United Nations officials are urging quick and responsible action to combat climate change as global warming reaches dangerous levels, and climate finance remains a pressing and complex issue.
The United Nations has reported that only 10 out of nearly 200 countries participating in the Paris Agreement on climate change submitted their updated climate plans on time, before the February 10 deadline. These plans set more ambitious emission reduction targets for 2035. While there are no penalties for missing the deadline, these commitments are key indicators of a country’s serious engagement in the global fight against climate change. Among those that missed the deadline are major economies such as China, India, and most members of the Group of Twenty (G20).
In response, the UN has set a new deadline in September 2025, ahead of the 30th UN Climate Change Conference (COP30) in Brazil. According to Simon Stiell, Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, this extension allows nations to urgently refine and optimise their emission reduction strategies.
Profound political changes worldwide are seen as obstacles to global cooperation in combating climate change. However, with significant progress in transitioning to clean energy, experts remain optimistic that the world is still on the right track in protecting the green planet. Recently, Europe reaffirmed its leadership in the global green transition. According to the climate research organisation Ember, 47% of the EU’s electricity comes from solar and other renewable sources. Meanwhile, BloombergNEF reports that global investments in low-emission energy transition reached a record 2.1 trillion USD in 2024. Urging nations to unite in the fight against climate change, UN Climate Chief Simon Stiell emphasised: "We are on the right path. We just need to do more, and do it faster".
Climate finance has long been a key focus of global climate conferences. At COP29 in Azerbaijan last year, countries agreed to triple public climate funding for developing nations, increasing it from 100 billion USD to 300 billion USD annually by 2035. According to the United Nations, the world has mobilised approximately 2 trillion USD for climate finance over the past decade, starting from "almost nothing". However, experts estimate that developing nations require around 1.3 trillion USD annually to combat climate change effectively, as many struggle with massive debt burdens. Climate finance is expected to remain a top priority at COP30 in Brazil.
COP29 faced moments where negotiations nearly collapsed, yet with strong determination, countries reached commendable agreements, laying the groundwork for a sustainable climate funding system. Building on this progress, significant advancements are anticipated at COP30 in Brazil in 2025—a conference marking the 10th anniversary of the Paris Agreement on climate change. Compared to a decade ago, climate change has become more severe. According to the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), January 2025 was officially recorded as the hottest January in history, with global average temperatures surpassing pre-industrial levels by 1.75 degrees Celsius.
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has emphasised that climate finance is not charity but an investment, and climate action is not optional but mandatory. Every individual, community, and nation must take decisive and responsible action, fostering solidarity for the common goal of ensuring a sustainable future for the planet.
