Skip navigation
Other publication

Eight considerations for adaptation finance quality discussions

The authors of this paper analyse eight key trade-offs between different dimensions of quality, which is intended to inform discussions on how adaptation finance can remain effective and just as pressure to do more with less becomes greater and greater.

Nella Canales / Published on 20 August 2026
Citation

Canales, N., Adil, L., Niño, N. D., & Akuaake, I. (2026). Eight considerations for adaptation finance quality discussions. Finance Working Group. https://odi.org/en/publications/eight-considerations-for-adaptation-finance-quality-discussions/

Community mangrove reforestation project on Beqa Island, seedlings being planted in containers in the mud on Viti Levu, coming into leaf.

The past two years have seen the international community make a number of commitments to scale up climate finance flows, particularly to communities which are most vulnerable to climate and economic shocks.

At COP30, Parties made a political commitment to at least triple adaptation finance within ten years. The year before, Parties agreed the New Collective Quantified Goal to mobilize USD 300 billion a year by 2035 with a wider aim to scale up financing for climate action to USD 1.3 trillion a year over the same time frame. These milestones were reached at a time of decreasing development cooperation and shifting geopolitical priorities. With pressure to reach these targets growing while development finance becomes more constrained, the authors of this paper ask: what does efficient and strategic allocation of quality finance for adaptation looks like?

Definitions of quality are constantly evolving, varying depending on who is making the assessment and who is receiving the support. The authors of this paper argue for a nuanced picture that is able to balance different synergies and trade offs for “high-quality” adaptation finance.

SEI author

Nella Canales
Nella Canales

Research Fellow

SEI Headquarters

Topics and subtopics
Climate : Finance, Adaptation
Related centres
SEI Headquarters