Policy Updates

A year-long campaign led by EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has secured EUR15.5 billion (US$18.0 billion) to mobilize investments in renewable energy across Africa, along with additional commitments in clean energy generation and household electricity access, announced on November 21, 2025.

The EU led the pledging effort with more than EUR15.1 billion (US$17.5 billion), including contributions from multiple EU member states including Germany, France, Denmark, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Portugal, Sweden, Austria, and Ireland, as well as significant bilateral contributions by European financial institutions and development finance institutions, and estimated mobilized private investment. Alongside the campaign, the African Development Bank has pledged to allocate at least 20% of their 17th replenishment to renewable energy.

The campaign, organized in collaboration with Global Citizen and with policy support from the IEA, aimed to drive public and private investment in supporting Africa's clean energy transition, expand electricity access, and promote sustainable economic growth and decarbonized industrialization. The effort represented a step toward accelerating the global transition from fossil fuels to clean and sustainable energy.

Von der Leyen stated that the investment would turbocharge Africa's clean-energy transition, providing millions more people with electricity access and creating opportunities for thriving markets, new jobs, and reliable clean energy.

The Tropical Forest Forever Facility secured endorsements from 53 countries and financial commitments exceeding US$5.5 billion launched at the COP30 Leader's Summit in Belém, Brazil, on November 6, 2025, hosted by Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and UN Secretary-General António Guterres.

The TFFF Launch Declaration received endorsements from 53 countries, including 19 potential sovereign investors. A total of 34 tropical forest countries endorsed the declaration, representing over 90% of tropical forests in developing countries, including Indonesia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and China.

Countries announced the following financial commitments:

• Norway committed US$3 billion over the next 10 years, subject to specific conditions;
• Brazil and Indonesia reconfirmed commitments of US$1 billion each;
• France indicated that, under specific conditions, it would consider committing EUR500 million (US$578 million) until 2030;
• Portugal committed US$1 million;
• Netherlands committed US$5 million for the secretariat; and
• Germany fully endorsed the TFFF, with Chancellor Friedrich Merz scheduled to discuss financial commitments with President Lula.

The TFFF is a shift in global efforts to protect and restore tropical forests. The facility will address a market failure while recognizing the value of and paying for ecosystem services provided by tropical forests to the world.

On August 14, 2025, the resumed 5^th session of the INC-5.2 in Geneva, Switzerland, concluded without reaching a consensus on a legally binding treaty to end plastic pollution, though UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen and UN Secretary-General António Guterres noted that all member states agreed to continue negotiations.

Negotiations to establish a legally binding instrument to end plastic pollution concluded without an agreement. UN officials, including UNEP Executive Director Andersen and UN Secretary-General Guterres, acknowledged the outcome but emphasized that all countries remained committed to the process. The talks, which included delegates from 183 nations and representatives from over 400 CSOs faced significant differences on key issues.

The US delegation supported an agreement that allows for tailored, country-specific solutions to reduce plastic pollution while opposing prescriptive, top-down regulations. INC Chair Luis Vayas Valdivieso and INC Executive Secretary Jyoti Mathur-Filipp reaffirmed their dedication to moving forward and achieving a future agreement.

From June 9-13, 2025, the 3^rd UN Ocean Conference was hosted in Nice, France, ending with over 170 countries adopting a joint declaration committing to urgent measures for ocean conservation and sustainable use.

The event featured 55 heads of state and government as well as upwards of 15,000 participants from civil society, business, and science. The Nice Ocean Action Plan, combining this declaration with voluntary pledges, was said to mark renewed global political will for marine protection.

Key commitments included:

• A European Commission pledge of EUR1 billion (US$1.1 billion) for ocean conservation;
• A pledge by French Polynesia to create the world’s largest marine protected area;
• A pledge by New Zealand of US$52 million for Pacific Ocean governance;
• A pledge by Italy of EUR6.5 million (US$7 million) to strengthen Coast Guard surveillance in marine protected areas and on oil platforms;
• A pledge by Spain to establish five new marine protected areas, aiming to safeguard 25% of its marine territory;
• A pledge by Germany of EUR100 million (US$115 million) for Baltic and North Sea munitions clearance;
• The launch of a Coral Bond for reef conservation by Indonesia, WB, and partners.

37 countries, led by Panama and Canada, launched the High Ambition Coalition for a Quiet Ocean, while Canada pledged US$9 million to the Ocean Risk and Resilience Alliance. UN agencies and global partners also launched a co-design process for One Ocean Finance to unlock billions in new financing from ocean-dependent industries and blue economy sectors.

Nineteen more states ratified the Marine Biodiversity Treaty, bringing total signatures to 136 and ratifications to 50 states, plus the EU. Ten more ratifications are needed for the Agreement to enter into force. The 4^th UN Ocean Conference, in 2028, will be co-hosted by Chile and the Republic of Korea.

On June 2, 2025, AFD signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Essam and Dalal Obaid Foundation, Louis Dreyfus Foundation, and Sawiris Foundation to pilot a climate-smart agriculture program benefiting smallholder farmers in Egypt’s Sohag and Minya governorates.

This collaboration aims to improve agricultural productivity and resilience through tailored financial tools, sustainable practices, and market access support. AFD will also contribute through technical assistance and impact evaluation, with a long-term goal of scaling the approach nationally.

On November 19, 2024, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and French President Emmanuel Macron agreed to make ocean protection a strategic joint priority during Macron's trip to Brazil.

The statement emphasized that Brazil will host COP30 on climate in November 2025, which coincides with the 33^rd anniversary of the adoption of the UNFCCC and the 10^th anniversary of the adoption of the Paris Agreement.

France in turn is co-hosting, the next UNOC in June 2025, alongside Costa Rica. In response to the urgent ocean-related challenges, the UNOC is intended as a summit for action based on concrete commitments and a consolidated roadmap for progress. The conference will result in the adoption of the Action Plan for the Ocean.

In order to achieve SDG 14 and implement the 2030 Agenda, France and Brazil, as strategic partners, expressed their commitment to launch a global movement for the ocean and climate at the G20, in preparation for the 3^rd UNOC in France and COP30 in Belém. The objective is to develop a fair and sustainable blue economy enhancing the resilience of marine and coastal communities.

On November 8, 2024, ahead of the world gathering in Baku for COP29 from November 11- 22, the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs shared that France had exceeded its target of EUR6 billion (US$6.5 billion) per year of climate finance for the 2021-2025 period, a target set by French President Emmanuel Macron in 2020.

According to OECD data, France has provided EUR7.2 billion (US$7.8 billion) in climate finance to developing countries in 2023. EUR2.8 billion (US$3 billion) of total climate finance was directed to climate-change adaptation. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs claims that France is one of few countries considered to be providing its fair share towards the collective goal of mobilizing US$100 billion per year until 2025.

In 2020, Macron committed to increase France’s climate finance target for developing countries to EUR6 billion (US$6.5 billion) per year for the 2021-2025 period, with one-third dedicated to adaptation. Over the 2020-2023 period, France provided an average of EUR6.97 billion (US$7.5 billion) in climate finance per year.

Within the EU, France is the second-largest contributor, accounting for 31% of European climate finance provided in 2023.

On September 23, 2024, newly appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs Jean-Noël Barrot called for reform of the governance of the UN system at the Summit for the Future.

Barrot emphasized France’s commitment to multilateralism and being in favor of the UN Security Council reform. This included the expansion in categories of members, including promoting greater African presence.

Barrot highlighted the importance of technological expansion for future progress and how digital revolution can serve the SDGs. This will serve as his central priority at the AI Action Summit on February 10, 2025.

Barrot also committed to climate action and emphasized that France, Kazakhstan, and the World Bank are jointly organizing the One Water Summit in 2024.

France promoted a joint initiative with Mexico to regulate the use of vetoes in the event of mass atrocities, an initiative supported by 106 States.

On May 29, 2024, the French Ministers of Economy, Ecological Transition, Europe and Foreign Affairs as well as the Secretary of State in Charge of Development and International Partnerships jointly announced that France overachieved its climate finance target for 2022.

The announcement was based on data released by the OECD's for 2022. The data showed that, in 2022, France provided EUR7.6 billion (US$8.2 billion) in climate financing, of which EUR2.6 billion (US$2.8 billion) was for adaptation. The ministers stated that this represents an excess of approximately 25% of the EUR6 billion climate finance target set by the French presidency in 2020.

The statement noted that France is one of the main contributing countries to the financing of climate action in low- and middle-income countries, and that its contribution goes beyond its proportional share of responsibility.

On May 23-25, 2024, the G7 Ministers of Finance met at a summit in Stresa, Italy, where the ministers voiced support for contributions to the IDA, WHO, Gavi, and the Global Fund in the resulting communiqué.

The G7 ministers supported efforts towards a successful 21^st replenishment of the IDA by the end of 2024 through an ambitious policy and financing package. Notably, they did not give a concrete signal that the critical US$100 billion threshold requested by the World Bank will be crossed, nor any indication of the US$120 billion expected by African leaders.

The ministers reaffirmed their dedication to strengthening the governance and finance of the global health architecture and voiced support for refinancing processes of several GHIs, such as Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the WHO, and the Global Fund, and expressed support for the Pandemic Fund. The communiqué called on the donor community to coordinate efforts and increase investments in global health in line with their capacities to ensure sustainable funding and maximize the impact of available resources.

Following the summit, the C7 pointed out the G7's lack of ambition and financial commitment to international development, including climate adaptation. International civil society organizations criticized the lack of any reference to allocating SDRs to global solidarity.