Alianza's key presence at COP29 included an official side-event panel to discuss community-led solutions
The 29th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29), held in Baku, Azerbaijan, last November, underscored a critical challenge: the global climate finance system remains far from meeting the most urgent needs of vulnerable communities. While the negotiations showed little progress in securing concrete commitments, our presence carried a clear message: solutions to the climate crisis already exist within Global South communities, and financial flows must be redirected to support those who genuinely protect the planet.
Amplifying Local Voices at the Heart of the Debate
In partnership with Casa Socio-Environmental Fund and the Comuá Network, Alianza organized the official side-event “Financing Solutions from the Ground Up: Local, Territorial, and Activist Funds in the Global South.” The panel highlighted the strategic role of local funds from the Global South in building community-rooted solutions.
The session emphasized a central message from Alianza: local funds in the Global South are catalysts of change within the philanthropic ecosystem. Operating in close proximity to their territories, these funds foster resilience and implement solutions that truly work because they emerge from lived realities.
Panelists included Juliana Tinoco (Alianza), Jonathas Azevedo (Comuá Network), Maria Amalia Souza (Casa Fund), Jaime Guillen (Fondo Tierra Viva), Joshua Amponsem (Youth Climate Justice Fund), Farah Sofa (Ford Foundation), and Balkissou Buba (Global Alliance of Territorial Communities). Photos: Green Africa Youth Organization
The reflections shared by Alianza member funds underscored the urgency of transforming decision-making power over financial resources. Maria Amália Souza, founder of Casa Fund, emphasized the need for inclusive, participatory, and horizontal systems that respect the knowledge and strategies of local communities. She also presented Casa Fund’s policy brief, Community Philanthropy and Locally-Led Adaptation Solutions: Lessons Learned from the Global South, which highlights how local funds translate global adaptation principles into participatory, community-led actions while addressing challenges in current financing mechanisms.
Jaime Guillen, from Fondo Tierra Viva, shed light on the challenges faced in Central America—a highly vulnerable and often overlooked region. Drawing from everyday project experiences, Jaime highlighted the efforts of Miskito divers in Honduras, Indigenous people who have historically inhabited the Mosquitia region and often work in the dangerous fishing industry with inadequate equipment. These divers are addressing public health issues with local strategies, showcasing the resilience and innovation of their communities.
Joshua Amponsem, from the Youth Climate Justice Fund, shared a striking fact: remittances — money sent by workers living in Global North countries back to their countries of origin—amount to $590 billion annually, exceeding the flows of official development assistance and conventional philanthropy. This, he noted, underscores that philanthropy in the Global South is largely driven by its own people. “The world’s ‘poorest’ are the best philanthropies that we have. And yet there is this assumption that we do not know how to manage money, don’t have the capacity, or cannot be trusted with resources. That goes to demonstrate that we know how to give, and we understand how to give in a better way,” he stressed.
Funding the Planet’s Guardians
Another significant moment for Alianza at COP29 was an event at the Regional Climate Foundations Pavilion, where Alianza and Comuá Network broke away from traditional panel formats to offer an immersive and collaborative game experience. The session “Funding the Planet’s Guardians: A Gamified Experience Followed by a Conversation with Local, Territorial, and Activist Funds,” invited participants to step into the shoes of those working to develop local solutions for global challenges. Through a gamified activity, groups navigated different “territories” and tackled real-life challenges faced by communities and local funds.
The experience transitioned into a circle discussion that amplified the voices of local fund representatives. Among them was Florentina Woods, from the Miskito Indigenous community in the Moskitia region of Honduras, who attended COP 29 with Fondo Tierra Viva. Speaking in her native language, Florentina delivered a powerful message to this global stage:
“I am proud to know that I protect forests and ensure food security for my family and my women’s group. I ask the world to turn its attention to community processes and continue amplifying our voices.” Florentina’s words echoed, emphasizing the urgent need for changes that enable local communities to apply their knowledge and expand the fight against climate change.
Photos: Regional Climate Foundations Pavilion
What’s at Stake
While these events highlighted the ingenuity of Global South solutions, COP29 also highlighted persistent barriers. Trillions of dollars continue to circulate in global financial mechanisms, yet local communities remain largely excluded from accessing these resources. This disparity is not only unjust but unsustainable. As Maria Amália emphasized: “We don’t have much time. We need to get resources into the right hands now.”
COP29 reminded us of the long road ahead, but also validated the importance of being there. Alianza serves as a bridge, connecting local funds to global platforms and fostering collaboration that transforms recommendations into realities. Through partnerships, advocacy, and the amplification of community-led solutions, we work to reshape the systems that have excluded so many.
As we look toward COP30 in Brazil, our mission remains focused on to deepen trust, champion equity, and center the voices of those who are already leading the charge against the climate crisis.
