Rabat — Morocco called for ambitious and legally-binding climate finance agreements at a preparatory meeting in Belém, as Brazil’s COP30 presidency works to bridge divides ahead of next year’s summit.
Speaking in Belém on Monday, Rachid Tahiri, Morocco’s climate change lead at the Ministry of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development, urged negotiators to “remove the last obstacles” blocking substantial discussions on Article 9.1 of the Paris Agreement. This provision establishes developed countries’ legal obligation to provide financial support to developing nations.
Tahiri stressed that the world’s climate goals depend on whether developing countries receive clear financial resources to implement their national climate pledges, known as Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).
Brazil’s presidency note reveals that consultations have identified common ground on several fronts: strengthening multilateralism, shifting from negotiation to implementation, expanding international cooperation, and accelerating climate action during this “critical decade.”
The presidency also reports growing alignment on energy transition, broadening access to climate finance, and reducing capital costs for developing countries.
Finance remains the major sticking point, as three distinct options exist on how to structure financial flows, their governance, and how they connect to existing commitments on adaptation and Article 9.1 implementation. Several delegations say the gap remains “too wide” for quick compromise.
“We remain concerned about the scale of unresolved issues as time runs short,” Tahiri said, calling for “serious and structured discussions” on Article 9.1. “We can only make progress with a dedicated process for this article, one of the few that establishes a clear legal obligation.”
Morocco, aligned with African and Arab negotiating groups on climate finance, pointed out that some countries resist opening this discussion. The country asked Brazil’s presidency to identify “necessary guarantees” to reassure all parties.
“We encourage our partners to specify what safeguards they would need to engage in non-prejudicial dialogue on 9.1,” Tahiri said, urging the Brazilian presidency to lead more detailed discussions on this issue.
While welcoming several countries’ recognition of public finance’s role, Morocco advocated for a framework that clearly separates three levels of financial action: provision, mobilization, and broader flows. “We’re ready to leave Belém with active processes on all three levels, provided each has its own proper space,” Morocco’s representative said.
These clarifications, he added, prove essential to “build trust” and ensure developing countries like Morocco can implement their climate contributions “to match their ambitions, including conditional components.”
Brazil’s presidency stressed the urgency of keeping the 1.5°C target “within reach” and called for intensified efforts on adaptation, energy transition, transparency, and technical cooperation through Article 6 and existing support mechanisms.
