Belem, Brazil, November 2025- Sierra Leone has issued a powerful call for global solidarity and urgent climate financing at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30), demanding that the world move beyond promises and invest in resilience for the most vulnerable.
Delivering the country’s national statement on behalf of President Julius Maada Bio, Minister of the Environment and Climate Change, Jiwoh E. Abdulai, addressed world leaders gathered in Belem, Brazil, with a message that was both sobering and resolute.
“For many of our people, climate change is not an abstract concept. It is an everyday reality that threatens lives, livelihoods, and our path to sustainable development,” Abdulai declared, citing the rising toll of extreme heat, floods, landslides, and coastal erosion across Sierra Leone.
The Minister outlined a series of national initiatives aimed at building resilience and reducing vulnerability. These include, strengthening disaster management and early warning systems, investing in climate-smart agriculture and restoring degraded ecosystems and mangrove forests and empowering communities to adapt and thrive
He also announced plans to introduce a new climate law in early 2026, designed to reinforce Sierra Leone’s environmental governance and accelerate sustainable development.
“By 2030, we aim to cut our socio-economic vulnerability index by half,” Abdulai said, stressing that gender equality, youth leadership, and community participation are central pillars of the country’s climate strategy.
But the Minister was clear: national efforts alone are not enough. He urged developed nations to honour their climate finance commitments, especially for adaptation support in Least Developed Countries (LDCs).
“Adequate and predictable financing for adaptation must be channeled directly to where it is needed most, to strengthen resilience, protect livelihoods, and secure a sustainable future for vulnerable communities,” he said.
Abdulai concluded with a rallying call to turn ambition into action: “Let COP30 be remembered as the summit where ambition met action, where the world agreed not only to reduce emissions but also to invest in resilience and adaptation for all.”
