In a breakthrough hailed as a lifeline for the world’s poorest and most climate-vulnerable nations, Least Developed Countries (LDCs) secured a landmark agreement to triple adaptation finance by 2035 after a tense 24-hour negotiation standoff
After a bruising overnight battle, the world’s 44 Least Developed Countries emerged from COP30 with a rare and decisive victory: a commitment to raise adaptation finance to USD 120 billion a year by 2035. The package will be formally adopted at the final plenary scheduled for 11 a.m. on Saturday in Belém.
The win came after hours of deadlock, last-minute huddles, and intense pressure on LDC negotiators to soften their demands. But they held the line on what they called a non-negotiable issue: survival funding for nations already enduring floods, cyclones, droughts, and sea-level rise.
“This was our priority and we made it a red line,” said a relieved and smiling Evans Njewa, Chair of the LDC Group. “I am happy to finish my term with progress for our vulnerable people. Adaptation is key that’s why we didn’t walk out of Belém without it. Thanks to those who supported us.” He added in Portuguese, “A luta continua”, the struggle continues.
For LDCs, home to 1.6 billion people, the outcome is more than a diplomatic milestone; it is a recognition of long-ignored realities. Delegates say the new finance target lays the foundation for scaled-up technical support, resilient infrastructure, early-warning systems, and life-saving social protection across the frontlines of climate impacts.
Youth delegates also celebrated the moment. Sohanur Rahman, Executive Coordinator of YouthNet Global and youth delegate from Bangladesh, said the deal “is not just a number, it is a lifeline.” He added: “Communities are already living through floods, cyclones, and droughts. This victory shows that persistent advocacy can make a difference.”
Still, unresolved tensions loom over negotiations on mitigation and the Just Transition Away from Fossil Fuels, where divisions between major emitters and vulnerable states remain stark. Diplomats warn that while LDCs secured a critical win on adaptation, the global fight for fossil-fuel phase-out will likely intensify.
Yet in Belém, where exhaustion mixed with relief at dawn, the message from LDCs was clear: unity works. When vulnerable nations refuse to compromise on justice, they can shift the balance of global climate politics.
COP30 will confirm the agreement in its closing session, offering a rare moment of hope for those on the climate frontlines. The battle for a safer, fairer world continues—but today, the world’s poorest countries scored a victory written in resilience.
