COP30 fell short, and world’s most vulnerable will pay the price

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OPINION

By Bashir Hangi

The United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30), held in Belém from 10–21 November 2025, took place at a time when climate impacts are intensifying worldwide. For countries already on the frontline of climate disruption—including but not limited to Africa—the conference was more than a diplomatic gathering. It was a test of whether the world is finally ready to move from rhetoric to real action.

Across continents, climate extremes are now unmistakable. Europe continues to endure historic heatwaves, North America battles megafires, Asia faces destructive floods, and island nations confront rising seas that threaten their very existence. Africa, too, illustrates this reality. Droughts in the Horn, cyclones in the south, floods in central areas, and landslides in Uganda’s Mount Elgon region show how climate shocks are eroding food security, health systems, infrastructure, and national stability.

In this context, COP30’s commitment to triple global adaptation finance by 2035 offers cautious optimism. Adaptation finance is not charity; it is a lifeline. It determines whether farmers survive unpredictable seasons, whether coastal communities adapt to rising waters, and whether ecosystems from the Amazon and Congo Basins to peatlands and mangroves continue to protect the planet.

But the world has seen big promises before. The 100-billion-dollar annual climate finance pledge—first made in 2009 at COP15 in Copenhagen and reaffirmed in 2010—remains largely unmet. It is a reminder that announcing money is easy while delivering it has proven far more difficult. Climate finance must be accessible, timely, and predictable, not held up in bureaucratic processes that deny support to the communities that need it most.

For Uganda, increased adaptation and conservation financing would reinforce gains already made. Strengthened protection of wildlife habitats, improved law enforcement, community engagement, and ecosystem restoration have led to notable increases in wildlife populations, including elephants, giraffes, buffaloes, and primates. Uganda’s progress is also reflected in the planned upgrading of Katonga, Toro–Semliki, and Echuya to national park status, a move that will significantly enhance habitat protection.

Additionally, Kyambura and Kigezi Wildlife Reserves are set to be upgraded and annexed to Queen Elizabeth National Park, while Bukaleba Central Forest Reserve is expected to change status to a Wildlife Reserve. These efforts expand safe spaces for wildlife and reinforce ecological connectivity. Tourism, anchored in these thriving natural landscapes, continues to grow, generating revenue and sustaining thousands of livelihoods.

COP30 also reinforced the importance of forests and biodiversity in global climate solutions. Hosting the conference in the Amazon underscored the indispensability of nature-based solutions. This message resonates across biodiversity-rich regions, from Southeast Asia’s mangroves to Africa’s savannahs and rainforests. Healthy ecosystems serve as carbon sinks, regulate climate, support livelihoods, and buffer communities against extreme weather events.

Countries such as Uganda, Costa Rica, Kenya, Brazil, Rwanda, and Nepal demonstrate that conservation success is achievable when governments and communities work together. Uganda’s forthcoming reintroduction of rhinos to Ajai Wildlife Reserve is part of a global story of restoration, showing that biodiversity recovery, climate action, and tourism development can reinforce one another.

However, COP30 exposed a major gap: the failure to agree on a clear, enforceable roadmap for phasing out fossil fuels. Without rapid emission reductions, climate impacts will intensify, adaptation needs will expand, and vulnerable nations—including the lowest emitters—will continue to pay the highest price. The imbalance is stark. Africa contributes less than four per cent of global emissions yet faces some of the world’s harshest climate impacts. Small island states risk being submerged, mountain communities fear glacial lake bursts, and farmers across South America and Australia struggle with prolonged drought. The injustice is global and growing.

To turn COP30’s commitments into meaningful protection, vulnerable regions must remain united and vocal. They must press for stronger global ambition, transparent climate finance, deeper emission cuts, and increased support for nature-based solutions. Their voices must remain central in shaping future climate decisions.

COP30 delivered movement, but movement alone is not protection. The world must now translate promises into measurable results for people, ecosystems, economies, and tourism sectors that depend on healthy natural landscapes. Until then, COP30 will remain another missed opportunity, and the world’s most vulnerable will continue to face the gravest consequences.

The writer is Assistant Commissioner – Communications, Uganda Wildlife Authority