Thematic Areas of Focus

Humanitarian

Climate Justice

Gender Justice

Migration & Displacement

Peace & Human Security

Advocacy

Climate Justice

Climate Finance and Loss and Damage: Financing Communities Towards Climate Resilience

 

In 2024, ACT Alliance’s Climate Justice programme deepened its efforts to mobilise climate finance and advance justice for communities experiencing the brunt of climate change. At the core of our approach is the belief that communities on the frontlines of the climate crisis must not only be protected but also prioritised in the design and delivery of climate finance mechanisms and programmes

Through policy advocacy, research, and locally led programmes, we worked to strengthen adaptation and resilience while amplifying calls for fair, predictable, and accessible financing for Loss and Damage, and Just transitions. This included a sharp focus on the operationalisation of the Loss and Damage Fund and influencing the New Collective Quantified Goal on Climate Finance.

Across our alliance, members continued to link global advocacy with local impact ensuring that rights and faith-rooted action and lived community experiences shape global climate discourse.

Climate Finance, Adaptation and Loss and Damage: financing communities towards climate resilience.

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ACT Alliance received funding from Brot für die Welt to advance global climate justice advocacy. This partnership facilitated the development of a new phase of the Global Climate Advocacy Project, informed by structural arrangements and coordination research. The initiative aimed to enhance the alliance’s capacity to influence climate finance policies and promote equitable adaptation strategies.

COP29

The alliance led the ACT delegation at COP29, comprising 24 participants (13 female, 11 male), and organized three side events focusing on adaptation finance, loss and damage, and human mobility. ACT further supported the broader ecumenical delegation, comprising over 100 participants from the WCC, LWF, Christian Aid, DanChurchAid and other Christian bodies. ACT’s engagement at UNFCCC’s SB60 meetings in June 2024 contributed to shaping the New Collective Quantified Goal on Climate Finance passed at COP29. However, the alliance expressed profound disappointment with the overall outcomes of COP29, citing inadequate commitments from developed nations and a failure to uphold principles of equity and common but differentiated responsibilities. COP29 Press Release.

Africa

 

ACT Alliance continued its collaboration with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and consortium partners to support  adaptation advocacy initiatives. The alliance also implemented the second programming cycle of the Locally Led Climate Fund in Uganda, Zimbabwe, Kenya, and Liberia. Key achievements included:

 

  • Drilling two boreholes in Zimbabwe to support agriculture and livelihoods.
  • Advocating for increased local climate finance allocation in Uganda, targeting Members of Parliament.
  • Leveraging Village Savings and Loan Associations in Kenya to establish adaptive and resilient livelihoods.
  • Mobilizing community land in Liberia to construct catchment areas.

Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC)

 

ACT Alliance’s LAC region achieved a significant milestone by participating in the Conference on Biological Diversity (CBD) COP16 with its first-ever regional delegation. The delegation included representatives from churches in Colombia (IELCO and the Methodist Church), international members like Act Church of Sweden, and regional members from Honduras (CASM) and Peru (Diakonia). In collaboration with LWF and WCC, ACT published the first ecumenical regionally developed public statement on Climate Justice and Biodiversity. This engagement demonstrated the potential to advance local-to-global ecumenical advocacy on creation care in the region.

Middle East and North Africa (MENA)

 

In 2024, ACT Alliance established the MENA Faith Actors in Climate and Environmental Justice Hub. This initiative aims to strengthen the role of faith-based actors in addressing climate and environmental justice issues in the region.

Asia-Pacific

 

ACT Alliance secured a trilateral partnership with the Asia Pacific Climate Change Consortium and the National Council of Churches of the Philippines. This collaboration supports regional climate advocacy targeting UNFCCC processes, participation in the Asia Pacific Ministerial Disaster Risk Reduction conference, and national-level climate campaigns. Details of these engagements will be included in the next report upon completion of the partnership activities.

ACT’s work in these spheres of action has in 2024 been supported financially by ACT members Brot für die Welt, NCA, Kerk in Actie, ACT Canada Forum members and ELCA through the Locally Led Climate Fund, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and in some cases ACT members have made activity-based financial contributions.

01
Advocacy and Global Influence
01

Advocacy and Global Influence

 

  • Led and coordinated faith-led ecumenical advocacy at global forums including SB60 and COP29.
  • Influenced COP29 outcomes on:
    • Finance topics in particular the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) on climate finance.
    • Global Goal on Adaptation
    • Gender
  • ACT was represented in all expert workshops on the NCQG throughout 2024.
02
Research and Evidence-Based Advocacy
02

Research and Evidence-Based Advocacy

 

  • Produced a landmark member-centred study on Loss and Damage, strengthening ACT’s evidence base.
  • Released Rights-based Approaches to Climate Programming research focusing on Africa, Asia and  LAC regions 
  • Developed a study report on Establishing the State of Adaptation Finance in Uganda
  • Developed Research on Loss and Damage, focusing on Programming and Policies in Malawi
  • Developed Research Report on Assessment of Climate Smart Agriculture Strategy in Kenya 
  • Developed a policy brief on scaling up Adaptation Action as a Key Driver to combating the Impact of Climate Change in Uganda
  • Developed a policy brief on bringing faith actors into the climate change bill conversations in Zimbabwe
  • Delivered Africa Experts’ messaging on the NCQG at a high-level regional meeting, co-hosted with key partners.
03
Strategic Convening and Collaboration
03

Strategic Convening and Collaboration

 

  • Co-organised a thematic session during ACT’s General Assembly titled ‘A Not So “Common Agenda”’ to link Agenda 2030, the Pact for the Future, and Climate Commitments.
  • Convened regional consultations and dialogues:
    • In Africa, co-hosted the African Experts Meeting on Climate Finance and Adaptation with AGNES, UNECA, and Africa Adaptation Initiative.
    • In Latin America & Caribbean (LAC), formed the first regional climate delegation to attend CBD COP16 and published the region’s first ecumenical public statement on climate justice and biodiversity (with LWF and WCC).
    • In MENA, established the Faith Actors in Climate and Environmental Justice Hub.
    • In Asia, supported the climate policy work of the Asia Pacific Climate Change Consortium which included key exchanges with climate negotiators in the region.
04
Forum and Local Engagement
04

Forum and Local Engagement

 

  • Maintained strong engagement with negotiating blocs such as the Africa Group, Least Developed Countries (LDCs), and EU, contributing to  technical processes and political considerations.
  • Continued to advance climate leadership by supporting regional and national Forums in implementing advocacy on climate adaptation.
  • The ACT Canada Forum continued to champion and support grassroot climate interventions  that provide local solutions to the climate crisis, build resilience and drive impactful advocacy action through the Locally Led Climate Fund, working in 5 countries  in Africa in 2024.
05
Youth and Movement Building
05

Youth and Movement Building

 

  • Hosted a Youth Pre-Assembly Climate Day, leading to youth-led campaign action at the General Assembly. Two youth from this event were also ACT delegates to COP29.
  • Strengthened cross-programmatic learning by co-convening discussions on Holistic and Integrated Programming.
06
Communications and Campaigns
06

Communications and Campaigns

 

  • Organised media and public engagement around COP29, linking technical advocacy with public mobilisation.
  • Successfully ran three campaign stunts and organised three major side events during COP29 to push climate justice messaging.
  • Garnered 21 media mentions across global, regional and member platforms.

In 2025, the Climate Justice Programme will focus on:

01

Strengthening faith-based climate advocacy by participating in UNFCCC SB62 and COP30.

02

Increasing accountability of governments on adaptation finance and policy through technical consultations, bilateral engagements, and the development of policy briefs and advocacy messages.

03

Generating evidence and research including studies on Loss and Damage (Malawi), adaptation finance (Uganda), and climate smart agriculture (Kenya), alongside dissemination webinars and media engagement to amplify learnings.

04

Mainstreaming rights-based approaches across forums in Africa, LAC, and Asia-Pacific to integrate gender, just transition, and community-led insights into programming and advocacy.

05

Supporting grassroots climate action through local interventions linked to systemic advocacy, and continued support of the Locally Led Climate Fund.

06

Strengthening regional structures by operationaliszing ACT’s regional climate justice hubs, particularly in MENA and Africa.