Kathmandu: Least Developed Countries (LDC) Group has called for accelerated global climate action and a substantial scale-up in climate finance during a two-day pre-sessional strategy meeting held in Belém on November 4–5, ahead of the UN Climate Conference (COP30).
The meeting brought together 44 LDC nations to consolidate their negotiating positions on key climate issues. “The coordination focused on shared priorities for the upcoming formal talks,” said Dr. Maheshwor Dhakal, Chief of Nepal’s Climate Change Management Division, who participated in the discussions.
The LDC Group is demanding a clear roadmap to mobilize $1.3 trillion in annual climate finance by 2035, emphasizing that support should be primarily in the form of grants and highly concessional loans to avoid worsening debt burdens. The group is also pushing to triple adaptation finance, seeking at least $3 billion under the next Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF)–Global Environment Facility cycle.
Key priorities outlined for COP30 include advancing the 1.5°C ambition, increasing funding for adaptation and loss and damage, technology transfer, capacity building, gender-responsive measures, and Just Transition support.
Representing Nepal, Dr. Dhakal reaffirmed Nepal’s commitment to aligning its development with the 1.5°C pathway, stating: “We call on the global community to establish special support windows for LDCs, recognizing our disproportionate vulnerability and limited resources.”
The group also highlighted the urgency of implementing the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) on climate finance, defining climate finance clearly, and accelerating progress on the Mitigation Work Programme and Global Stocktake outcomes to keep the 1.5°C target within reach.
With climate-induced disasters increasingly affecting vulnerable nations, the LDCs have urged stronger international assistance to close the gap between global commitments and on-the-ground implementation.