As the world’s climate leadership gathers in Belém, Brazil, for COP30, CDKN and its partners are shaping conversations on adaptation and resilience, placing the knowledge and leadership of the Global South at the centre of resilient approaches to climate adaptation challenges. 

This year, CDKN’s partners will be leading and contributing to a range of sessions that highlight how evidence, equity, and collaboration can drive global progress on adaptation, resilience and inclusion. 

What we’re focusing on at COP30 

Our engagement at COP30 centres on the guiding theme of ‘climate justice through locally-led, inclusive and nature-positive solutions’. 

Through this lens, CDKN partners will share learning and experience from initiatives in Africa, Asia and Latin America that are helping to: 

• Make finance for resilience more accessible, transparent and accountable; 

• Strengthen ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) through inclusive, nature-based solutions for adaptation; and 

• Advance gender equity and social inclusion (GESI) as a foundation for just climate action. 

Together, these three strategic areas reflect CDKN’s commitment to linking local realities with global ambition, showing how Southern-led innovation is already shaping the future of climate-resilient development. 

Where to find us 

CDKN partners will be participating at various venues and in several sessions throughout COP30, including: 

Senegal Pavilion | 11 November | 16:30- 17:30 (GMT-3) 

Production and promotion of local knowledge for climate action: experiences of CDKN Senegal and presentation of the Climate and Development Resource Center 
Led by CDKN partners ENDA Energie at the Senegal Pavilion, this session will highlight lessons from CDKN Senegal’s locally-led adaptation journey and launch the new ENDA Climate and Development Resource Centre, a platform for sharing learning and collaboration on resilience and climate governance. They event will show how locally-grounded knowledge and participatory approaches involving communities, researchers and decision makers are driving co-created adaptation actions in the north, centre and south of Senegal, and contributing to Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and National Adaptation Plans (NAPs).   

Peru Resilience Hub, Blue Zone | 17 November | Time 9:30 - 10:30 (GMT-3) 

Unlocking climate finance and strengthening accountability for locally-led adaptation 
Co-hosted by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and the World Resources Institute (WRI), this finance-focused session will highlight practical examples of accountability mechanisms that help ensure adaptation funding reaches the local level and delivers impact – with contributions from CDKN’s partner Fundación Futuro Latinoamericano (FFLA), and CDKN Ghana Country Lead Prince Ansah, who will share innovative approaches for unlocking funds for LLA in the water sector and solutions led by young African entrepreneurs.  

World Green Economy Organisation (WGEO) Pavilion, Blue Zone | 17 November| 18:00 - 18:45 (GMT-3) 
Nature at the nexus: Accelerating ecosystem-based adaptation at COP30 and beyond 
At this COP30 official side event, Friends of Ecosystem-based Adaptation (FEBA) and other partners, will support the launch of new EbA resources, including an information brief and case studies co-developed through a FEBA working group that CDKN co-chairs with the secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity that showcase practical, locally-led and justice-centred approaches for nature-based adaptation. 

Canada Pavilion, Blue Zone | 19 November | 15:15 - 16:00 (GMT-3) 

Just and localised Nature-based Solutions: a learning exchange from the front lines 

Led by IDRC, this event will explore how to design and implement inclusive and locally-grounded Nature-based Solutions that protect biodiversity and support Indigenous Peoples and local communities, while addressing challenges around land rights and equitable participation in climate-resilient development. CDKN alliance partner FFLA will form part of the panel, drawing on CDKN’s Latin America regional work. 

UNFCCC Side Event Room 6, Blue Zone | 19 November | 18:30-20:00 (GMT-3) 

Justice-centred adaptation: Locally led climate action across knowledge systems and generations 
Representing CDKN, FFLA’s Karen Hildahl will form part of the panel for this official UNFCCC side event co-organised by IDRC, VAAGDHARA (India) and ASRAD (Mali). This session explores justice-centred adaptation by bridging Indigenous knowledge, youth leadership, rights, finance, creativity and policy. Drawing on CDKN’s Knowledge-to-Action grants for Water Funds in the Andean Water Funds Platform, Karen will discuss the importance of integrating gender equity and social inclusion into locally-led adaptation. 

All official UNFCC side events will have a Microsoft Teams meeting link that duly registered COP 30 participants can join through the COP 30 Virtual Platform. 

Join the conversation 

Throughout COP30, we will be sharing updates, reflections and insights via our website, social media channels (LinkedIn, BlueSky, Facebook), and partner channels including SSN, FFLA, ENDA and IDRC. 

If you have updates you would like to share, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us at: info@cdkn.org