By replacing outdated financing models with innovative, investment-driven approaches, adaptation finance can unlock sustainable growth, attract private capital, and deliver lasting resilience for rural communities and global economies alike.

In a new report, UN Trade and Development says improving the international financial architecture is a prerequisite for unlocking the finance needed to support climate-resilient development.

The consumption of tobacco, alcohol, and sugary drinks fuels the epidemic of non-communicable diseases, such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes, which account for over 75% of all deaths worldwide. The World Health Organization (WHO) is urging countries to raise real prices on tobacco, alcohol, and sugary drinks by at least 50% by 2035. The “3 by 35” Initiative comes at a time when health systems are under enormous strain from rising noncommunicable diseases, shrinking development aid and growing public debt. WHO is calling on countries, civil society, and development partners to support the “3 by 35” Initiative and commit to smarter, fairer taxation that protects health..

According to the United Nations, the world needs an extra $4 trillion every year to tackle some of the world’s biggest challenges – ending poverty and hunger, fighting climate change, and reducing inequality. These are part of 17 goals agreed by nearly every country, called the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The plan is to hit these targets by 2030. But we’re falling behind. One big reason? There just isn’t enough consistent funding to make real progress. That’s why world leaders, economists, and other decision-makers are meeting at the end of this month in Sevilla, Spain, for a major event called the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development. It’s being called a “once-in-a-decade opportunity” to rethink how the world pays for sustainable development.

Government leaders, together with international and regional organizations, financial and trade institutions, businesses and civil society have come together at the highest level to foster stronger international cooperation at the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FFD4) in Seville, Spain. The four day conference offers a unique opportunity to reform financing at all levels — including advancing reform of the international financial architecture and addressing financing challenges that hinder the urgently needed investment push for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Over the past decade, migrants have sent US$5 trillion in remittances to low- and middle-income countries, exceeding official development assistance and equaling foreign direct investment. More than one-third of these funds have reached rural areas, where they count the most. Remittances are more than financial transactions; they are a lifeline for millions of families. As part of its decade-long campaign highlighting the role of remittances in achieving the SDGs, the International Day of Family Remittances (16 June) focuses on showcasing how these transfers contribute to financing development.

The next generation of innovators is rising from the developing world, and the World Bank Group is helping them thrive. By combining insight, finance, and partnerships, we've transformed $29 billion in donor support into $1.5 trillion in real-world impact.

As scammers become more creative, it's crucial to recognize the signs of online fraud and cryptocurrency scams to avoid acting recklessly under pressure.

A global tax platform is vital for addressing financial challenges, expanding fiscal space, and enabling developing countries to invest independently by tackling tax avoidance and illicit financial flows.

The new climate finance goal, set to be finalized at COP29, aims to significantly increase funding for developing countries' climate efforts while improving transparency and accessibility.

Global Investors for Sustainable Development (GISD) Alliance business leaders will meet UN officials for their 6th annual meeting (28-29 October, New York) to advance SDG financing. Discussions will support solutions for the UN’s reform agenda, boost and unlock private sector investment in sustainable development, and prepare for the 2025 Financing for Development Conference in Seville, Spain (30 June-3 July). The meeting comes at a critical time when the world needs transformative actions to bridge the SDG financing gap, which has ballooned to USD 4 trillion annually for developing countries. 

There is a global call for more climate finance to support Low and Middle-Income Countries and fund adaptation. However, roughly $4.8 trillion has been channeled into climate action, with 75 percent invested in high-income countries.

Global foreign direct investment (FDI) faced a 2% decrease in 2023, with a deeper decline exceeding 10% for the second consecutive year, driven by trade tensions and economic slowdowns.

UNCTAD has called for urgent reforms to the global debt architecture in response to the alarming increase in developing countries' external sovereign debt.

Global growth is projected to slow for the third year in a row, almost three-quarters of a percentage point below the average of the 2010s.