The report emphasizes that despite progress in planning and implementing adaptation measures, by 2035, the funding needs for these measures in developing countries will rise to $310 billion per year, which is 12 times the current level of international public financing.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres, in his statement on the release of the report, noted: "Climate change is having an increasingly devastating impact. However, funding for adaptation measures is not keeping pace with these rapid changes. As a result, the most vulnerable populations are suffering from rising sea levels, destructive storms, and unbearable heat. Adaptation is not just a cost; it is a matter of survival. Closing the adaptation finance gap is a way to protect lives, ensure climate justice, and create a safer and more resilient world. We cannot afford to lose a moment."
UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen added: "Every person on the planet is feeling the effects of climate change, such as wildfires, extreme heat, desertification, flooding, and rising prices. As efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions continue to lag, these impacts will only worsen, harming more and more people and causing significant economic damage. We need global efforts to increase adaptation financing—both from public and private sources—without increasing the debt burden for vulnerable countries. Even in the face of limited budgets, the reality is this: if we do not start investing in adaptation now, our costs will only grow."
The report also mentions that at least one national strategy or adaptation plan has been developed in 172 countries, but only four countries have yet to begin this work. However, in 36 of the 172 countries, adaptation tools are outdated or have not been updated for at least ten years, which must be taken into account to avoid a misguided approach to adaptation.
The photo on the main page is illustrative: dzen.ru.
