BONN — In a rare moment of consensus, nearly 200 countries agreed on Thursday to raise the core budget of the United Nations climate body by 10% for the next two years — a move seen as a modest but meaningful show of support for global climate cooperation.
The agreement was reached during climate negotiations in Bonn, Germany, where delegates from major economies like Japan and Saudi Arabia, as well as small island nations such as Fiji, backed the proposal to increase funding for the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The new budget will total €81.5 million for the 2026–2027 period, up from €74 million allocated for 2024–2025.
The budget increase comes at a time when many other UN agencies are facing financial strain, largely due to cuts from key donors like the United States and growing political resistance to climate action in parts of Europe. Against that backdrop, the decision to boost the UNFCCC’s funding is being welcomed as a reaffirmation of global commitment to tackling climate change.
“This agreement shows that governments, even amid economic pressures and political differences, are still willing to put money behind their climate pledges,” one UN official told reporters in Bonn.
A notable aspect of the deal is China’s increased financial contribution. Under the new arrangement, Beijing will now cover 20% of the UNFCCC’s budget — up from 15% previously — reflecting its growing role and responsibility as the world’s second-largest economy and top emitter of greenhouse gases.
The UNFCCC’s core budget, unlike voluntary climate finance for developing nations, is funded by mandatory contributions from member states, based on a formula that considers national income and economic capacity.
While climate activists continue to call for far more ambitious action and funding, especially for frontline nations already facing the effects of global warming, Thursday’s decision was still seen as a small but important step toward maintaining momentum in the lead-up to COP30, set to take place in Brazil in 2025.
