Justicia Shipena
Environment and tourism minister Indileni Daniel says the global trade and finance systems must reward countries that commit to low-carbon development.
She said developing nations need fairer market access and trade rules that support climate action.
Daniel delivered this message during a UNCTAD side event at the ongoing Conference of Parties (COP30) in Belém, Brazil.
She told delegates that current systems often disadvantage countries that are pursuing green industrialisation.
She said countries like Namibia are investing heavily in low-carbon production but face barriers created by outdated trade rules and unpredictable carbon border policies.
She cautioned that developing nations risk falling behind in the absence of clear global frameworks, access to green finance, and supportive market conditions.
“Our collective future depends not only on reducing emissions but on transforming the very engines of our economies – how we produce, trade and invest – so that growth becomes synonymous with sustainability,” she said.
Daniel added that African platforms such as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the African Union’s Green industrialisation strategy will help harmonise climate standards and grow green supply chains across the continent.
The UNCTAD event, themed Leveraging Trade and Investment for a Low-Carbon and Sustainable Future, brought together trade officials, climate negotiators and development partners.
The session looked at ways to integrate trade into NDCs, mobilise green finance and scale resilient value chains.
Daniel urged leaders to align trade and investment rules with the 1.5°C pathway, direct climate finance into productive sectors in the Global South and build value chains that support shared prosperity.
Meanwhile, still on the margins of COP30, Namibia opened talks with the leadership of the new Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage.
The discussion focused on ways to access financing meant for countries already suffering irreversible climate impacts.
Daniel and Environmental Investment Fund (EIF) chief executive Benedict Libanda met the fund’s executive director, Ibrahim Cheikh Diong.
The delegation described Namibia as one of the world’s most climate-stressed countries.
They said unpredictable weather, destructive flooding, persistent drought and rising temperatures are placing increasing pressure on the semi-arid environment.
They also reported growing climate-induced veld fires, including in protected areas, which are destroying habitats.
Evidence, they said, shows a link between shifting rainfall patterns and rapid bush encroachment, which reduces grazing capacity and affects rural livelihoods.
They added that warming oceans are disrupting fish stocks and threatening coastal economies.
They said many Namibians depend directly on natural resources for survival, and climate shocks immediately translate into social and economic hardship.
They stressed that safeguarding biodiversity is central to protecting livelihoods and building resilience.
Diong said the Loss and Damage Fund was created to support countries already experiencing irreversible climate impacts.
He called it a historic achievement that took decades of negotiation.
The fund has secured USD 800 million in pledges, with USD 400 million currently available and USD 200 million approved for direct government grants.
Diong encouraged Namibia to identify a technically capable national focal point to coordinate engagement and to rely on accredited entities like the EIF, which has experience accessing global climate finance.
He urged Namibia to begin developing project concepts aligned with the fund’s requirements.
Countries may start submitting proposals in December 2025 and the board will assess applications at its 2026 meeting in Zambia.
Diong said templates, guidelines and eligibility criteria are already available, and the fund has launched online information sessions to help countries prepare strong proposals. He encouraged Namibia to raise national awareness so stakeholders understand how to participate.
