The Climate and Care Initiative participated in COP30 in Belém, Brazil, contributing to key discussions on climate justice through the lens of care. As part of the Care Pavilion at EcoAmazonas, the Initiative engaged in a series of events that highlighted the central role of care systems in building resilient, equitable, and sustainable societies.
Across these spaces, a common message emerged: care is not peripheral to climate action—it is essential infrastructure for adaptation, resilience, and justice.
The Climate and Care Initiative is developed by Fundación Avina, Oxfam Canada, and UNRISD, in collaboration with the Global Alliance for Care and with the support of Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC).
Bringing care to the center of climate debates
At COP30, the Initiative contributed to convening dialogues that connected research, policy, and grassroots experiences.
One of the key sessions, “Financing a Just Transition: Mobilizing Climate Finance for Care”, addressed the structural gap in global climate finance frameworks, which continue to overlook care systems as a core component of resilience. The discussion emphasized that investing in care—through services, infrastructure, and decent working conditions—is not only a social priority but a strategic climate investment.
The session explored pathways to integrate care into climate finance mechanisms, including reforms to major global funds and the need to strengthen alliances between climate and care actors.
Local leadership and territorial approaches
In the session “What Can Amazon Cities Teach Us About Care Policies and Climate Justice?”, the focus shifted to local governance and territorial innovation. The case of Belém illustrated how cities can embed care into climate strategies, drawing from community-based approaches and municipal policy development.
The discussion highlighted how climate change intensifies unpaid care work and deepens inequalities, while also underscoring the role of local governments and civil society in advancing integrated care systems as part of climate resilience strategies.
Amplifying grassroots voices from the Global South
A central moment of the Initiative’s participation was the event “Centering Care in Just Transitions and Climate Action: Elevating Grassroots Voices”, which brought together organizations supported by the Climate and Care Fund.
Grantees from Latin America and Africa shared how the intersection between climate and care shapes everyday realities in their communities—from water access and food systems to urban vulnerability and gender-based inequalities. Their testimonies demonstrated how community-led solutions are already addressing both crises simultaneously, offering concrete pathways toward a just transition.
This session also featured a multimedia photo exhibition showcasing lived experiences from across the Global South. Through these images, the Initiative highlighted care not only as a response to climate impacts, but as a transformative force for building collective resilience.
From evidence to action
The participation of the Climate and Care Initiative at COP30 reinforced the importance of integrating care into climate policy, finance, and governance frameworks.
Across all events, the discussions pointed to a shared urgency: to recognize care systems as climate infrastructure, to integrate care into climate finance and adaptation strategies, to center the voices and solutions emerging from grassroots organizations, and to advance a just transition that addresses both environmental and social inequalities.
By connecting research, policy dialogue, and territorial experiences, the Initiative continues to contribute to a growing global agenda that positions care at the heart of climate action.
As climate negotiations move forward, the challenge remains clear: building climate solutions that sustain life requires recognizing, valuing, and investing in care.