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SB64: LDCs warn of escalating climate threats, demand action – EnviroNews
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As negotiations at the SB64 Climate Change Conference reach their midpoint in Bonn, the Least Developed Countries (LDC) Group has issued a stark warning: climate change is no longer a looming threat but a lived reality that is eroding development gains and pushing vulnerable nations to the brink.
Speaking at a press conference on Friday, June 12, 2026, Ambassador Adão Soares Barbosa, Special Envoy and Ambassador‑at‑Large for Climate Affairs for Timor‑Leste and Chair of the LDC Group, underscored the urgency facing the 44 countries that make up the bloc. Despite contributing the least to global greenhouse gas emissions, he said, LDCs “shoulder a disproportionate share of the consequences,” from intensifying climate impacts to mounting economic pressures.
Barbosa noted that communities across LDCs are already confronting adaptation limits, rising loss and damage, and shrinking fiscal space due to growing debt burdens. “Climate change defines our present,” he stressed, warning that global mitigation efforts remain far off track.
1.5°C: A Lifeline for the World’s Most Vulnerable
The Ambassador expressed deep concern over the inadequacy of global action to curb emissions, pointing to scientific assessments showing that some degree of overshoot of the 1.5°C temperature limit is now unavoidable. For LDCs, he said, this threshold is not a political aspiration but “a lifeline.”
He welcomed the recent UN General Assembly endorsement of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) Advisory Opinion, which reaffirmed that 1.5°C remains the agreed temperature goal under the Paris Agreement. He urged all Parties to align their actions with this legal and moral clarity.
LDCs Demonstrate Leadership Despite Constraints
Barbosa highlighted that LDCs are not waiting for others to act. Twenty‑three LDCs have already submitted their third‑generation Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs 3.0), 27 have prepared National Adaptation Plans (NAPs), and 15 have submitted Biennial Transparency Reports (BTRs). These efforts, he said, reflect significant political commitment and resource investment – despite limited national capacities.
But he cautioned that LDCs cannot carry the burden alone. “The international community must move beyond pledges to action and delivery,” he said, calling for strengthened multilateralism, higher ambition, and meaningful support for adaptation and finance.
Adaptation: From Debate to Delivery
Adaptation remains a top priority for LDCs. Barbosa praised the progress made at COP30 in Belém, particularly the adoption of the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA) framework and indicators. At SB64, he said, the focus must be on operationalizing these indicators rather than reopening negotiations.
“The world needs to move from debating adaptation to delivering adaptation,” he emphasised.
He also called for concrete progress under the Belém-Addis Vision and the Baku Adaptation Roadmap, stressing that these processes must translate into real resilience-building on the ground. Agriculture, he noted, is especially urgent, as climate‑resilient food systems are essential not only for adaptation but for survival.
Mitigation Work Programme Must Accelerate Action
Turning to mitigation, Barbosa expressed disappointment with the pace of discussions so far. He urged Parties to use the Mitigation Work Programme to accelerate emissions reductions, support implementation of the first Global Stocktake (GST) outcomes, and facilitate access to finance, technology, and capacity‑building for developing countries.
He also stressed the importance of ensuring that the IPCC’s Seventh Assessment Report (AR7) is available in time to inform the second GST.
Climate Finance: Delivery Cannot Wait
Climate finance, Barbosa said, remains one of the most critical issues for LDCs. While acknowledging global economic challenges, he insisted these cannot justify delays or reductions in climate finance commitments.
The New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG), he argued, must deliver real progress toward mobilizing at least $300 billion annually by 2035. Continued access to key funds – especially the Adaptation Fund – and stronger links between finance and technology transfer are also essential.
A Call for Solidarity and Political Will
Barbosa concluded with a reminder that cooperation and multilateralism remain the world’s strongest tools. “The world has already agreed on many of the solutions,” he said. “What is needed now is the political will to implement them.”
For millions living in LDCs, he warned, the stakes could not be higher. Decisions made in Bonn will shape their resilience – and their survival – for decades to come.
