The Peacebuilding Fund at COP30

At the 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30), in response to the continuing demand for peacebuilding programming at the interface of climate, peace and security, DPPA’s Peacebuilding Support Office was pleased to contribute two pledges at the high-level event “Bridging the Gap: Making Climate Finance Work for the Underserved”. The event was organized by the Climate Security Mechanism in partnership with the Group of Friends on Climate and Security and ODI Global.

Pledges included the continued commitment of PBF support to Member States seeking to peacefully resolve and build resilience to conflict drivers that are exacerbated by climate change. In 2025 alone, the PBF expects to approve approximately USD 30 million for related programmes in 11 countries, over 30 per cent of approvals this year. In addition, the PBF will partner with the Green Climate Fund, the Climate Security Mechanism, UN Women, and the Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund to strengthen collaboration and break silos on Women, Peace and Security within climate action and finance. The partners will draw on their rich expertise in gender-responsive programming and related initiatives to distill and share lessons on how to better integrate WPS principles across climate finance operations.

DPPA/PBSO also co-sponsored a COP30 side event hosted by the German Federal Foreign Office, UN Women, and the United Nations Women's Peace and Humanitarian Fund entitled "Resilience for Peace: Inclusive approaches to amplify climate, peace & security". The discussion explored how increased investment in inclusive approaches can strengthen transformative and local solutions for climate action, peace, and security.

The event spotlighted women's leadership in preventing and responding to climate-related conflicts and injustice, amplifying local initiatives for conflict prevention, sustainable resource management, and peacebuilding. Panelists shared experiences from indigenous, youth, and women-led organizations on the frontlines of climate and security challenges. It was also the opportunity for DPPA/PBSO to showcase lessons from the PBF-funded UNCDF Kibira Peace Sanctuary initiative in Burundi, where a former conflict hotspot is being transformed into a platform for peacebuilding and inclusive conservation. By prioritizing benefit-sharing for the indigenous Batwa community and creating jobs alongside predictable revenue streams, the project turns natural resource management into an engine for stability, social cohesion and long-term peace.

PBSO will continue to build on PBF lessons identified in the 2023 Thematic Review on Climate Security and Peacebuilding and its 2025 Thematic Review on Youth, Peace and Security, facilitating coherent approaches of the United Nations system with a strong emphasis on cross-border cooperation and gender and youth-inclusive approaches. PBSO will seek to further increase synergies between the PBF and partners such as international financial institutions and climate funds to increase catalytic effects.