Dispatch from COP30: In the Brazilian jungle, the private sector takes center stage – Atlantic Council

Report on Private Sector Engagement and SDG Alignment at COP30

Executive Summary: Aligning Climate Finance with Sustainable Development

The 2025 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30) in Belém, Brazil, concluded with a significant focus on mobilizing private finance for climate adaptation and resilience. This emphasis directly supports the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 13 (Climate Action) and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals). While some negotiating bodies expressed concerns regarding the delivery of an ambitious decision package, particularly for least developed countries, there was clear momentum in elevating the role of private investment in climate resilience. The Amazon rainforest setting served as a critical reminder of the need for forward-looking climate finance to protect vital ecosystems, aligning with SDG 15 (Life on Land).

The Private Sector as a Key Partner for SDG 13 and SDG 17

A central theme at COP30 was the recognition that the public and private sectors must collaborate to address the climate finance gap. The private financial sector is increasingly prepared to engage in adaptation and resilience finance, contributing essential resources and expertise to advance SDG 13. Stakeholders identified include:

• Insurers
• Banks
• Asset managers
• Other financial institutions

To effectively channel capital towards climate projects, these institutions require clear policy signals, stable regulatory environments, and practical mechanisms from governments. This collaborative framework is fundamental to the principles of SDG 17, which calls for multi-stakeholder partnerships to achieve sustainable development.

Major Initiatives Launched to Accelerate SDG Implementation

Several key initiatives were announced at COP30, designed to create structured pathways for investment and foster public-private collaboration. These programs are instrumental in translating global climate commitments into tangible projects that support multiple SDGs.

1. National Adaptation Plans (NAP) Implementation Alliance

   This alliance, led by the governments of Germany, Italy, and Brazil with support from the United Nations Development Programme and the Atlantic Council, aims to improve coherence in financing for NAPs. By streamlining the investment ecosystem, the initiative directly supports the implementation of SDG 13 at a national level. The alliance will convene diverse stakeholders to enhance collective action, with specific benefits for:

   • The Private Sector: Gaining greater visibility into future projects and increased confidence in the investment environment.
   • Governments: Becoming better equipped to design projects that meet investor criteria while delivering local resilience benefits, contributing to SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities).

   The Fostering Investable National Planning and Implementation for Adaptation & Resilience (FINI) initiative will further support the alliance by mobilizing actors from civil society, philanthropy, and the private sector.

2. Tropical Forest Forever Facility (TFFF)

   A commitment of $5.5 billion from 53 countries was announced for the TFFF. This facility incentivizes the conservation and expansion of tropical forests through annual payments, making a direct contribution to SDG 15 (Life on Land). The initiative’s proposed hybrid financing model exemplifies SDG 17 in action. By blending sovereign and philanthropic funding, the TFFF de-risks investments in forest conservation and regenerative agriculture, thereby attracting commercial capital toward sustainable activities that support both climate and biodiversity goals.

Conclusion: A Paradigm Shift Towards Integrated Climate and Development Action

The outcomes of COP30 reflect a broad shift in the climate finance discourse. The focus is no longer on whether the private sector should engage in adaptation and resilience, but on how to align financial ecosystems and policy frameworks to deliver project pipelines at the necessary scale and speed. This evolution marks a critical step toward integrating SDG 13 (Climate Action) with the broader 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, driven by the robust public-private partnerships championed by SDG 17.

Analysis of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 13: Climate Action

  The entire article is centered around the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30). It explicitly discusses themes of climate adaptation, resilience, and climate finance, which are the core components of SDG 13. The text mentions the need to deliver “real impact, particularly on finance for adaptation for the least developed countries and small island states” and “strengthening climate adaptation,” directly aligning with this goal.

• SDG 15: Life on Land

  The article highlights the significance of the conference’s location in the “Amazon rainforest” and discusses specific initiatives aimed at forest protection. The announcement of the “Tropical Forest Forever Facility (TFFF)” is a key development, which “incentivizes the conservation and expansion of tropical forests” and supports “regenerative agriculture, and agroforestry that sustain standing forests.” This directly addresses the protection and sustainable management of terrestrial ecosystems.

• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

  A central theme of the article is the collaboration between different sectors to achieve climate goals. It states, “the public and private sectors cannot act alone when it comes to climate finance.” The formation of the “National Adaptation Plans (NAP) Implementation Alliance” and the “FINI” initiative, which bring together “the private financial sector, multilateral development banks, civil society organizations, the public sector, and other stakeholders,” are prime examples of the multi-stakeholder partnerships promoted by SDG 17.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Under SDG 13 (Climate Action):
   • Target 13.1: “Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries.” The article’s focus on elevating “the importance of adaptation, resilience, and the role of private finance” and channeling finance to the “least developed countries and small island states” directly supports this target.
   • Target 13.2: “Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies and planning.” The launch of the “National Adaptation Plans (NAP) Implementation Alliance” is a direct effort to support the implementation of NAPs, which are the primary instruments for integrating climate adaptation into national planning.
   • Target 13.a: “Implement the commitment undertaken by developed-country parties… to a goal of mobilizing jointly $100 billion annually… to address the needs of developing countries…” While the $100 billion figure isn’t mentioned, the article’s core subject is mobilizing “public and private resources for climate adaptation and resilience,” which is the essence of this target. The TFFF’s funding is a concrete example of this mobilization.
2. Under SDG 15 (Life on Land):
   • Target 15.2: “By 2020, promote the implementation of sustainable management of all types of forests, halt deforestation, restore degraded forests and substantially increase afforestation and reforestation globally.” The TFFF, which “incentivizes the conservation and expansion of tropical forests by making annual payments to tropical forest countries that maintain their standing forest,” is a direct mechanism to achieve this target.
   • Target 15.b: “Mobilize and significantly increase financial resources from all sources to conserve and sustainably use forests and biodiversity.” The announcement that “fifty-three countries have committed a combined $5.5 billion to the Tropical Forest Forever Facility (TFFF)” is a clear example of mobilizing financial resources for forest conservation.
3. Under SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals):
   • Target 17.3: “Mobilize additional financial resources for developing countries from multiple sources.” The article describes the TFFF’s “hybrid financing model” which will “mix sovereign and philanthropic funding to de-risk investments” to “help attract commercial capital,” perfectly illustrating the mobilization of funds from multiple sources.
   • Target 17.17: “Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships…” The article details several such partnerships, including the NAP Implementation Alliance (governments, UN, private sector, civil society) and the FINI initiative, which is “mobilizing more than one hundred actors from civil society, multilateral entities, philanthropy, and the private sector.”

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Financial Commitments: The article provides a specific, quantifiable indicator of financial mobilization.
  • The announcement that “fifty-three countries have committed a combined $5.5 billion to the Tropical Forest Forever Facility (TFFF)” serves as a direct indicator for progress on targets 13.a, 15.b, and 17.3.
• Number and Scale of Partnerships: The article implies that the number and scope of collaborative initiatives are key measures of progress.
  • The creation of the National Adaptation Plans (NAP) Implementation Alliance, led by Germany, Italy, and Brazil.
  • The FINI initiative mobilizing “more than one hundred actors.”
  • The TFFF partnership involving “fifty-three countries.”
• Policy and Plan Implementation: The focus on NAPs implies that their development and, more importantly, their implementation are key indicators.
  • The creation of the NAP Implementation Alliance is a mechanism to track and improve the “implementation of NAPs,” which serves as an indicator for Target 13.2.

4. Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: atlanticcouncil.org