Bel©m: The Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Dr. Dion George, has called for urgent reforms to the international financial system so that multilateral banks can provide long-term and affordable capital for sustainable development and climate action.
According to South African Government News Agency, the collective global progress toward the Paris Agreement goals is insufficient. “The Global Stocktake is clear. Progress is too slow. We must accelerate action on mitigation, adaptation, loss and damage, and the means of implementation,” the Minister stated. He emphasized the need for the Global Goal on Adaptation to deliver measurable indicators and the necessary finance to achieve them. The Sharm el Sheikh Work Programme, he noted, must unlock real investment through blended models, and the Loss and Damage Fund must be capitalised.
The Minister highlighted the importance of the Baku to Bel©m Roadmap, which aims to advance $1.3 trillion in grants, concessional finance, and fiscal space measures to scale up climate finance for developing countries. This initiative supports low greenhouse gas emissions and climate-resilient development pathways.
Dr. George made these remarks at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) COP30 Leader’s Summit, held in Bel©m, Brazil, during the 30th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP). “Climate change is the defining crisis of our time. No nation can face it alone. This is a time that demands courage, solidarity, and multilateralism in action. World leaders have a moral duty to close the gap between ambition and finance in the fight against climate change,” he urged.
He reiterated South Africa’s stance that climate change response measures by developed countries should not impede developing countries’ industrial, trade, and socio-economic development goals, aligning with international law. The Minister stressed that unilateral climate response measures should not have spill-over and negative cross-border impacts on developing countries. He cautioned against unilateral trade measures that aim to achieve unbalanced climate objectives or unfairly restrict global trade in green technology, as these could hinder a just transition and slow global efforts to address climate change.
In line with South Africa’s commitments under the Paris Agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to climate change impacts, the government has submitted its second Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). These include a new mitigation target for 2035 of between 320 and 380 megatons of carbon dioxide equivalent, demonstrating clear progression from the 2030 range.
“Our updated adaptation communication identifies our support needs for finance, technology, and capacity building. South Africa’s expectations for COP30 are clear,” the Minister concluded.