Sierra Leone has issued a clear call for climate justice and faster global action at the Resumed High-Level Segment of COP30 in Belém, Brazil.
Speaking in the Amazon on 18 November 2025, the Minister of the Environment and Climate Change, Hon Jiwoh Emmanuel Abdulai, warned that Sierra Leone is already living with the sharp edge of the climate crisis through floods, landslides, coastal erosion, extreme heat and erratic rainfall.
“Sierra Leone is on the front line of a crisis we did not create,” he said, describing this as a profound injustice that demands a fair global response.
He set out Sierra Leone’s new third-generation Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC 3.0) under the leadership of President Brig (Rtd) Julius Maada Bio, highlighting work to
- restore forests and watersheds
- rehabilitate mangroves along the coast
- expand climate smart agriculture
- scale up renewable energy for homes, clinics, PHUs and schools
- strengthen community based early warning systems
Despite tight fiscal space and limited resources, Sierra Leone has committed to deeper emission reductions and stronger adaptation measures as one of the world’s most climate vulnerable countries.
Minister Abdulai warned that global negotiations are “moving too slowly” and called for:
- a credible Global Goal on Adaptation with concrete targets, backed by finance, technology and capacity building
- a new climate finance goal that is accessible, predictable and responsive to the needs of vulnerable countries, especially for adaptation
- faster, fairer access to climate relevant technologies so climate vulnerable economies can build resilience
He urged all parties to rebuild trust through a more transparent and just negotiating process, stressing that COP30 is a generational decision point:
“The window for preserving a safe future is closing. History will not forgive hesitation or empty promises.”
He affirmed that Sierra Leone stands ready to act, but cannot carry the burden alone, and called on all countries to match words with action in Belém.