COP30 stresses ‘adaptation’ as path to fossil fuel-free world

The deliberations at COP30, which concluded in Brazil on Saturday (November 23, 2025), underlined that while countries agreed upon transitioning away from fossil fuel, more emphasis ought to be laid on adapting to climate change rather than defining road maps to end use of fossil fuels.

As the text of the consensus, called the Mutirão (coming together) agreement says, countries have agreed to establish a two-year ‘work programme’ on climate finance, called for efforts to “at least triple” adaptation finance by 2035; and have a systematic dialogue with participation from existing United Nations’ trade forums—for eg., International Trade Centre, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development and the World Trade Organization—on how measures to combat climate change should not impede trade and growth of developing countries.

Climate finance refers to money that must be disbursed by developed countries to developing ones; however, whether it strictly refers only to public money or also includes investments in commercial projects is contested. While the aim of COPs (Conference of Parties) so far has been on delivering climate finance evenly for mitigation (avoiding fossil fuel projects and funding renewable energy) and adaptation (building infrastructure to better shield against climate change, investing in resilient agriculture, etc.). Mitigation projects are generally more business-friendly and have garnered more attention.

Delegates from Ethiopia, host of COP32, pose for a photo at the COP30 U.N. Climate Summit, on Saturday, Nov. 22, 2025, in Belem, Brazil.
| Photo Credit:
AP

“While the adaptation finance decision wasn’t what developing countries wanted, it helps ensure that funding for adaptation will continue to grow as climate impacts increase. Even though the deadline is a decade away, developed countries can’t be complacent and must immediately get to work, scaling up adaptation support. Having this goal within the framework of the NCQG means that developed countries take the lead, with other countries encouraged to contribute voluntarily,” Joe Thwaites, International Climate Finance Director, Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), a global think-tank, said in a statement. NCQG or New Collective Quantified Goal on Climate Finance refers to an agreement in COP29, Baku, by developed countries to mobilise $300 billion annually by 2035 and work towards expanding it to $1.3 trillion annually from all sources.

Contest between two blocs

The deliberations at the COP through the years have often been framed as a contest between two ideological blocs—those that want hard targets and road maps on phasing out of fossil fuels and those that resist them. Every COP concludes with an analysis of which bloc had the upper hand at the end of that year’s deliberations though it is possible for both sides to pick out elements to declare victory of their respective positions.

India, for instance, in the final leg of deliberations on Saturday, expressed “satisfaction with major outcomes” of COP30 such as a Just Transition Mechanism (JTM) and for “delivering the space” to discuss Unilateral Trade-restrictive Climate Measures. “These issues cannot continue to be brushed under the carpet. The Parties have made a beginning here to reverse this trend,” a statement by a group of largely developing countries noted. JTM refers to a process whereby labour systems can be made to adapt to a future away from fossil fuel in a way that promotes justice and equity.

On the other hand, though the COP30 Mutirão agreement has no mention of ‘fossil fuels’ or a road map to end their use—meaning they are not part of the consensus agreement, COP President Andrei Lago’s commitment to creating two road maps—one on halting and reversing deforestation and another on transitioning away from fossil fuels in a just, orderly, and equitable manner—is viewed as a placatory measure towards the European Union and countries demanding an end to use of fossil fuels.

“COP30 has delivered a balanced outcome, one that recognises the very real challenges and contradictions faced by Global South countries, especially regarding energy transitions, while also reflecting the continued spirit of Global North nations that arrive at this process with expectations for accelerated action and accountability,” said Aarti Khosla of Climate Trends, in a statement. “In many ways, this moment highlights that in the absence of a single hegemonic power, countries are becoming more amenable to cooperative multilateralism,” she added.