Sierra Leone spoke at COP30’s Resumed High-Level Segment in Belém, Brazil, advocating for swift and equitable global climate action based on moral principles. Hon. Jiwoh Emmanuel Abdulai, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, struck a clear and urgent tone: Sierra Leone is on the front lines of a climate emergency that it did not cause, and the world must respond quickly, solidarily, and meaningfully. The Minister spoke from the Amazon, a powerful symbol of what is at stake globally. He highlighted Sierra Leoneans’ lived realities and the country’s practical steps to build resilience and reduce emissions under NDC 3.0.
Minister Abdulai painted a vivid picture of the cascading hazards that face Sierra Leonean communities: more frequent floods and landslides that destroy homes and infrastructure; relentless coastal erosion that threatens livelihoods, settlements, and critical ecosystems; and increasingly intense heat waves and erratic rainfall patterns that jeopardise agriculture and food security. He emphasised that these effects are felt by people who have contributed almost nothing to the greenhouse gas concentrations that are driving the crisis.
That asymmetry, he contended, is fundamentally unjust and necessitates a global response guided by climate justice.
Far from portraying Sierra Leone as a passive victim, the Minister outlined a proactive national agenda based on resilience, restoration, and green development. President Brigadier (Rtd.) Julius Maada Bio is leading the implementation of NDC 3.0, which serves as a strategic blueprint for ambitious mitigation and adaptation efforts. Sierra Leone is restoring forests and critical watersheds to protect water supplies and biodiversity, rehabilitating and expanding mangrove belts to protect shorelines and support fisheries, scaling up climate-smart agricultural practices to strengthen food systems, and investing in decentralised renewable energy to power homes, clinics, PHUs, and schools. Strengthening community-based early warning systems improves frontline response to hazards. Despite limited fiscal space, the country has committed to deep emission reductions and comprehensive adaptation measures, demonstrating that climate-vulnerable nations can shoulder responsibilities while receiving support.
However, the main message from Belém was that national action alone cannot close the gap. Minister Abdulai criticised international climate negotiations, stating that the current pace of decision-making is insufficient to address the scale and urgency of the crisis. He urged COP30 to produce a robust, actionable Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA) with concrete, measurable targets supported by deliverable finance, technology transfer, and capacity-building.
For adaptation to serve as a lifeline for vulnerable countries, commitments must be translated into predictable flows of assistance to communities and national systems. To serve as a lifeline for vulnerable countries, commitments must be translated into predictable support flows that reach communities and national systems. The focus should be on adaptation rather than mitigation or debt-creating instruments. He advocated for a new climate finance goal that prioritises adaptation and ensures resources are delivered in forms that build resilience, such as grants, long-term concessional finance, and instruments that don’t reduce fiscal space.
Technology development and transfer were a key component of his appeal. Minister Abdulai emphasised the need for affordable and appropriate technologies, including resilient seed varieties, water management systems, renewable energy microgrids, and climate-smart health infrastructure, to build resilient economies. He urged wealthier nations and multilateral institutions to accelerate technology transfer and remove barriers that prevent vulnerable countries from accessing and implementing the tools they need.
Finally, the Minister emphasised the importance of a transparent and equitable negotiating process aimed at restoring trust among parties and providing tangible results to frontline nations. He reminded world leaders that COP30 is a generational decision point: the window for ensuring a safe future is closing, and history will judge hesitation and empty promises harshly. Sierra Leone is prepared to act and lead where possible, but it cannot address this crisis alone. Minister Abdulai’s speech in Belém positioned his country as a steadfast advocate for climate justice, adaptation leadership, and global solidarity, urging peers to match principle with swift, accountable action that provides hope and protection to people and the environment.
