless if it does not result in accessible finance at scale to meet the immediate needs of vulnerable developing countries in responding to losses and damages, without imposing further burdens such as debt.

On accelerating mitigation ambition and implementation, ACT2025 demanded that countries must implement equitable and rapid transitions away from fossil fuels with clear pathways to net-zero GHG emissions while ensuring that their phase-outs are conducted through people-centered, just transitions.

Throwing more light on the document, the CCCD Director, Prof Chukwumerije Okereke, emphasised that in addition to the fact that vulnerable countries are being hit first and worst by the impacts of the global climate crisis as seen through devastating floods in Bangladesh, Kenya and Nigeria in recent months; inequality, conflict and development challenges always heightens these vulnerabilities.

Citing current data, Okereke projected that developing countries need an estimated $5.8-5.9 trillion to implement their national climate plans, the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) up to 2030, and adaptation finance could reach $1.7 trillion annually by 2050.

Okereke, who submitted during a keynote address on behalf of ACT2025 at the China Media Salon themed: “Looking Ahead to COP29: How to Accelerate Action Amid Intensifying Climate Impacts,” organised by Tipping Point Monthly E-magazine, reiterated that ACT2025 is desirous to see ambitious NDCs reflected in the upcoming updated NDCs 3.0 with G7 and G20 countries leading by example.
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The President, Society for Planet and Prosperity (SPP) noted that COP29 and the next round of NDCs present critical opportunities for China to continue to showcase critical global leadership such as aligning its actions with the demands of vulnerable countries through solidarity and increased ambition that is 1.5-aligned in their new 2035 NDC.

Okereke, a Senior Adviser on Climate Change and Sustainable Development to the Enugu State government, acknowledged China’s unique and important role in global climate action and justice through the greening of its overseas investments.

He expressed confidence that China holds a pivotal role in driving these results, positioning itself as a leader of the Global South and a key player in global climate governance.

Okereke equally emphasised that China has a unique role to play in fostering unity and driving global progress toward a sustainable and equitable future through its support for climate-vulnerable nations leveraging on the role it played with the G77 in calling for and establishing a loss and damage fund at COP27.
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