Developing countries will need about $305 billion a year by 2035 to adapt to climate change, nearly ten times the $28.2 billion to $31.7 billion in international public funding they received in 2024, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) said in its 2026 Adaptation Gap Report [un.org][scimex.org][theguardian.com]. Funding grew by about $1 billion from 2023. The report says the aspiration agreed at the COP30 climate talks to triple adaptation finance by 2035 would provide only $85 billion to $120 billion annually, covering 20% to 29% of estimated needs after inflation [un.org][scimex.org]. The estimate largely excludes private-sector adaptation needs, which could nearly double the total [scimex.org]. The report identifies institutional barriers and mounting climate-related losses as additional obstacles to carrying out adaptation plans [un.org][scimex.org]. It was released ahead of COP31, scheduled to open in Antalya, Türkiye, on Nov. 9. Climate justice groups have identified adaptation finance as a priority for the talks, and UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen urged countries to step up efforts to meet the COP30 tripling aspiration [theguardian.com][un.org]. Highlights: • Loss and Damage Fund: The fund's first funding round received $2.8 billion in requests from 119 developing countries, against an initial $342 million available [scimex.org][theguardian.com]. • South-South funding: Funding through development banks and direct cooperation between developing countries rose from $3.8 billion in 2019 to $9.6 billion in 2024 [scimex.org][lesechos.fr]. • Unequal coverage: Tripling finance could cover 49% to 83% of adaptation needs in least-developed countries and small island developing states, compared with 20% to 29% overall [scimex.org][nd-aktuell.de]. • Health measures: The World Health Organization called for six practical resilience measures, including heatwave alerts and climate-resilient water and sanitation, and said the package could prevent 1.6 million deaths annually [un.org]. Perspectives: António Guterres, United Nations secretary-general: He described the shortfall as an "astonishing gap," saying it represents lives, livelihoods and futures lost [lemonde.fr]. (Le Monde) Sabine Minninger, climate expert at Brot für die Welt: She said the report shows wealthy countries are failing to meet their responsibility and commitments to support countries in the Global South [nd-aktuell.de]. (nd-aktuell.de) Climate justice groups: They are calling for faster funding in the form of grants or concessional loans, arguing that high-interest borrowing is difficult to repay for projects such as sea walls and heat shelters that generate no direct revenue [theguardian.com]. (The Guardian) "The world is not ready to adapt to current climactic conditions, never mind what overshoot of 1.5°C will bring" — Inger Andersen, executive director of the United Nations Environment Programme Sources: • ‘The world is not ready’: Climate adaptation cash falls far short as warming heads past 1.5°C - un.org • Adaptation isn't keeping up with global warming, UN warns - scimex.org • Funding to help poorer countries cope with climate crisis has stalled, says UN - theguardian.com • Welt ist nicht auf sich zuspitzende Klimafolgen vorbereitet, warnt UN-Bericht - derstandard.at • Rich countries fall far short on climate adaptation funding, UN says - straitstimes.com • Financiamento para adaptação climática segue muito abaixo do necessário, aponta ONU antes da COP31 - uol.com.br • Erderwärmung | Nicht bereit für die Klimakrise - nd-aktuell.de • Avant la COP31 en Turquie, l’ONU alerte d’un « déficit ahurissant » entre les besoins et les financements réels de l’adaptation des pays en développement - lemonde.fr • A la veille de la COP31, où en sont les financements pour l'adaptation au réchauffement climatique ? - lesechos.fr --- 📰 Story aggregated by Kagi News