Global Center on Adaptation Calls for a Climate Adaptation Breakthrough at COP30 – Global Center on Adaptation

Report on the Global Center on Adaptation’s Call for Climate Action at COP30

Introduction: The Imperative for Adaptation in Achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

On 3 November 2025, the Global Center on Adaptation (GCA) issued a formal call to action for world leaders, urging a significant breakthrough on climate adaptation at the upcoming COP30 in Belém, Brazil. The GCA frames this summit as a critical juncture for global leadership, particularly as the world is projected to exceed the 1.5°C temperature threshold. This situation poses a direct threat to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The GCA report posits that adaptation is no longer a secondary component of climate strategy but an essential bridge to a sustainable future, directly underpinning the success of SDG 13 (Climate Action). Failure to accelerate adaptation will exacerbate global challenges, undermining progress on SDG 1 (No Poverty) and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities). As stated by Ban Ki-moon, Honorary Chair of the GCA, adaptation is a “practical expression of solidarity in a warming world,” emphasizing the interconnectedness of climate resilience and global development objectives.

Financial Realignment for Resilient Development

A central issue identified in the report is the severe imbalance in climate finance. Currently, less than 15% of climate financing is allocated to adaptation efforts. To address this, the GCA supports the call from developing nations to triple adaptation finance by 2030. This target is presented as a benchmark for success at COP30 and a critical enabler for SDG 13.a (implementing climate finance commitments).

Professor Patrick V. Verkooijen, CEO of the GCA, noted that investing in resilience is an act of “enlightened self-interest,” essential for protecting global stability, livelihoods, and achieving SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth). To meet this financial goal, the GCA advocates for a new financial architecture focused on mobilizing capital at scale, in line with SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals). Key components include:

• Transforming public funds to leverage private investment through blended finance, guarantees, and insurance mechanisms.
• Aligning the investment strategies of multilateral development banks (MDBs) and national funds with locally led adaptation priorities.
• Embedding adaptation criteria into all national development plans, financial systems, and transparency frameworks.

Proven Returns on Adaptation Investment and Innovation

The report highlights that investments in adaptation yield substantial returns, citing the Africa Adaptation Acceleration Program (AAAP) where every dollar invested generates over ten dollars in economic benefits within a decade. It provides several examples of successful innovations that directly contribute to specific SDGs:

• SDG 2 (Zero Hunger): Drought-tolerant crops developed by CGIAR have increased yields for smallholder farmers by up to 30%.
• SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities): Cyclone shelters in Bangladesh have reduced storm-related fatalities by 90% over two decades.
• SDG 14 (Life Below Water) and SDG 15 (Life on Land): Coral-based coastal defenses in the Caribbean protect communities while restoring marine ecosystems.

Furthermore, the GCA emphasizes a people-centric approach, underscoring that empowering communities is fundamental to building resilience. Supporting women farmers and youth leaders is identified as essential for achieving SDG 5 (Gender Equality) and ensuring inclusive, sustainable outcomes.

A Three-Pronged Strategy for a Breakthrough at COP30

The GCA outlines three critical fronts where progress is required to ensure COP30 delivers transformative action on adaptation.

1. Tripling Adaptation Finance by 2030

   This financial target is positioned as the minimum scale required to protect vulnerable populations. Achieving it necessitates a rebalancing of global climate finance. The GCA calls on MDBs, donors, and private investors to undertake the following actions, reinforcing SDG 17:

   • Integrate adaptation and resilience metrics into all development and infrastructure investments.
   • Establish guarantee facilities and insurance schemes to de-risk and attract private investment in adaptation projects.
   • Develop new performance-based financial instruments that reward verified resilience outcomes.

2. Embedding Adaptation Across All Policy and Negotiation Frameworks

   Adaptation must be a core consideration in all COP30 outcomes. Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) should be developed as fully costed, implementable, and trackable blueprints for resilience. This requires linking adaptation metrics to broader development priorities such as food security (SDG 2), public health (SDG 3), and education (SDG 4), ensuring that resilience becomes a universal measure of success under the Paris Agreement.

3. Scaling Innovation and Inclusion as Catalysts for Development

   The report calls for a global effort to ensure that innovative solutions reach the most vulnerable communities. This involves leveraging technologies like AI-based climate risk analytics and nature-based infrastructure, which directly support SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure). Key actions proposed include:

   • Investing in climate innovation ecosystems that connect researchers, entrepreneurs, and financiers.
   • Expanding access to adaptation technologies through enhanced South-North and South-South cooperation, a key target of SDG 17.
   • Prioritizing youth and women as leaders of change, embedding the principles of SDG 5 and SDG 10 into the core of climate action.

Conclusion: From Aspiration to Implementation

The GCA concludes that COP30 presents a historic opportunity to fulfill the promise of sustainable development established at the 1992 Rio Earth Summit. The report urges leaders to move beyond aspiration to acceleration, ensuring that Belém is the summit where adaptation becomes synonymous with development and global solidarity forms the foundation of a stable, resilient future for all.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the Article

SDG 1: No Poverty

The article connects climate change directly to poverty, stating that without adaptation, “climate change will continue to multiply poverty and inequality.” The focus on protecting “lives and livelihoods” through resilience-building reinforces the link to eradicating poverty, especially for those in vulnerable situations most affected by climate shocks.

SDG 2: Zero Hunger

The article addresses food security by highlighting the threat of “broken food systems” due to climate change. It provides a concrete example of an adaptation solution: “Drought-tolerant crops developed by CGIAR scientists have increased yields for smallholder farmers by up to 30 percent,” which directly relates to ensuring sustainable food production and ending hunger.

SDG 5: Gender Equality

The article emphasizes the importance of inclusion and equity in climate action. It specifically calls to “prioritize youth and women as leaders of change” and advocates for “supporting women farmers with access to finance and knowledge,” linking adaptation efforts to the empowerment of women.

SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

The text discusses the need for resilient infrastructure and innovation. It mentions solutions like “cyclone shelters,” “coral-based coastal defences,” and “AI-based climate risk analytics.” The call to “invest in climate innovation ecosystems” further aligns with the goal of building resilient infrastructure and fostering innovation.

SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

The article provides examples of making communities more resilient to climate disasters. The mention of “cyclone shelters” in Bangladesh and “coral-based coastal defences” protecting communities in the Caribbean are direct examples of actions that make human settlements safer and more sustainable in the face of climate change.

SDG 13: Climate Action

This is the central theme of the article. The entire text is a call for a “climate adaptation breakthrough.” It discusses strengthening resilience, integrating adaptation into national plans (NAPs and NDCs), and mobilizing climate finance, all of which are core components of SDG 13.

SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

The article underscores the necessity of global collaboration. It calls for “transformative partnerships,” mobilizing capital from “multilateral development banks, bilateral donors, and private investors,” and expanding “South–North, South-South cooperation.” This highlights the need for a global partnership to achieve sustainable development.

Identified SDG Targets

• SDG Target 1.5: Build the resilience of the poor and reduce their vulnerability to climate-related extreme events.

  The article directly supports this by stating that adaptation is necessary because “climate change will continue to multiply poverty and inequality” and that investing in resilience “protects lives, livelihoods and global stability.”

• SDG Target 2.4: Ensure sustainable food production systems and implement resilient agricultural practices.

  This is addressed through the example of “Drought-tolerant crops developed by CGIAR scientists” which have “increased yields for smallholder farmers by up to 30 percent,” demonstrating a resilient agricultural practice.

• SDG Target 5.5: Ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership.

  The article calls to “Prioritize youth and women as leaders of change, embedding equity and inclusion into the core of climate action,” directly aligning with this target.

• SDG Target 9.1: Develop quality, reliable, sustainable and resilient infrastructure.

  This is reflected in the examples of successful adaptation projects, such as “cyclone shelters” and “coral-based coastal defences are protecting communities while restoring ecosystems.”

• SDG Target 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries.

  The entire article is a call to action for this target, demanding an “Adaptation COP” and “accelerated resilience-building” to cope with climate extremes.

• SDG Target 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies and planning.

  The article explicitly calls for “Embedding adaptation into all national plans, transparency frameworks and global financial systems” and for “Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and National Adaptation Plans (NAPs)” to become “operational blueprints for resilience.”

• SDG Target 13.a: Implement the commitment to mobilize climate finance for developing countries.

  This is a central demand in the article, which calls for a “tripling of adaptation finance by 2030” and criticizes that “less than 15 cents of every climate dollar currently goes to adaptation.”

• SDG Target 17.3: Mobilize additional financial resources for developing countries from multiple sources.

  The article advocates for a “new financial architecture that mobilizes both public and private capital at scale” through mechanisms like “blended finance, guarantees, and insurance.”

Implied Indicators for Measuring Progress

• Volume of adaptation finance mobilized:

  The article sets a clear quantitative goal: “tripling of adaptation finance by 2030, which GCA says must become the benchmark for success in Belém.” This makes the total amount of finance a key indicator.

• Proportion of climate finance allocated to adaptation:

  The article notes that currently “less than 15 cents of every climate dollar currently goes to adaptation” and calls for “rebalancing global climate finance,” implying that this ratio is a critical indicator of progress.

• Reduction in mortality from climate-related disasters:

  The example that “in Bangladesh, cyclone shelters have reduced deaths from major storms by 90 percent in two decades” implies that the number of lives saved or the reduction in mortality rates is a key indicator of successful adaptation.

• Increase in agricultural productivity:

  The mention that “Drought-tolerant crops… have increased yields for smallholder farmers by up to 30 percent” suggests that changes in crop yields can be used as an indicator to measure the effectiveness of agricultural adaptation strategies.

• Number of countries with integrated and costed National Adaptation Plans (NAPs):

  The call for NAPs to “become the operational blueprints for resilience, fully costed, implemented and tracked” implies that the number of countries achieving this status is a measurable indicator of progress in policy integration.

• Economic return on investment (ROI) in resilience:

  The article states, “Every dollar invested in resilience generates more than ten dollars in economic benefits within a decade.” This ROI can be used as a financial indicator to justify and measure the success of adaptation investments.

Summary of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: gca.org