From negotiation to implementation: NGOs as catalysts of climate action

COP30 in Belém, Brazil, was not referred to as the “COP of implementation” without reason. A defining feature of this COP was that, for the first time, national governments and non-state actors were brought together under a common action agenda. This strengthened coordination represents an important step towards jointly advancing climate solutions. The Action Agenda, comprising more than one hundred practical, solution-oriented initiatives, highlighted the central role of international NGOs. They act as catalysts for accelerated climate mitigation and adaptation, often leveraging climate finance. In this context, international NGOs such as Mennonite Economic Development Associates (MEDA) and the International Rural Development Service (ILD) play a key role. Both organisations are important partners of Climatekos, with the collaboration with ILD focusing on environment and development for more than nine years.

Exemplary embedding of the environmental and climate change practice of an international non-governmental organization (here: supporting sustainable agri-food market development)

The international climate regime is characterised by a complex interplay of governmental, private-sector and civil society actors operating across multiple levels. Within this global governance landscape, NGOs have increasingly established themselves as key actors in the fight against climate change. They operate both locally and globally, which is reflected in their institutional presence: the number of NGOs holding observer status under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) increased from 162 at COP 1 to 3,782 at COP 29. This development illustrates how deeply NGOs are now embedded in official multilateral processes, thereby strengthening their role in implementing ambitious climate targets.

International NGOs translate political commitments into concrete action on the ground and mobilise public funding for sustainable and climate-resilient development. COP30 therefore represents not only a platform for states, but also a strategic catalyst for development organisations. The strong emphasis on implementable solutions, combined with increasing levels of climate finance, creates a favourable environment for NGOs, civil society and private-sector actors to further expand their role as a bridge between policy and practice. This is particularly relevant given the urgency of climate change and the need to accelerate climate action.

The practical implications of this role are clearly illustrated by the work of international development organisations such as MEDA and ILD. In the past year, MEDA, supported by Climatekos, began systematically measuring greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from its own business operations as well as emission reductions achieved through its international project portfolio. Based on these results, Climatekos developed a comprehensive climate strategy aimed at leveraging climate finance and carbon mechanisms to mobilise public and private capital.

Through this approach, MEDA and its project partners are able, on the one hand, to advance climate mitigation projects and, in the future, offer emission credits under standards such as the Gold Standard or the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) (offsetting). On the other hand, MEDA aims to compensate for emissions from its own operations through insetting. At the same time, MEDA does not focus solely on mitigation but also addresses climate change adaptation by promoting capacity building and climate-friendly agricultural practices through its project work.

Specifically, MEDA’s strategy focuses on four strategic pillars:

• Emissions reduction and resilience: Reducing emissions while strengthening the adaptive capacity of smallholder farmers and SMEs, e.g. through more efficient farming methods or soil management.

• Carbon and climate finance: Facilitating access to additional funding for partners in the Global South, e.g. through payments for environmental services (PES), while also creating investment opportunities for donors.

• Global coordination: Uniform monitoring and knowledge exchange across MEDA's global projects to achieve economies of scale.

• Unlocking insetting potential: Engaging in reforestation, soil protection and bioenergy projects to offset internal emissions.

Through this integrated approach, MEDA is not only moving closer to climate neutrality itself but is also contributing positively to global GHG mitigation while strengthening the resilience of communities at project sites. Linking its activities to the voluntary or compliance carbon market further enables MEDA to use donor capital efficiently and significantly expand its overall impact.

The ILD provides another example of how NGOs use public funding to combine climate mitigation and adaptation with sustainable development. In Uganda, for instance, ILD is implementing the Green East Africa Programme, which brings together various projects through blended finance in cooperation with a local consortium. The focus lies on environmental and development measures as well as their scaling.

In addition, ILD receives funding from the German government’s International Climate Initiative (IKI), particularly in support of deforestation-free and low-carbon supply chains. More broadly, ILD works closely with local communities, agricultural enterprises, and civil society organisations and networks to promote climate-friendly land-use practices, such as agroforestry systems, erosion control and sustainable soil management. Through training, knowledge transfer and institutional development, ILD strengthens local capacities in a sustainable manner, while simultaneously achieving emissions reductions and adaptation benefits through more efficient resource use.

COP30 raises expectations that the Action Agenda and new blended finance instruments will create additional financing and scaling opportunities for organisations. This would enable international NGOs to further expand the activities described above and strengthen their contribution to effective environmental and climate protection. At the same time, Belém reinforces the legitimacy of development organisations as key partners in the fight against climate change. When governments and multilateral institutions clearly emphasise the importance of practical implementation on the ground, organisations such as MEDA and ILD gain strategic space to scale up projects, disseminate innovations and develop climate-friendly business models together with local partners.

Nevertheless, significant challenges remain. There are still few publicly available statistics that directly quantify how many tonnes of CO₂ equivalents are reduced, or adaptation benefits are delivered through the work of international NGOs. One reason is that many NGOs have not yet published standardised emissions or impact reports. Moreover, emission reductions in international development projects are often indirect (such as through improved agricultural practices or increased energy efficiency) making precise measurement more difficult.

Despite these challenges, COP30 in Belém makes one thing clear: climate policy is no longer primarily about negotiation, but about implementation. International NGOs are indispensable actors in this process. With public funding, technical expertise and strong local engagement, they implement tangible climate and development initiatives (from regenerative agriculture and reforestation to carbon projects). Acting as catalysts, they contribute to accelerating and scaling climate action.

By measuring emissions and adaptation impacts and facilitating access to climate finance in collaboration with local partners, these organisations help ensure that international climate targets translate into real-world impact rather than remaining abstract commitments. For donors and decision-makers, this means that investing in trusted development organisations is more than a financial contribution; it represents a strategic lever for meaningful, measurable and long-term climate action. This is also reflected in the increasingly close linkage between official development assistance (ODA) and climate finance. COP30 may therefore mark a potential starting point for the increased focus on implementation; but whether it leads to lasting change will depend largely on the sustained provision of public and international funding.

Climatekos gGmbH is an independent social enterprise in the field of environment and development focusing on international climate protection.