Joe Thwaites

@joethwaites.bsky.social

International Climate Finance Director @nrdc.org No relation to the glacier. Views my own

To complement the tracker, my new @nrdc.org piece examines recent developments in international public #climatefinance including: 📊New reporting 🏦What's going on at MDBs and climate funds 🌏Adaptation finance 💸Recent country pledges It's a mixed bag, with reasons for concern but also areas of hope.

Midway Through a Tumultuous 2026, Where Do We Stand on International Public Climate Finance?

Climate finance is in a period of flux, but there are pathways to scaling up funding to meet the moment.

nrdc.org

Confused about #climatefinance? Our new resource @nrdc.org provides a snapshot of progress towards the four globally agreed goals: 1️⃣$1.3tn all intl flows by 2035 2️⃣$300bn mobilized by 2035 3️⃣3x #UNFCCC fund outflows by 2030 4️⃣3x adaptation finance by 2035 We'll update with new data as it comes out.

International Climate Finance Goals Tracker

This tracker collates data on progress toward the four globally agreed-upon climate finance goals.

nrdc.org

Confused about #climatefinance? Our new resource @nrdc.org provides a snapshot of progress towards the four globally agreed goals: 1️⃣$1.3tn all intl flows by 2035 2️⃣$300bn mobilized by 2035 3️⃣3x #UNFCCC fund outflows by 2030 4️⃣3x adaptation finance by 2035 We'll update with new data as it comes out.

International Climate Finance Goals Tracker

This tracker collates data on progress toward the four globally agreed-upon climate finance goals.

nrdc.org

Today’s free newsletter has a very simple message: The AI industry can not (and will not) be bailed out - AI is not too big to fail, OpenAI is not AIG, this is not 2008, and all of this is nothing like the Dot Com Bubble. And when it fails, we must let AI burn. www.wheresyoured.at/let-ai-burn/

Let AI Burn

If you liked this piece, you should subscribe to my premium newsletter. It’s $70 a year, or $7 a month, and in return you get a weekly newsletter that’s usually anywhere from 5,000 to 18,000 words, in...

wheresyoured.at

I've attended many climate COPs over the years and it seems some nations... *cough* ...are very well versed indeed in this now-declassified "Simple Sabotage Field Manual" first issued by the CIA in 1944

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China has little incentive to position itself as a climate leader and risk assuming 'climate finance' obligations But China is still channelling large sums into climate-relevant projects around the world @katelogan.bsky.social + Lily Hartzell explain backchannel1.substack.com/p/chinas-del...

China’s Delicate Dance on Climate Finance

When it comes to China’s role in accelerating climate finance and the global clean energy transition, the world is grappling with several competing realities.

backchannel1.substack.com

#COP30 saw new 2035 climate targets, boosted adaptation funding, increased support for transitioning away from fossil fuels, and more progress on forest protection. It’s time to put these commitments into action. https://on.nrdc.org/4rodmHi

COP30: World Continues to Take Action on Climate

Even with some bumps along the way, countries across the globe rallied behind the need to accelerate the transition toward a climate-resilient, fossil fuel–free, prosperous economy.

nrdc.org

2035 might seem like a long way off, but the institutional reforms, development of revenue mechanisms, and investment planning must begin now if we're to stay on track. Governments need to be clear about what they want to do to keep up momentum to deliver $1.3 trillion.

International Climate Finance Goals: Where Are We, Where Do We Need to Be, and How Do We Get There?

Nearly a year since governments agreed on a set of new international climate finance goals, here’s an assessment of progress and what COP30 needs to deliver to keep on track.

nrdc.org

The AGF experience shows what happens when governments fail to build a good process to take forward ideas to raise finance. $1.3tn is a much bigger goal, so this time we can't let this process peter out. The Roadmap is not perfect but it's a good basis to craft a balanced process to scale finance.

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We should learn from history! Thanks @joethwaites.bsky.social for the good reminder. The new "Baku to Belem Roadmap" must be followed up, so that it becomes possible to scale up the funding. I hope for a decision at #COP30

Joe Thwaites@joethwaites.bsky.social · 9mo ago

History doesn't repeat, but it rhymes, a #climatefinance story: After the $100bn climate finance goal was agreed in 2009, the UN Secretary General created a High-Level Advisory Group on Climate Change Financing (AGF) to study potential sources of revenue to meet the new goal, led by the PMs of 🇪🇹&🇳🇴

Analysis by @joethwaites.bsky.social concludes this would mean a steep acceleration in the growth rate of adaptation finance Developing countries ideally want this to be grant-based finance, so that would mean e.g. more development aid going to climate adaptation projects bsky.app/profile/joet...

Joe Thwaites@joethwaites.bsky.social · 9mo ago

a) Tripling the 2025 doubling by 2030 requires a 25% annual growth rate in #adaptation finance, well above the 15% seen between 2019 and 2022. b) Continuing the 15% historic growth rate gets $77bn in 2030, then $157bn by 2035 due to compounding effects. Probably unlikely given political situations

An influential team called the Independent High-Level Expert Group on Climate Finance has laid out what it calls an "entirely feasible path" to mobilising $1.3tn by 2035. This was the aspirational goal agreed at last year's COP. Half of the finance in their pathway comes from the private sector.

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Countries at #COP30 are discussing a potential new #adaptationfinance goal. I've updated the calculations from our August blog on potential options - removing some scenarios that haven't gained traction and adding others that have.

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Joe Thwaites@joethwaites.bsky.social · 11mo ago

The #COP21 goal to double provision of adaptation finance is due this year. Heading into #COP30, governments are considering what could come next. In this @nrdc.org piece, @adellethomas.bsky.social and I explore seven potential options for a new adaptation finance goal: www.nrdc.org/bio/joe-thwa...

International climate finance drives climate action, but current efforts fall short of supporting developing countries as they transition and adapt to climate change. At COP30 later this month, world leaders must strengthen climate investments to secure a livable future.

International Climate Finance Goals: Where Are We, Where Do We Need to Be, and How Do We Get There?

Nearly a year since governments agreed on a set of new international climate finance goals, here’s an assessment of progress and what COP30 needs to deliver to keep on track.

nrdc.org

I quite enjoyed a lot of the takedowns of Bill Gates' EA brain snap on climate. It is really deadassed in a number of ways. But no-one mentioned the most important thing. He isn't *just* full of shit. He knows he is full of shit. I can prove it: timinclimate.medium.com/even-bill-ga...

Even Bill Gates knows he is full of shit

Did you hear about that “one low-income country set out to cut emissions by banning synthetic fertilizers”?

timinclimate.medium.com

notes on gatesnotes, in a thread "A new way to look at the problem" - er, no, he's been running this line for DECADES On the headline: you can absolutely guarantee anyone presenting themselves as telling tough, hard truths is about to deliver some self-aggrandising nonsense

A new way to look at the problem

Three tough truths about climate
What I want everyone at COP30 to know.

Bill profile picture
By Bill Gates published 1 day ago

For decades, Robert Redford lent his voice to protecting wild places and clean air and water and fighting against climate change. He brought environmental issues into the cultural spotlight and inspired generations to act. Thank you, Bob. 💚

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