LDC Watch

We need Adaptation Justice now, Dr Karki says | Nepal UK  Brazil – Dr Arjun Karki, International Coordinator of LDC Watch, a civil society group advocating on behalf of Least Developed Countries (LDCs), has...

The COP30 declaration has brought global attention back to the urgent need for climate action. But for Least Developed Countries (LDCs), the outcomes show a familiar mix of small steps forward and major gaps that still threaten our communities, economies, and futures. LDCs are the countries most affected by climate change despite contributing the least to global emissions. Rising temperatures, floods, droughts, storms, food insecurity, and displacement continue to harm millions. From this standpoint, CSOs from LDCs view the COP30 declaration with deep concern but also with renewed determination to push for real justice and action.


➡️ Read the full declaration here: https://unfccc.int/cop30/belem-political-package

“Adaptation is justice — not just survival.” — Wanun Permpibul @ COP30
In Asia-Pacific, frontline communities — women, farmers, fishers, informal workers — are already adapting. But adaptation finance is falling short: only a small fraction reaches communities, and even less is grant-based.

At COP30 we demand:
• Fair, predictable, grant-based finance — not debt
• Direct access for grassroots groups, Indigenous peoples & women
Side Event by , , &

🎤 Side Event Recap — Strengthening Adaptation Action for the Global South
📅 19 November 2025 📍 Side Event- COP30, Belém, Brazil.
Our panelists shared frontline experiences, barriers to progress, and clear demands: fair indicators under the Global Goal on Adaptation, predictable grant-based finance, and a permanent agenda for adaptation funding.

🌍 Join Our COP30 Side Event!
Title: Strengthening Adaptation Action for the Global South: Priorities for LDCs, LLDCs & SIDS
🗓 19 November 2025
⏰ 13:15–14:45 (Brazil time)
📍 Side Event Room 9, COP30 – Belém, Brazil

Speakers from Nepal, Rwanda, Thailand & Indonesia.
The session will highlight the urgent need for fair and well-financed adaptation for vulnerable countries, and expectations from COP30’s Global Goal on Adaptation.
📌 All delegates are invited to join!

Many vulnerable countries are paying more on debt than they receive in support for climate action. That’s unjust. At the side-event “Bridging the Climate Finance Gap” on 13 Nov, we raised this urgent issue — and called for grant-based climate finance and no debt burdens now.
– Arjun Karki

Invitation:
You are invited to attend “Bridging the Climate Finance Gap” at COP30.
📅 Date: 13 November
🕚 Time: 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM
📍 Location: Side Event Room 1

Join us for an engaging discussion on innovative solutions and partnerships to close the climate finance gap.

The Civil Society Forum at in Awaza, Turkmenistan (Aug 4–5, 2025) culminated in a powerful declaration championing structural transformation, climate resilience, digital inclusion & fair financial systems for landlocked nations.

Presented by Dr. Arjun K. Karki during the closing session of Civil Society Forum, this declaration amplifies civil society’s vital role in shaping a sustainable future for LLDCs.

Download full declaration:https://ldcwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/CSO-Declaration-LLDC3-1.pdf

Civil society organizations hosted the side event at the Third UN Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDC3) 6 August 2025 in Awaza, Turkmenistan. Titled “Empowering LLDCs: Collaborative Solutions for Sustainable Futures”, the session was organized by LDC Watch in collaboration with SAAPE, RRN, SEATINI Uganda and ZAMSOF.

The Civil Society Forum alongside the Third UN Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDC3) held on 04-05 August 2025 in Awaza, Turkmenistan Bringing together civil society, academia, private sector stakeholders, and government representatives, the Forum played a central role in shaping the decade-long Awaza Programme of Action (2024 – 2034) for the 32 LLDCs, which collectively account for over 570 million people facing structural challenges such as high trade costs, market isolation, and climate vulnerability.

Opening remarks by leaders including UN Focal Points and Turkmen officials underscored civil society’s indispensable role in driving structural transformation, climate resilience, and inclusive innovation tailored to LLDC realities.

Interactive plenary sessions addressed themes ranging from structural transformation and environmental sustainability to digital innovation and financial architecture. The Forum culminated in the drafting of a Civil Society Declaration, slated to be submitted to the main LLDC3 Conference plenary for inclusion in the final report.