The Conference of the Parties (COP) is the decision-making body of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), bringing together nearly every country on Earth. Each COP builds on the decisions of previous summits to drive forward global climate action. Since the first COP in Berlin (1995), these annual meetings have become the key forum for negotiating solutions to mitigate climate change, adapting to its impacts, and mobilizing finance to support vulnerable countries.
COP 29 is not just a continuation of negotiations—it represents an opportunity for the Global South to assert itself as a critical player in shaping climate solutions. As the Climate Hub Forum, we are dedicated to bringing the voices of the Global South to the forefront while engaging constructively with the Global North. Our approach recognizes that both worlds must collaborate: the Global South’s frontline experience with climate impacts and the Global North’s technological and financial capabilities are critical for a holistic and inclusive climate strategy.
COP 3 (Kyoto Protocol, 1997):
COP 3 (Kyoto Protocol, 1997): The first legally binding emissions reduction targets were introduced, though the Global South played a peripheral role. The Kyoto Protocol primarily focused on the responsibilities of developed nations, highlighting the historical emissions gap between the North and the South.
COP 21 (Paris Agreement, 2015)
A monumental shift occurred, with the Paris Agreement mandating all countries—developed and developing—to commit to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. It introduced Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), providing a flexible framework for countries to set their own climate goals, though the Global South demanded stronger commitments on finance and technology transfer.
COP 26 (Glasgow, 2021)
After numerous setbacks, including COVID-19, COP 26 marked the first time that climate finance and adaptation took center stage, with significant focus on the $100 billion climate finance target (though still unmet). It was here that the Global South succeeded in pushing for increased dialogue on Loss and Damage, a key issue that highlights the historic climate debt owed by the North to the South.
COP 27 (Sharm El-Sheikh, 2022)
Known as the “African COP,” COP 27 solidified the need for climate justice and recognized the stark inequalities between how the Global North and Global South experience and respond to climate change. The establishment of the Loss and Damage Fund—a longstanding demand of vulnerable nations—was a critical win for developing countries, though details on its funding and operation are yet to be finalized.
COP 28 (Dubai, 2023)
This summit furthered the discussions on the global stocktake under the Paris Agreement, urging countries to intensify their NDCs and fully operationalize the Loss and Damage Fund. However, many in the Global South felt that adaptation and finance commitments were still insufficient to meet the scale of climate threats facing vulnerable regions.
At COP 29, hosted in a time of escalating climate crises, Climate Hub Forum envisions a transformative agenda that addresses the Global South’s most pressing needs while leveraging collaborations with the Global North. With the SDG 2030 deadline looming and less than a decade left to keep warming under 1.5°C, this COP will focus on accountability, financing, and implementation.
Climate change disproportionately affects the Global South, contributing less than 15% of global emissions yet suffering the most severe impacts—floods, droughts, and heatwaves. At COP 29, we will advocate for the formalization of climate reparations, with developed nations committing to compensate for historical emissions and fund adaptation in vulnerable nations.
Despite the $100 billion climate finance target agreed upon in 2009, the Global North has consistently fallen short, delivering only $83 billion by 2020. We will push for binding agreements on delivering and scaling this finance to ensure a just transition for the Global South. Additionally, we will demand an acceleration in technology transfer, as developing nations need access to green technologies for mitigation and adaptation.
While the Global North has embraced the transition to renewable energy, the Global South often remains dependent on fossil fuels for economic growth. At COP 29, Climate Hub Forum will present pathways for a just energy transition, ensuring that no community is left behind. We will call for investments in clean energy infrastructure across Africa, South Asia, and Latin America, coupled with job creation programs to mitigate the socio-economic impacts of transitioning away from fossil fuels.
At COP 29, the operational details for the Loss and Damage Fund must be finalized, ensuring it becomes a robust mechanism for distributing compensation to nations most affected by climate impacts. We will advocate for a transparent, accessible, and equitable process to ensure that funds reach the communities most in need.
With 80% of the world’s biodiversity located in developing countries, nature-based solutions (NBS) such as reforestation, ecosystem restoration, and coastal protection must be at the forefront of climate action. We will highlight the Global South’s leadership in biodiversity preservation, positioning it as both a climate mitigation strategy and a development priority.
Sustainable tourism can serve as a powerful tool for climate action by generating economic opportunities while preserving natural resources. At COP 29, we will champion the Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism, pushing for more ambitious commitments from governments and the private sector to reduce tourism’s carbon footprint and promote conservation efforts.
COP 29 will serve as a critical checkpoint for assessing global progress on the Paris Agreement’s goals. Climate Hub Forum will work with developing nations to review NDCs and advocate for stronger targets from high-emitting countries, ensuring that the burden of climate action is shared equitably.
The operationalization of this network, established to provide technical support to vulnerable nations, will be critical at COP 29. Climate Hub Forum will engage with UNFCCC parties to ensure that the Santiago Network becomes fully functional, with a focus on disaster resilience and community-level adaptation.
At COP 29, we will advocate for increased funding and commitments to forest preservation, especially in tropical regions where deforestation continues to threaten carbon sinks and biodiversity.
COP 29 must be seen as part of the broader framework for achieving the SDG 2030 Agenda, particularly SDG 13 (Climate Action), SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), and SDG 15 (Life on Land). We will promote integrated, cross-sectoral approaches that align climate action with sustainable development.
While the Global South faces significant challenges, collaboration with the Global North is essential for scaling solutions. Climate Hub Forum will:
- Engage with Global North stakeholders to mobilize climate finance and technological solutions.
- Build North-South partnerships that prioritize the needs of the most climate-vulnerable regions.
- Advocate for shared responsibility in implementing global climate targets.
COP 29 is a critical juncture for humanity. Climate Hub Forum calls on all nations to step up their ambitions, delivering on promises made and accelerating the transition to a climate-resilient world. Let us lead this transformation—together, for a sustainable future.
As a newly established forum, Climate Hub Forum (CHF) is committed to addressing the unique climate challenges faced by the Global South, with a special focus on regions most vulnerable to climate change. Despite contributing the least to global emissions, these areas disproportionately bear the brunt of climate impacts. Our forum serves as a dynamic platform for knowledge exchange, policy innovation, and grassroots action, connecting a diverse array of stakeholders, including policymakers, civil society, private sector leaders, and international organizations.
CHF’s mission is to amplify the voices of marginalized and underrepresented communities in the Global South, ensuring that climate solutions are both inclusive and equitable. We emphasize the urgent need for sustainable development, adaptation strategies, and a just transition to a low-carbon future, all while bridging the gap between local challenges and global climate policy frameworks.
- Localized Solutions
We recognize that climate impacts are experienced differently in various regions. Therefore, we emphasize the importance of sharing indigenous knowledge and best practices that have proven effective in mitigating climate risks across sectors such as agriculture, energy, and urban planning. CHF works to elevate local expertise, demonstrating that solutions for resilience often already exist within the communities most affected by climate change.
For example, CHF is actively involved in promoting agroecological practices in smallholder farming communities, integrating traditional knowledge with modern science to combat unpredictable weather patterns. In urban settings, we advocate for nature-based solutions like green infrastructure to address climate-induced flooding and heat stress.
- Equity-Driven Advocacy
At the heart of CHF’s mission is climate justice. We are committed to ensuring that the frontline communities most vulnerable to climate change receive the resources and attention necessary to build resilience and adapt to these impacts. Our advocacy work focuses on fair and transparent financing mechanisms, such as the Loss and Damage Fund, which supports nations experiencing severe climate impacts without contributing significantly to global emissions.
We collaborate with civil society organizations to demand accountability from high-emission nations while ensuring that financial resources are directed toward adaptation and recovery efforts in the Global South. We actively work to embed equity and social justice into every conversation about climate finance and policy, advocating for the rights of marginalized communities at international forums like COP 29.
- Collaborative Innovation:
Climate action cannot succeed in isolation. CHF fosters collaborative partnerships between the Global North and South, promoting the equitable distribution of resources, access to climate-friendly technologies, and financial support for sustainable development projects. These partnerships help create shared ownership of climate solutions and strengthen the commitment to global climate action.
In practice, CHF has facilitated several South-North technology exchanges, particularly in areas of renewable energy and water resource management, ensuring that communities in the Global South have access to the tools needed for resilience. By fostering collaboration across borders, CHF enables regions at the forefront of climate change to implement transformative solutions.
CHF’s mission aligns with the core pillars of COP 29, specifically in the areas of climate justice, adaptation, mitigation, and financing. COP 29 provides an essential platform for the global community to advance climate action, and CHF is fully aligned with its overarching goals of accelerating efforts toward net-zero emissions, enhancing adaptation strategies, and securing the necessary financing to drive these transformations.
Our alignment with COP 29 can be broken down into four key areas of contribution:
- Climate Justice: Ensuring a Just Transition
We recognize that climate impacts are experienced differently in various regions. Therefore, we emphasize the importance of sharing indigenous knowledge and best practices that have proven effective in mitigating climate risks across sectors such as agriculture, energy, and urban planning. CHF works to elevate local expertise, demonstrating that solutions for resilience often already exist within the communities most affected by climate change.
For example, CHF is actively involved in promoting agroecological practices in smallholder farming communities, integrating traditional knowledge with modern science to combat unpredictable weather patterns. In urban settings, we advocate for nature-based solutions like green infrastructure to address climate-induced flooding and heat stress.
- Adaptation and Resilience: Building Local Capacity
The Global South faces unparalleled challenges due to rising temperatures, changing weather patterns, and escalating climate disasters. CHF is dedicated to scaling up adaptation strategies that bolster resilience in critical areas such as agriculture, coastal protection, and urban infrastructure.
Our work emphasizes the importance of nature-based solutions, including reforestation, wetland restoration, and sustainable agricultural practices, which not only reduce climate risks but also enhance biodiversity and ecosystem health. CHF is also a proponent of disaster risk reduction, helping vulnerable regions develop early warning systems and resilient infrastructure to withstand extreme weather events.
- Mitigation: Transitioning to a Low-Carbon Economy
In line with COP 29’s call for enhanced global ambition, CHF supports the widespread adoption of renewable energy, energy efficiency measures, and low-carbon technologies in developing economies. We advocate for climate-smart development pathways that simultaneously reduce emissions and promote economic growth.
CHF works to empower local communities through projects that enable them to transition to clean energy solutions, such as solar mini-grids and wind-powered irrigation systems. These efforts not only reduce reliance on fossil fuels but also contribute to local economic development by creating green jobs and enhancing energy security.
- Financing Climate Action: Bridging the Financing Gap
The financing gap for climate action in the Global South remains one of the most pressing barriers to meaningful progress. CHF champions innovative approaches to mobilize both public and private sector financing, including green bonds, blended finance, and direct investments in adaptation projects.
Our forum advocates for global financial institutions to commit to accessible and affordable financing mechanisms for the Global South. We are leading efforts to unlock private sector investments that target scalable climate solutions, ensuring that local economies benefit from green initiatives while addressing urgent climate challenges.
As CHF continues to grow, our presence at COP 29 will serve as a platform for advancing the priorities of the Global South, ensuring that climate justice, equity, and resilience are at the forefront of global climate negotiations. We are committed to positioning ourselves as a key voice in shaping a climate-resilient future for all by leveraging our expertise, forging partnerships, and advocating for transformative policies that address the urgent needs of vulnerable communities.
By actively engaging in COP 29’s goals and contributing to its outcomes, CHF aims to leave an indelible mark on the international climate agenda. We invite stakeholders, partners, and allies to join us in our mission to create a world where no one is left behind in the fight against climate change.
The Board of Advisors brings together globally recognized experts and thought leaders, whose guidance will be instrumental as we engage with key stakeholders and policy discussions at COP 29. With a wealth of experience in climate diplomacy, sustainable tourism, and environmental resilience, our Advisors provide critical insights to shape our projects and advocacy efforts. Their strategic input ensures that the Forum’s initiatives—ranging from waste management to sustainable urban development—are not only aligned with global best practices but also equipped to deliver transformative impact at COP 29 and beyond. Their counsel is pivotal as we contribute to the global dialogue on climate action, advancing our mission for sustainable development on the world stage.
The Global South is home to over 85% of the world’s population, but it bears the brunt of climate change despite contributing the least to global greenhouse gas emissions. Vulnerable communities, from the low-lying islands of the Pacific to the floodplains of South Asia, are at the frontline of climate-induced disasters.
- Pakistan experienced devastating floods in 2022, displacing 33 million people and costing the country an estimated $30 billion in economic losses. The floods highlighted the urgent need for comprehensive loss and damage solutions.
- Small Island Developing States (SIDS), like Tuvalu and Kiribati, face existential threats from rising sea levels. Both countries could see 90% of their populations displaced by 2050 unless immediate adaptation measures are implemented.
- Collaborative Innovation: By facilitating partnerships between the Global North and South, we aim to foster equitable resource distribution, access to technology, and financial support for sustainable development.
The disparity is stark. According to Oxfam International, the richest 10% of the global population are responsible for over half of all emissions, while the poorest 50%—the majority living in the Global South—contribute only 7%. Yet, these communities face the most severe consequences, underscoring the pressing need for robust loss and damage funding.
The establishment of the Loss and Damage Fund at COP 28 is a crucial step forward, but its successful implementation is far from guaranteed. For the Global South, the primary concerns are access, equity, and accountability. The fund must be designed to ensure that the most climate-vulnerable nations can access it without bureaucratic hurdles, and that resources are distributed equitably to both national governments and local communities.
- Accessibility for Vulnerable Nations
The current process to access international climate finance is overly bureaucratic, often requiring significant administrative capacity that many climate-vulnerable countries lack. To streamline access
- Establish regional hubs for Loss and Damage Fund applications in each continent (e.g., Africa, South Asia, Latin America) that provide capacity-building support to local governments.
- Simplify eligibility criteria, allowing for direct access by communities most affected, including indigenous peoples, smallholder farmers, and women’s groups.
- Equitable Distribution
- Use data from ND-GAIN (Notre Dame Global Adaptation Index), which ranks countries based on vulnerability and readiness to address climate change, to prioritize funds for regions like Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.
To avoid the pitfalls of existing climate finance mechanisms, where wealthier nations or regions dominate resource allocation, the Loss and Damage Fund must integrate climate vulnerability indices into its funding formulas.
- Innovative Financing
To avoid the pitfalls of existing climate finance mechanisms, where wealthier nations or regions dominate resource allocation, the Loss and Damage Fund must integrate climate vulnerability indices into its funding formulas.
- Climate Resilience Bonds: Like green bonds, these can attract private investment by offering returns linked to climate-resilient infrastructure projects in vulnerable regions.
- Carbon Tax Revenues from industrialized nations or high-emission industries should be directly funnelled into the Loss and Damage Fund.
According to the UNEP’s Adaptation Gap Report, annual adaptation costs in developing countries are estimated to reach $300 billion by 2030. Yet, current levels of climate finance fall far short. Loss and damage estimates, based on models from Swiss Re, indicate global economic losses from climate change could amount to $23 trillion by 2050, if urgent action is not taken. This underscores the importance of ensuring that the Loss and Damage Fund is adequately capitalized and efficiently deployed.
- South Asia
South Asia is one of the most climate-affected regions, with rising temperatures, erratic monsoons, and glacial melt threatening 1.6 billion people. The floods in Pakistan (2022) and the 2023 cyclone in Bangladesh demonstrate the devastating human and economic toll of extreme weather events.
- Example: Pakistan’s National Disaster Risk Reduction Policy (2013) and the Resilient Recovery Framework post-2022 floods emphasize local capacity building and early warning systems. The Loss and Damage Fund could support such frameworks with targeted finance for infrastructure resilience and adaptive agriculture.
- Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa faces chronic droughts, crop failures, and floods. Countries like Ethiopia, Somalia, and Sudan are particularly vulnerable, with millions displaced due to water scarcity and land degradation.
- Innovative Solutions: The Great Green Wall initiative, spanning 11 African countries, aims to restore 100 million hectares of degraded land, providing both climate adaptation and economic opportunity. The Loss and Damage Fund can be tailored to support this and other nature-based solutions.
- Latin America
- Example: Brazil’s Amazon Fund (revived in 2023) is a model for funneling international donations into conservation and reforestation efforts. Loss and Damage funding can complement such initiatives by addressing the socioeconomic impacts of deforestation and land degradation on indigenous populations.
Latin American countries are increasingly facing hurricanes, forest fires, and floods, with the Amazon rainforest—a vital carbon sink—under threat. Brazil, Peru, and Colombia are particularly vulnerable.
- Small Island Developing States (SIDS)
SIDS, like Maldives, Tuvalu, and Fiji, face existential threats due to sea-level rise. Many islands could become uninhabitable within the next few decades, leading to a loss of not only land but also cultural heritage and sovereignty.
- Innovative Solution: In 2022, Tuvalu became the first nation to digitally replicate itself in the metaverse, creating a digital twin of its islands to preserve its heritage. The Loss and Damage Fund should consider supporting similar initiatives that preserve cultural and national identity in the face of irreversible loss.
- Satellite and AI for Vulnerability Mapping
One of the key challenges in distributing climate finance is accurately assessing vulnerabilities. Leveraging satellite imagery, AI, and big data can revolutionize how we map and assess the most climate-vulnerable regions.
- Example: The World Resources Institute’s Global Forest Watch uses satellite data to monitor deforestation in real-time. Similarly, a Global Climate Risk Index, developed in partnership with tech companies, could provide dynamic, real-time assessments of regions at risk of loss and damage.
- Blockchain for Transparency in Climate Finance
Blockchain technology can be utilized to track funds in real-time, ensuring transparency in how the Loss and Damage Fund is used.
- Example: ClimateChain, an initiative piloted in Kenya in 2023, demonstrated the use of blockchain to track climate finance from donor to project, ensuring funds reached local communities for reforestation efforts.
- Nature-Based Solutions (NBS)
NBS can be highly effective in both mitigating and adapting to climate change. By working with nature, rather than against it, NBS provides co-benefits for biodiversity, livelihoods, and disaster risk reduction.
- NBS can be highly effective in both mitigating and adapting to climate change. By working with nature, rather than against it, NBS provides co-benefits for biodiversity, livelihoods, and disaster risk reduction.
- South-South Cooperation
By strengthening South-South cooperation, countries in the Global South can share knowledge, best practices, and resources to better implement loss and damage strategies.
- Example: The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) offers a blueprint for integrating climate resilience into large-scale infrastructure projects. Similar corridors could be developed across Africa and Latin America with climate resilience at their core.
- Private Sector Engagement
Mobilizing the private sector is critical for scaling up climate finance. By providing incentives for green investments, countries can attract private capital into the Loss and Damage Fund.
- Example: In Mexico, private companies are involved in a successful reforestation project funded through the Green Climate Fund. Engaging the private sector in similar initiatives across the Global South can create sustainable finance streams.
