Adaptation to climate change remains one of the defining challenges of this decade. Despite growing recognition of its urgency, the global adaptation finance gap continues to widen — now exceeding USD 200 billion annually, according to UNEP’s latest Adaptation Gap Report. COP28 signaled progress on loss and damage and adaptation planning, but COP30 in Belém is expected to mark a shift from political commitments to practical implementation, placing ecosystems, biodiversity and local livelihoods at the centre of global climate action.
This event will explore how adaptation finance can scale from isolated projects to systemic, cross-sectoral investment, capable of strengthening resilience where it is most urgently needed. Bringing together leaders from development finance, climate diplomacy, sustainable investment, and regional policy, the discussion will assess emerging financial instruments, guarantee mechanisms, blended-finance models and partnerships that can unlock equitable and long-term adaptation investment.
The event will take place on 18 November 2025 at 15:00 CET as an online session, organised by the Euro-Mediterranean Economists Association (EMEA) in cooperation with the Mediterranean Pavilion at COP30. EMEA is a partner of the Mediterranean Pavilion.
For the Southern Mediterranean and African regions, scaling adaptation finance is essential for climate security, water resilience, food systems and social stability. Yet these regions continue to face deep structural barriers — including sovereign debt pressures, a fragmented financing landscape, limited investable project pipelines, high capital costs, and insufficient private sector engagement. Addressing these obstacles will be central to achieving climate resilience across both regions.
The session will explore:
- New instruments for large-scale adaptation finance, from transition bonds to resilience credits and regional guarantee platforms
- Links between adaptation finance, just-transition priorities and nature-positive development
- Opportunities to strengthen regional partnerships that mobilise public and private capital
- How data, risk assessments and economic modelling can support bankable adaptation pipelines
AGENDA
Moderator: Prof. Rym Ayadi — President and Founder, Euro-Mediterranean Economists Association (EMEA); Professor at Bayes Business School, City St George, University of London
Speakers:
- Nagla Bahr — Executive Board Member, Credit Guarantee Company Daman Egypt; Chairwoman of the Euro-Mediterranean Guarantee Network – EMGN
- Ujala Quadir — Head of Market Development, Development Guarantee Group
- Hajja Naseem — Senior Advisor on Climate Negotiations; Former Minister of State for Environment, Climate Change and Technology; Member, Transitional Committee for the Loss and Damage Fund
- Trisha Mani — Senior Project Manager, Investment Leaders Group (ILG), University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL)