By Millicent Senava Mannah
As world leaders prepare to gather in Belém, Brazil, for the 2025 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30), Sierra Leone stands at a pivotal moment. For a country grappling with intensifying floods, rising sea levels, and increasing food insecurity, COP30 represents more than a diplomatic gathering, it is a chance to secure vital climate finance and reshape its climate-resilient future.
Africa contributes just a fraction of global carbon emissions but bears a disproportionate share of the impacts. Sierra Leone, in particular, faces high vulnerability due to its fragile coastline, low infrastructure resilience, and a population heavily dependent on natural resources. Yet, like many developing nations, the country has struggled to access meaningful climate funding.
COP30 is expected to advance negotiations on a new global climate finance goal, known as the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG). African nations are calling for at least US $300 billion annually, with targets potentially reaching US $1.3 trillion per year by 2035 to support adaptation, mitigation, and loss and damage in developing countries. Sierra Leone is counting on these talks to yield not only larger financial commitments but also a shift from debt-based loans to grant-based financing that won’t burden already strained economies.
“We are already seeing the damage, our coasts are eroding, our crops are failing, and our people are being displaced,” says a senior official at Sierra Leone’s Environment Ministry. “COP30 is our chance to speak with one voice and push for the resources we desperately need.”
With over 2 million Sierra Leoneans living in climate-vulnerable zones, adaptation is not optional, it is urgent. At COP30, Sierra Leone hopes to accelerate support for its National Adaptation Plan (NAP), which includes coastal protection, mangrove restoration, climate-smart agriculture, and flood defence systems. However, without adequate international funding, these plans risk remaining on paper.
The summit also comes as African countries work to strengthen a unified voice through the African Group of Negotiators (AGN). Their agenda includes demands for just transitions, climate justice, and fair access to clean energy. Sierra Leone’s participation in this coalition is critical to amplifying the continent’s shared concerns and ensuring Africa is not sidelined in global climate decisions.
Additionally, the country is looking to benefit from global recognition of natural capital, the value of ecosystems like mangroves, forests, and wetlands, which provide carbon sinks and protect against extreme weather. If properly accounted for in global finance mechanisms, these natural resources could attract sustainable investments and open access to carbon markets.
As COP30 approaches, Sierra Leone’s leaders, civil society, and journalists are preparing to make their voices heard. With the climate crisis accelerating, the stakes could not be higher.
“This summit could define our ability to survive the next 50 years,” says climate advocate Mariama Kamara of the Green Africa Alliance. “It’s not just about pledges, it’s about action, justice, and ensuring our children have a future.”