India has reaffirmed its commitment to climate adaptation while calling for a major increase in global adaptation finance as the funding gap widens. At Cop30 in Brazil, Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav stressed that adaptation is an essential investment, not optional. He highlighted that developing countries will need up to 365 billion US dollars annually by 2035, but current flows are drastically lower.
India is dedicated to advancing domestic climate adaptation efforts but warns of the urgent need to scale up global adaptation finance as the funding gap grows. Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav stressed at the UN Cop30 summit that adaptation is an essential investment, not an optional add-on.
Adaptation finance gap and global targets
Yadav highlighted the 2025 Adaptation Gap Report estimating that developing countries will need between 310 and 365 billion US dollars annually by 2035. However, current financing stands at only about 26 billion US dollars. He noted that the Glasgow Climate Pact goal to double adaptation finance from 2019 levels to roughly 40 billion US dollars by 2025 is at risk of being missed. A global collective effort is required to increase climate finance to 1.3 trillion US dollars in line with the Baku to Belem Roadmap.
India’s domestic efforts and challenges
Despite hurdles, India remains firmly committed to integrating adaptation into planning at both national and state levels, supported by domestic resources. Climate adaptation expenditure in India increased by over 150 percent as a percentage of GDP from 2016-17 to 2022-23. India has also enhanced capacity to access international climate finance through readiness support and institutional development.
Barriers and international cooperation needs
Highlighting obstacles, Yadav mentioned slow multilateral fund processes, high transaction costs, limited institutional capacity, unclear revenue streams, and weak risk-sharing mechanisms that limit private finance. He urged the global community to address these issues and provide predictable, grant-based, and concessional funding. Improved climate finance is vital to boost investments in areas like agriculture, water security, resilient infrastructure, and ecosystem-based methods.
Final appeal from India
Yadav emphasized adaptation must be country-driven, gender-responsive, inclusive, and rooted in both science and traditional knowledge. Looking ahead to Cop31, he called for voluntary, non-prescriptive indicators and simplified reporting to avoid extra burdens on developing nations.
End of Article