COP30 is going to happen in a weirdly difficult global environment. The trade war is not going to end. But there is good news: there is a clear recognition that we need to make climate finance work. The US tariffs are going to force people to figure out how to do that.

Delegates at COP30 should focus on streamlining climate finance, as a handful of funds with harmonised standards and processes would be better equipped to deliver efficient and accessible funding – and ensure fewer dollars are wasted. By Georgia Hammersley

As Malaysia takes on the Asean Chairmanship in 2025, it has a unique opportunity to champion a bold, legally binding regional framework for environmental rights. Such a framework would protect the people most affected by environmental degradation and hold corporations accountable for transboundary climate harm. By Rayhan Dudayev and Syahrul Fitra